Every year when Tri-County REC returns Capital Credits to the membership, a portion of them remain unclaimed. Historically, those unclaimed credits had to be returned to the state, but the passage of Act 187 allowed cooperatives to retain that money as Escheated Funds and use it in three areas: energy assistance, education, and civic purposes. Tri-County uses these funds to address specific needs within its community through the Family-in-Need program, the Scholarship program and Youth Tour, and the Community Services Fund program.

The Family-in-Need program provides financial assistance to low-income and in-need Tri-County members. The funds also support our Scholarship programs and help send local students to the National Rural Electric Youth Tour. Additionally, Tri-County uses these funds to accept applications from the community as part of the Community Services Fund program.

The Community Services Fund program meets one of the seven Cooperative Principles: Concern for Community. Tri-County has established a Community Services Committee, comprised of members of the Board of Directors, to review applications. The Committee meets in the Spring and Fall of each year, and applications must be received by April and October 1 to be considered at the next scheduled meeting.

For additional information about these funds and the Community Service Fund program (Policy 3-28) and our Family-In-Need program (Policy 3-28), please refer to our Cooperative Documents at [Click Here]. You can also call Tri-County at 570-662-2175 for more information on our Community Services Funds and other programs that support our community.