Community Involvement
Change for the Community
Change for the Community is a voluntary, opt-in program enabling you to round-up your monthly electric bill to the next dollar and support worthwhile causes in your community. One-hundred percent of members' contributions are dispersed by a Change for the Community board to local 501(c)(3) organizations. We invite you to join Change for the Community. By adding a few extra cents to your monthly bill, YOU can make positive change in our communities.
Washington Youth Tour
Gibson Electric sponsors the annual Washington Youth Tour short-story contest for high schools juniors, awarding seven students and one teacher an expense-paid trip to Washington, DC. Trip winners have the opportunity to compete with other overall winners throughout the state for one of three scholarships ($3,000, $2,000, and $1,000). Students who participate are entered in a drawing for one of six $500 scholarships to be given away at our annual meeting each year.
Employee Volunteer Opportunity
Gibson Electric and Gibson Connect want to encourage our employees to support our communities. Employees are provided one day a year to serve organizations and causes important to them. We are excited to see our employees take advantage of this opportunity and applaud them for all the good they do!
Grant Programs
CoBANK Sharing Success
CoBANK, a cooperative bank serving Gibson Electric, Gibson Connect and other rural infrastructure providers, launched a $5 million fund in 2012 to match donations by the bank’s customers to nonprofit organizations in their communities. Since its inception, Gibson Electric and Connect have participated in the program to maximize donations to our member communities. Over $185,000 in funds have been donated to groups such as volunteer fire departments, local schools and hunger relief programs.
The program launches yearly on April 1 and closes on September 30 or the point at which CoBANK’s matching funds are exhausted. Gibson Cooperatives presents recipients of the CoBANK Sharing Success grants at their Member Appreciation Events held annually in October.
To learn more about the program or how to apply to be a potential recipient, please reach out to Jessica Toliver at jtoliver@gibsonemc.com.
Gibson Electric and Tennessee Valley Authority Community Care Fund
The Community Care Fund program was created by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in response to Covid-19 and launched the first round of funding in April 2020. TVA will continue the fund into Fiscal Year 2024, providing up to $3M to local power companies across the Valley. Gibson Electric is proud to participate; our funds are matched 1:1 by TVA. Since the program started in 2020, over $114,000 has been disbursed to nonprofit organizations supporting education, workforce development/training, arts and culture, diversity and inclusion, community enrichment, disaster relief and response, and health, hunger and housing.
Gibson Electric presents recipients of the Community Care Fund grants at their Member Appreciation Events held annually in October.
To learn more about the program or how to apply to be a potential recipient, please reach out to Jessica Toliver at jtoliver@gibsonemc.com.
Gibson Electric and Tennessee Valley Authority Economic Development Funding
Each year Gibson Electric and the Tennessee Valley Authority partner to support economic and community development in the Gibson Electric service territory. These funds support efforts for activities such as RFI completion, site and building assistance, marketing and promotion of available sites, recruitment activities, and more.
Applications are evaluated on community benefits, economic impacts, feasibility, adequate planning, leveraging of funds and other criteria that may be deemed appropriate for the grant review. There must be adequate documentation that the project will support economic and community development in the Gibson Electric service area.
Gibson Electric presents recipients of these grants at its Member Appreciation Events held annually in October.
To learn more about the program or how to apply to be a potential recipient, please reach out to Jessica Toliver at jtoliver@gibsonemc.com.
Organizations Our Grant Programs Have Benefited
Arts Council of Crockett Tennessee
Cayce Fire Department
City of Kenton Parks and Recreation
City of Three Way Pine Hill Park Expansion
Crockett Central High School Alumni Association
Crockett County Chamber of Commerce
Crockett County Emergency Food Bank
Crockett County Office on Aging
Crockett County Public Library
Crockett County Rescue Squad
Crockett Mission
Davy Crockett Cabin Committee
Dyer Elementary PTO
Everett-Stewart Regional Airport
Four Rivers Career Academy
Gadsden Volunteer Fire Department
Gibson County Emergency Food Bank
Gibson County Memorial Library
Gibson Memorial Library
Good Samaritan Health & Wellness
Greater Gibson County Chamber of Commerce
Habitat for Humanity Gibson County
Habitat for Humanity Hickman and Fulton County
Habitat for Humanity Obion County
Hickman County Emergency Management
Hickman County Memorial Library
Hickman-Fulton County Economic Development Partnership
Industrial Development Board of Crockett County
Isaiah 117 House
Job’s Table of Northwest Tennessee
KenTenn EMS
Kenton Tennessee Ministries
Lake County Emergency Food Bank
Middle Fork Bottoms Recreation Area
Neighbors Offering Hope and Assistance
Northwest Gibson County YMCA
Northwest Tennessee Disaster Services
Northwest Tennessee Economic Development Council: Benefiting members in Gibson, Obion, Crockett, Lake, and Dyer County
Northwest Tennessee Human Resource Agency
Obion County Adult Leadership
Obion County Emergency Food Bank
Obion County Joint Economic Development Council
Obion County Public Library
Obion County Senior Citizens Association
Outsidein Clothing
Reelfoot Area Chamber of Commerce
Reelfoot Rural Ministries
Rives Volunteer Fire Department
Samburg-Reelfoot Volunteer Fire Department
Tiptonville Main Street Association
Tiptonville Public Library
Tiptonville Public Library Foundation
TLC Riding Academy
Town of Dyer/Dyer Industrial Development Board
Town of Gibson Charles King Civic Center
Town of Trimble Volunteer Fire Department
Town of Troy/Troy Industrial Development Board
West Kentucky Allied Services: Benefiting members in Hickman, Fulton, Carlisle and Graves Counties
West Tennessee Industrial Association
YMCA of North Gibson County