One of Heartland REC's most unique and exciting community programs is the CoBank Sharing Success program, a matching grant opportunity open to local nonprofit organizations. Aimed at supporting local communities and people, the grant is made possible by our board of directors, in partnership with CoBank – a national nonprofit cooperative bank owned by the rural American cooperatives it services.
CoBank’s $5 million Sharing Success fund matches charitable contributions made by its cooperative members to local nonprofits in their individual communities. The matching grant program is designed to celebrate the vital role that cooperatives play in individual communities across the country. CoBank states that collaborating with their customers to support worthy causes they care about is a great way for them to make a positive difference and fulfill its mission of service to rural America. Since its inception in 2012, the program has generated more than $36 million in total charitable donations, primarily in rural areas across the country.
This past year, Heartland selected Pleasanton USD 344’s new trade school serving students in and around Linn County to receive the grant.