Best Macon County Grants for Nonprofits in Alabama

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5415 - Guidelines to Develop Best-In-Class Maintenance Strategies for Vertical Assets

Grant Information

• Develop a clear understanding of the background and benefits associated with implementing well-rounded maintenance strategies for vertical assets.
• Develop a structured approach to identify and implement best-in-class maintenance strategies for vertical assets that improve reliability, increase asset availability, reduce unplanned work and emergency shutdowns, support the transition from reactive to proactive maintenance, and minimize total lifecycle cost.
• Apply leading practices such as Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) and cutting-edge technologies and analytics to vertical assets.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5429 - Bioavailability and Transformation of Dissolved Organic Nitrogen and Phosphorus Across WRRFs

Project Objectives

• Survey and characterize dissolved organic nitrogen and phosphorus (DON/DOP) concentrations and speciation across North American wastewater facilities, including but not limited to influent, secondary effluent, tertiary effluent, digester supernatant, thermal hydrolysis process (THP) centrate, autothermal thermophilic digestion (ATAD) sidestreams, and dewatering recycle streams.
• Understand the dynamics of DON/DOP in effluent, including quantifying the bioavailable fraction of DON/DOP in different relevant process streams, evaluating their transformation into nitrogenous disinfection by-product (N-DBP) precursors, determining bio-uptake rates representative of receiving water conditions, and measuring the timescale for biodegradation in receiving waters.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5427 - Advancing Actionable Climate Resilience Metrics for Water Supply Planning

Grant Information

• Catalog existing performance metrics that consistently drive water utility operational and capital decisions, assess their applicability to support future resilience-based decision making under nonstationary climate conditions, and identify adjustments or alternative metrics needed to support forward-looking, resilience-based decision making for water utilities.
• Determine the appropriate level of climate resilience analysis needed to evaluate and apply climate resilience metrics, with requirements scaled based on metric sensitivity to climate change, decision context, and utility characteristics.
• Develop guidance to integrate climate resilience metrics into planning and decision processes.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5409 - Smarter Water Governance with AMI: Conservation, Affordability, and Rate Design

Grant Information

• Evaluate how utilities are currently leveraging advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) data to inform pricing, conservation programs (including emergency curtailment practices), affordability programs, and plans for future implementation.
• Analyze AMI data and assess how the data can be leveraged to develop and/or enhance conservation programs, policies, rates, and affordability programs.
• Investigate the potential for advanced analytics, including machine learning, of AMIdatasets to support adaptive or dynamic rate structures, early detection of hardship or atrisk households, categorization of customer classes, dynamic tiering based on household size, and better targeting of affordability and conservation interventions.
• Identify the obstacles utilities and regulators face when balancing conservation, equity, and revenue stability, and how improved AMI data can clarify tradeoffs.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5428 - Establish Standardized Guidelines for Embedding O&M Considerations into the Design Process

Grant Information

• To provide provisions that address common, recurring design issues that drive operations and maintenance (O&M) time and material, including but not limited to standardization of spare parts and consumables, support for condition based and predictive and preventive maintenance, and maintain-in-place design strategies.
• To develop standardized design guidance to measurably reduce lifecycle O&M labor hours for municipal water and wastewater treatment facilities, pumping stations, etc., once required process performance and regulatory compliance are achieved.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5412 - Determinants of Workforce Retention in Public-Sector Water Utilities

Grant Information

• Quantify the relative influence of compensation, pension stability, mission alignment, schedule flexibility, leadership support, career development opportunities, and other factors on employee retention in public-sector water utilities.
• Identify and analyze key impediments to retaining talent, including structural, cultural, compensation-related, and organizational barriers.
• Identify and benchmark retention best practices from sectors outside the water industry to assess transferability and develop case studies of high-retention organizations to distill replicable strategies and measurable success factors.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5419 - Crossing the Divide – Best Practices for Addressing Local and Privately-Owned Lateral Sewer Issues

Grant Information

To provide water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) and collection system operators with an interactive manual of practice for implementing inflow and infiltration (I&I) and obstruction management programs with a focus on municipal and privately owned lateral sewers in complex legal, regulatory, and multi-jurisdictional environments.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5413 - Comparison of PFAS Contributions to Agricultural Systems

