Scholarships
Your Co-op has several scholarship options available for students who are members, or whose parents/ guardians are served by Flathead Electric at their primary residence. Additionally, scholarships are awarded yearly to students pursuing trades degrees, including those interested in attending Flathead Valley Community College’s Early Childhood Education Program or Montana Tech’s Pre-Apprentice Line Program.
Scholarships are available for:
Seniors graduating from accredited high schools in the Co-op’s service area
Graduating homeschool students
Current undergraduate college students
Flathead Electric Co-op Scholarships
Flathead Electric Cooperative’s scholarships are funded by unclaimed capital credits. Despite the Co-op’s best efforts to return capital credits to members, many go unclaimed (people move and don’t provide a forwarding address, for example). As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, the state allows Flathead Electric to use capital credits that go unclaimed for five or more years for educational purposes in our service area, rather than returning them to the Montana General Fund. Flathead Electric Co-op offers over $120,000 in scholarships each year.
FEC
Scholarship
Individual scholarships range from $1,500 to $6,000. The applicant or their parent/legal guardian must be a member of Flathead Electric Cooperative, served by the Co-op at their primary residence. Scholarship money must be used to attend an accredited post-secondary education institution in Montana. Applications are due February 23, 2025.
Lineworker Scholarships
Flathead Electric Cooperative funds scholarships to assist students looking to become electrical lineworkers. Scholarship applicants must meet these requirements:
- Student must be enrolled in the Pre-Apprentice Line Program at Highlands College, Montana Technological University.
- Student’s hometown must be in the service territory of Flathead Electric Co-op.
- Student must write an essay explaining their background, why they want to become a lineworker, and how this scholarship will help diminish their financial need.
Lineworker
Scholarships
Two $5,000 scholarships are available annually for local students who want to attend Montana Tech’s Pre-Apprentice Line Program. Flathead Electric Cooperative funds these scholarships with unclaimed capital credit dollars, but Montana Technological University administers the scholarship.
Basin & MECA Scholarships
The Basin Electric Power Cooperative (BECP) and Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association (MECA) scholarship opportunities are provided by organizations associated with your Co-op. We’ve combined these applications for your convenience so that one application can be used to apply for both scholarships simultaneously. Applications are due January 15, 2025.
BEPC
Scholarship
Basin Electric Power Cooperative (BEPC) Scholarship Program will award one $1,000 scholarship each year to a Flathead Electric Cooperative member’s child graduating from high school or currently attending an undergraduate college.
MECA
Scholarship
The Montana Electric Cooperatives Association (MECA) Scholarship Program will award one $500 scholarship to a regional electric cooperative member’s child graduating from high school or currently attending an undergraduate college.