At the Lake Country Power annual meeting in April 2025, Northeast Range School was awarded an Education Improvement Program grant of $48,000 for facilities improvement in the welding and shop area..
In June 2022, the Lake Country Power Board of Directors passed a new program designed to assist independent school districts in Lake Country Power’s service territory for qualifying programs and projects.
The Education Improvement Program (EIP) utilizes “unclaimed capital credit” funds for awards up to $100,000.
“The State of Minnesota allows electric cooperatives to use these funds for educational purposes after several years of trying to locate former co-op members with their capital credit refunds,” said Greg Schulzetenberg, manager of community relations and marketing. “The unclaimed property is allowed for use at the cooperative’s discretion if it meets certain criteria.”
It’s important to note that these unclaimed funds cannot be used for operational purposes or anything else that doesn’t meet State statute.
The mission of the EIP is to invest these funds in a way that aligns with the sixth Seven Cooperative Principles, which is Concern for Community.LakeCountryPoweris making every effort possible to keep the funds local while benefiting the communities and schools within the cooperative’s service area.
There are more than 30 independent school districts in northeast MNs that qualify for this program.
