Rappahannock Electric Awards $122,500 to 37 Nonprofits
Member-funded grants from Rappahannock Electric Cooperative's Power of Change support food, senior, youth, veteran, and health programs across Virginia.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Rappahannock Electric Cooperative's Power of Change awarded over $122,500 in member-funded grants to 37 nonprofit organizations. The grants serve communities across the cooperative's service territory.
Why it matters
The funding directs member-contributed dollars to local nonprofits addressing food insecurity, senior and veteran assistance, youth development, emergency crisis support, and health care in Virginia communities.
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative reports $122,500 awarded to 37 nonprofits from member-funded grants, drawn from a service base of about 185,000 connections across 22 Virginia counties. The applicant pool and total requested amount were not reported.
The players
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative
A member-owned electric cooperative serving about 185,000 connections across 22 Virginia counties, which operates the Power of Change program.
CARE Charity, Inc.
A volunteer-governed charitable board that distributes Power of Change donations to 501(c)3 nonprofits twice a year.
The details
Members contribute by rounding up their electric bill to the next whole dollar, with the spare change going to nonprofits. CARE Charity, Inc., a volunteer board, distributes the donations twice a year to 501(c)3 nonprofit charities across the service territory.
Timeline
Twice a year: CARE Charity distributes donated funds to nonprofits.
Every month: Members contribute by rounding up electric bills.
Fall 2026: Latest round of Power of Change recipients announced.
Market Landscape
Round-up giving programs run by member-owned utilities channel small, recurring contributions from customer bills into local charities rather than corporate budgets. The model keeps grant decisions and dollars within the cooperative's own service territory.
Members of Rappahannock Electric Cooperative fund these grants through a spare-change round-up on their monthly bills, so each payment can help local nonprofits. Organizations in the service area may consider applying for future Power of Change funding.
The takeaway
Small round-up contributions from monthly electric bills can add up to meaningful support for local nonprofits. Residents who want to back community causes can check whether their cooperative runs a similar program.
What happens next
The latest round of Power of Change recipients is scheduled to be announced in fall 2026.
Further reading
Explore more Philanthropy coverage tied to Virginia communities.
More information
Learn about applying through the Power of Change nonprofit funding application information.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Winchester Star.
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