Grant Information

• Report per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) concentrations from a variety of agricultural inputs, including animal manures, fertilizers, pesticides, composts, soil amendments, seed coatings, and biosolids-based products.
• Compare the impact of the various agricultural inputs on PFAS concentration in the soil profile over varying timeframes.
• Evaluate the fate and transport of different inputs to PFAS contributions in agricultural systems at field-scale.
• Determine the relative contributions from biosolids-based products and other inputs to help develop and prioritize risk management strategies.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5424 - Adaptive Control Frameworks to Unlock Full-Scale BNR Potential

Grant Information

• Identify and categorize the dominant failure modes of current aeration and process control implementations under real-world operating conditions.
• Develop guidance on data and instrumentation requirements for utilities to support adaptive control, including the characterization of existing sensor infrastructure and the use of soft sensors where hard sensors are limited.
• Develop practical adaptive control frameworks and implementation guidance that utilities can deploy without dependence on proprietary black-box tools or specialized data science expertise, including hybrid approaches that augment conventional controls with data-driven models (e.g., artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML), digital twins) for variable flow and concentration conditions.
• Benchmark control performance against biological capacity indicators across multiple full-scale facilities to quantify the gap between achievable and realized biological nutrient removal (BNR) performance.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5432 - Validating Reverse Osmosis Conductivity Profiling for Pathogen Log Reduction Value Credit

Grant Information

• Validate conductivity profiling against pathogen removal by establishing the relationship between conductivity-profile response and MS2 bacteriophage removal under intact and controlled membrane integrity-defect conditions.
• Demonstrate the robustness and applicability of conductivity profiling across representative reverse osmosis conditions, including new and aged membranes, different defect types and severities, operating conditions, variations in feedwater quality/composition/salinity, and temperature.
• Develop a validation implementation framework that defines testing procedures, log removal value calculation methods, sensitivity and performance criteria, continuous monitoring, alarm/response thresholds, and operational requirements needed to support regulatory pathogen log removal values credit for reverse osmosis.

A better world, built with better teamwork

We bring Atlassian's funding, tools and teamwork expertise to help nonprofits drive greater impact.

Our mission

Atlassian's mission is to unleash the potential of every team. The Atlassian Foundation extends that mission to teams solving the world's hardest problems.

Atlassian Foundation – Open Call for Proposals

The Atlassian Foundation is deploying US$8 million over the next two years to help disadvantaged learners thrive in the AI era. If you're driving collective action in this space, we want to hear from you.

Reshaping education for the AI era will take teamwork

The Atlassian Foundation focuses on education because it's the most empowering force in the world – it's the key to breaking cycles of poverty and disadvantage.

But that key is slipping out of reach for far too many. UNESCO estimates that more than 250 million children are out of school. And for those in the classroom, learning isn't guaranteed: 57% of children worldwide (nearly one billion) lack the basic skills they need for the era they're growing up in. AI can expand access and accelerate learning. It can also widen inequality where it lands unevenly.

No single organisation can tackle a challenge this complex. That's why the Atlassian Foundation is backing collective action: coordinated efforts by multiple players to solve shared problems at scale. Atlassian's mission is to unleash the potential of every team, so we're uniquely positioned to power these efforts. We've spent 20+ years learning what makes teams work well together, and we're offering that expertise – plus our funding, tools and hands-on support – to help collective action initiatives drive greater impact.

We believe a better world is built with better teamwork, and collective action is teamwork at its most ambitious. Together, we want to shape a future where emerging technology closes gaps for learners the current system leaves behind, rather than widening them.

About this open call

In this open call, we're seeking partnerships with collective action initiatives that are working to improve education for disadvantaged learners in the AI era.

What our partners will receive

Each partnership will include:

ALDOT

The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) manages statewide transportation and administers Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds through programs such as Section 5311, which supports rural public transportation, and Section 5310, which serves seniors and individuals with disabilities. ALDOT, through its Transit Section and initiatives like RTAP & ALTRANS, is dedicated to ensuring communities across Alabama have access to safe, reliable, and equitable transportation services, while providing critical support to transit providers throughout the state.

Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program 

The Local Transportation Bureau of the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is now accepting Applications for funding through the Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program. This program is supported by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and offers funding to help provide transit services for the State’s population of senior citizens and individuals with disabilities.

