Who may apply for these grants?
This grant is available for the 2025-2026 school year to any elementary or secondary classroom teacher if they teach at a qualifying school listed below.

The list of qualifying schools includes: All Lubbock ISD schools, Abernathy, Aspermont, Childress, Chillicothe, Cotton Center, Crosbyton, Crowell, Frenship, Guthrie, Hale Center, Idalou, Jayton-Girard, Lorenzo, Lubbock-Cooper, Motley Co., New Deal, New Home, Paducah, Patton Springs, Petersburg, Post, Quanah, Ralls, Roosevelt, Ropesville, Shallowater, Slaton, Southland, Smyer and Spur. If you are teaching at a private or charter school, your application will be subject to eligibility verification. 

How much are the grants? 

There are a minimum of 10 Mini-Grants of $500 each available during the 2025-2026 school year for student-based projects or educational field trips that tie back to the subject you teach. Each Mini-Grant will be funded at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year.

How will the applications be judged?
The Operation Round Up Board of Directors will select recipients.

Applications will be judged on the following criteria:
       1. A project or educational field trip that demonstrates cooperation between students;
       2. Appropriateness for age and grade levels;
       3. A project or educational field trip that encourages a high level of student involvement;
       4. A project or educational field trip that focuses on student learning;
       5. Overall quality of the application and adherence to grant guidelines;
       6. If you were a previous grant recipient and didn't fulfill the guidelines, it will affect your current eligibility.

Entries must be submitted online by Friday, May 16, 2025, at 5 p.m.
 

What should be the focus of the proposal? 

An eligible project or educational field trip should offer an expanded learning opportunity for your students that compliments and reinforces daily classroom studies. This is an opportunity to do something extra for your students. The project or field trip should be limited only by the imagination of you and your students and the resources you have available.
       Each proposal must include the following information:
       1. Name and address of your school district and specific campus;
       2. Name and address of school district financial officer or campus accountant to receive check;
       3. The name, school address, phone number and email address of the participating teacher(s);
       4. The summer address and phone number for the participating teacher(s);
       5. The grade level(s) and approximate size of participating class or classes;
       6. A brief one-to two-page description of your project or educational field trip, which addresses the five criteria listed above;
       7. Estimated time line for your project or educational field trip during the 2025-2026 school year;
       8. A budget detailing all expenses;
       9. What other funds are available/being requested for this project.

How can I use the money? 

The money must be expended in compliance with your proposal for the 2025-2026 Operation Round Up Mini-Grant and within the 2025-2026 school year.

May the grant be used to extend/expand an existing project? 

Yes, but in that case, clearly indicate the scope of the original project and for what part of the original project you plan to use the Operation Round Up Mini-Grant.

What kind of documentation or “final report” is required?
 Each Mini-Grant winner must submit a written final report on their project or educational field trip, with pictures (with parental permission for print and online use). We would like to feature your class and project in the Texas Co-op Power magazine and on the South Plains Electric Cooperative website and Facebook pages. The final report must be mailed or emailed to Whitney Bryant by January 16, 2026, at South Plains Electric Cooperative, P.O. Box 1830, Lubbock, TX 79408 or wbryant@SPEC.coop. If emailing photos, send the largest size possible and attach only one picture per email. You can also use Dropbox to share the photos.
 

For more information, contact: Whitney Bryant at 806.775.7829 or wbryant@SPEC.coop.

Who may apply for these grants? 

This grant is available for a non-profit organization or agency who helps members in our service area. The list of qualifying counties include all or part of: Childress, Cottle, Crosby, Dickens, Floyd, Foard, Garza, Hale, Hall, Hardeman, Hockley, Kent, King, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Motley and Stonewall. Please refer to our website and service area map for exact locations.  https://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=033a6db4b71d4537996e87803fc0329e&extent=-102.5887,32.8424,-99.0703,34.5086 

How much are the grants? 

The grants are up to $1,500.
 

How will the applications be judged? 

The Operation Round Up Board of Directors will select the recipients.

Applications will be judged on the following criteria:

    1. A project that positively impacts our members and communities within our service area.

    2. Overall quality of the project and adherence to grant guidelines.

    3.  Project helps further Operation Round Up's mission of neighbors helping neighbors.  
 

If you were a previous grant recipient, and didn't fulfill the guidelines, it will negatively affect your current eligibility. You may not be currently eligible.

What should be the focus of the proposal? 

An eligible project should improve the quality of life to members in our service area and community. It should closely align with our mission of neighbors helping neighbors giving them a hand up, not a hand out.

How can I use the money? 

The money must be expended in compliance with your proposal for the Operation Round Up Community Grant and within one year of receiving the grant. Funds are not available for administrative costs.

May the grant be used to extend/expand an existing project? 

Yes, but in that case, clearly indicate the scope of the original project and how the Operation Round Up Community Grant will help support the original project.

What kind of documentation or “final report” is required? 

Each Community Grant recipient must submit a written final report on their project, including pictures (with parental permission for print and online use if applicable). We would like to feature your project in the Texas Co-op Power magazine and on the South Plains Electric Cooperative website and social media pages. The final report must be mailed or emailed to Whitney Bryant within a month of completion and no later than September 1, 2025, at South Plains Electric Cooperative, P.O. Box 1830, Lubbock, TX 79408, or wbryant@SPEC.coop. If emailing photos, send the largest size possible and attach only one picture per email. You can also use Dropbox to share the photos.

Entries must be submitted online by September 27, 2024 at 5 p.m. 

For more information, contact: Whitney Bryant at 806.775.7829 or wbryant@SPEC.coop.

Eligibility
      The Scholarship is available to an entering freshman who is a:

• member, or 
• is a spouse, child or stepchild of a member, or
• child whose guardian is a member of the Cooperative; or
• person living in a home where the landlord is a member.

Applicants must reside in the Cooperative service area; participate in Operation Round Up; and attend a qualifying school. If you are not currently participating in Operation Round Up, we’ll automatically enroll you when you submit the scholarship application.

The qualifying schools are: Abernathy, Anton, Aspermont, Childress, Chillicothe, Coronado, Cotton Center, Crosbyton, Crowell, Estacado, Floydada, Frenship, Guthrie, Hale Center, Idalou, Jayton-Girard, Lorenzo, Lubbock-Cooper, Lubbock, Monterey, Motley Co., New Deal, New Home, Olton, Paducah, Patton Springs, Petersburg, Plainview, Post, Quanah, Ralls, Roosevelt, Ropesville, Rotan, Shallowater, Slaton, Southland, Smyer, Spur and Wilson. If you are attending a private school, charter school or are home-schooled within one of our local communities, choose "other" for school. Service Territory Map: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=033a6db4b71d4537996e87803fc0329e&extent=-102.5887%2C32.8424%2C-99.0703%2C34.5086

Operation Round Up Scholarships are available, each for $1,500, payable $750 for each of two semesters through the freshman year. Satisfactory scholastic performance and appropriate personal standards must be maintained for continuing eligibility. Students must possess the qualities of honor, integrity, thrift and good moral character. The Selection Committee evaluates each student on financial need (35 points), community and school activities (25 points), awards and honors (15 points), academics (10 points) and educational goals (15 points). The information provided in the essay questions is very valuable to the Selection Committee.

Instructions: 

1. You must attach your high school transcript that includes the first semester of your senior year (social security number must be marked out) and one letter of recommendation.
2. Seniors must be attending a qualifying school.
3. Applications must be completed online.
4. If you have any questions, contact Whitney Bryant at South Plains Electric Cooperative at (806) 775-7829 or wbryant@spec.coop. If you experience any technical difficulties, contact support at support@submittable.com or 855-467-8264. 
5. Applications and all supporting documents must be submitted before midnight on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

 Instructions:


 

• You must attach your high school transcript (social security number must be marked out) and one letter of recommendation.
• Seniors must be attending a qualifying school.
• Your parent or stepparent must be employed by SPEC.
• Applications must be completed online.
• If you have any questions, contact Whitney Bryant at South Plains Electric Cooperative at (806) 775-7829 or wbryant@spec.coop. If you experience any technical difficulties, contact support at support@submittable.com. 
• Applications and all supporting documents must be submitted before midnight on February 17, 2026.