Those eligible may apply for Capital Assistance. For Capital Assistance through the Section 5310 Program, funding is provided with an 80/20 split: FTA/Provider respectively.

About

Founded in 1971, the Mensa Foundation was established by members of American Mensa to extend the organization’s impact. While connected by a shared purpose, the Foundation operates independently, guided by its own Board of Trustees, strategic plan, and initiatives.

Grants & Fellowships

Catalyst Grant

Early-stage funding for bold ideas that deserve a chance to move forward. Open to anyone, from any background, with an idea worth exploring.

Details

Giving Ideas a First Chance

$10,000 in annual funding helps promising ideas take their next step.

The Catalyst Grant supports early-stage ideas that demonstrate originality and the potential for meaningful impact.

Funding may support one project or be shared among several, depending on the applications received and where funding can make the greatest difference.

Ideas can come from any discipline or background. They may grow from lived experience, independent inquiry, academic research, creative work, or connections between fields.

Funded projects should broadly align with the Mensa Foundation’s mission to unleash intelligence for the benefit of humanity.

About

Founded in 1971, the Mensa Foundation was established by members of American Mensa to extend the organization’s impact. While connected by a shared purpose, the Foundation operates independently, guided by its own Board of Trustees, strategic plan, and initiatives.

Awards

Cooper Black Award for Creativity

The Copper Black Award for Creative Achievement honors Mensa members whose innovative solutions and practical creativity have brought meaningful benefits to the world.

Details

The Copper Black Award annually recognizes Mensa International members who have demonstrated a specific creative achievement with practical value. This award honors innovations that have been implemented, at least in part, to benefit others.

Award Components

The FY 2027 Continuation of Solicitation invites applications to support various program areas, including Advanced Scientific Computing, Basic Energy Sciences, Fusion Energy Sciences, and more. This annual open solicitation from the Department of Energy (DOE) allows research proposals throughout the fiscal year. Applications must align with SC's mission and can be submitted until September 30, 2027, or until a new solicitation is issued. Detailed submission processes are outlined in 10 C.F.R. part 605.

The Region 4 Small Business Transportation Technical Assistance Center (SBTTAC) aims to empower small businesses by providing essential technical assistance and business development support. Funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, this initiative will facilitate access to capital resources, connect businesses with key transportation agencies, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. The program is dedicated to minimizing barriers for small enterprises while fostering a robust support system in the transportation sector.

The Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives Program (DBI) for Fiscal Year 2026, administered by the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, invites applications from existing initiatives to support the dairy industry. With approximately $12.65 million available, the program aims to diversify dairy markets, enhance farmer income, and promote regional milk production. Funding will prioritize equipment and infrastructure projects, which are vital for strengthening the capacity of dairy businesses and fostering innovation in processing and marketing.

The Water Resources Research Act Program National Competitive Grants FY2026, administered by the U.S. Geological Survey, aims to support innovative research initiatives at Water Resources Research Institutes across the U.S. and its territories. These grants facilitate essential studies on water management, addressing critical water resource challenges while promoting collaboration among states. This program seeks to enhance the understanding of water issues, ultimately contributing to sustainable management practices and informed decision-making in water resource policy.

The Fiscal Year 2026 Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program aims to enhance public safety by reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions and improving habitat connectivity for various species. With approximately $80 million available through cost reimbursable grants, this initiative supports eligible projects that address these critical environmental and safety concerns. The program may also distribute leftover funds from previous years, contingent on availability, fostering innovative solutions in wildlife management and transportation safety.

The SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program, managed by the Department of War, aims to enhance the U.S. military's technical workforce by offering competitive scholarships for STEM degrees. With a funding cap of $1.3 billion over ten years, the program prepares scholars for critical roles in national defense, ensuring a pipeline of skilled professionals. Since its inception in 2005, over 8,000 scholarships have been awarded, fostering a strong connection between education and service in defense-related fields.

The Prioritization Process Pilot Program (PPPP) Competitive Grant Program, funded by the DOT Federal Highway Administration, offers up to $26 million for innovative transportation planning in FYs 2024-2026. Grants of up to $2 million will support the development of transparent, data-driven prioritization processes for project selection in transportation plans, ensuring that funded projects deliver public benefits and meet community needs.

Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program (TAP) 

TA Set-aside funds are awarded through an ALDOT administered competitive selection process. It should be noted that while certain types of projects are technically eligible, not all types of projects have the same level of priority in the competitive selection process.

The purpose and intent of this program is to provide new "Transportation Alternatives" to communities, as well as enhance existing non-motorized transportation infrastructure. All eligible applications will be evaluated on how the proposed project improvements advance the intent of the program.

The following areas are considered in the competitive selection process:

Promotes Safety

• Reduces/Improves Conflict Points
• Provides Separation for Non-Motorized Travel

Increases Local Transportation Options

• Improves Public Travel Experience
• Promotes Mobility
• Encourages Multimodal Options
• Meets the Needs of Non-Motorized Users

Provides Community Enhancements

• Improves Usability of Existing Facilities
• Improves Access to Quality of Life Enhancements

Provides Access to Community Amenities

• Connects Activity Centers
• Connectivity to Essential Services
• Improves Public Health/Physical Activity

Local Commitment

• Sponsor and/or MPO Resolution
• Public Involvement and Community Support
• Part of a Larger Comprehensive Plan
• Project Manager Identified with Qualifications
• Readiness and Deliverability of Project
• Addresses Challenges and Obstacles
• TAP Project Delivery History

Community Impacts

• ADA Compliance
• Provides and/or Enhances Services for Individuals with Disabilities
• Improves Transportation Options in Underserved and Underrepresented Communities
• Mitigates Transportation Environmental Effects
• Reduces Automobile Dependence as a Barrier to Opportunity

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

WRF was formed in 2018 through the integration of three highly respected research collaboratives: WateReuse Research Foundation, Water Environment Research Foundation, and Water Research Foundation. Separately, these organizations focused on research to support varied segments of the water sector—water reuse, wastewater and stormwater, and drinking water, respectively. Now a One Water organization, WRF delivers the research programming the sector needs to address the most pressing water issues holistically.

5425 - Assessing and Managing Manganese Behavior in Drinking Water Distribution and Premise Plumbing Systems

Grant Information

• Characterize spatial and temporal variability of manganese (Mn) concentrations and speciation in distribution systems and potential impacts in premise plumbing.
• Investigate Mn speciation and its influences on interactions with water chemistry, corrosion control treatment, and complexing agents, and assess implications for Mn occurrence, stability, and release in distribution systems and premise plumbing.
• Evaluate the relationships between Mn stability and release, including long-term legacy deposit mobilization, in relation to chemical, hydraulic, and biological processes in distribution systems.
• Evaluate strategies for mitigating Mn accumulation and release, including corrosion control treatments such as phosphate blends, and assess operational practices such as flushing and other system maintenance activities.
• Recommend monitoring strategies to identify system-specific risks, support detection of Mn accumulation, and inform responses to anticipated regulatory changes.

The USDA SBIR/STTR programs aim to enhance scientific excellence and technological innovation through federal funding, fostering a robust national economy. By supporting small businesses in addressing federal research needs, these programs encourage the commercialization of federally funded research. Specifically, the STTR program promotes partnerships between small businesses and research institutions, such as universities and federal laboratories, to advance cooperative research and development efforts.

The Technical Assistance and Training Grant Program by the USDA's Rural Utilities Service provides funding for essential technical assistance and training aimed at resolving water and waste management issues. This program supports applicants in preparing loan and grant applications, enhancing the operational efficiency of water systems, and ensuring compliance with best practices in facility management. However, grant funds cannot be used for duplicating existing services or for capital expenditures.

The Solid Waste Management Grant Program, administered by the USDA's Rural Utilities Service, invites applications for FY 2027 funding. This initiative aims to enhance solid waste management in rural communities through technical assistance and training. Eligible organizations can receive grants to develop sustainable waste management practices, addressing critical issues like water pollution and emerging contaminants, while promoting hazardous waste collection. This program supports operational improvements and capital financing applications to ensure long-term environmental health.

The HIV Prevention and Alcohol R61/R33 funding opportunity aims to advance innovative HIV prevention strategies through a phased research approach. The R61 phase focuses on developing and pilot testing interventions, addressing key implementation questions for diverse populations. Following successful milestones, the R33 phase expands testing of these interventions and explores their effectiveness and sustainability, particularly in relation to alcohol use and related health issues.