Best Teller County Grants for Nonprofits in Colorado

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.

Mensa Foundation Prize

Recognizing discoveries that change how we understand intelligence.

What is intelligence? How does it develop? What can discoveries about the human mind teach us about our potential?

The Mensa Foundation Prize recognizes researchers whose discoveries bring us closer to answering these questions. Awarded every two years, the Prize honors significant scientific advances in intelligence and creativity, including discoveries that challenge existing assumptions and open new possibilities for understanding the mind.

About

Our understanding of intelligence continues to evolve. Advances in neuroscience, psychology, genetics and artificial intelligence are revealing new insights into how intelligence works and what makes it possible.

The Mensa Foundation Prize celebrates discoveries that move this understanding forward. Established through the generosity of Kenneth Douglas Thomson, a longtime Mensa member, the Prize recognizes scientific contributions that expand knowledge and help shape future research.

The recipient receives:

Criteria for Entry

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

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals whose lifelong contributions have profoundly advanced the understanding, support, and application of intelligence.

Details

This prestigious honor highlights transformative contributions that have reshaped how intelligence is studied, taught, and applied in real-world settings.

Award Components

Recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award receive:

• Permanent recognition as a distinguished leader in the field of intelligence.
• A $2,500 monetary award in honor of their exceptional achievements.
• A commemorative trophy celebrating their lasting impact on the field.

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

Fellowships

The Mensa Foundation Fellowship program empowers exceptional individuals committed to advancing the application of intelligence in their respective fields.

Details

Our current fellowship, the Gifted Education Fellowship, is designed to empower educators pursuing graduate studies in gifted education or closely related fields, enabling them to make a transformative impact in their classrooms and communities. The fellowship supports both doctoral and non-doctoral students, with awards and renewal terms tailored to each track.

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is announcing a funding opportunity to support the Exceptional Longevity Data Management and Coordinating Center (EL DMCC). This initiative aims to enhance the management of large, diverse datasets and facilitate collaborative research across NIA projects. Core functions include data integration, AI/ML infrastructure development, and maintaining the ELITE Portal for secure data access. This NOFO encourages innovative approaches to longevity research, though applications are not currently being solicited.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) aims to enhance the development of diagnostic tests for infectious diseases through strategic partnerships between academia and industry. By fostering collaborations, NIAID seeks to overcome barriers to commercialization, ensuring promising diagnostics reach the market effectively. This initiative aligns with NIH's mission to advance innovative technologies that improve treatment and prevention strategies for infectious diseases, ultimately contributing to public health advancements.

About

Originally conceived by Dr Bruce Mesara in 1990 as a means to carry on his philanthropic efforts beyond his lifetime, the Mesara Family Foundation was re-envisioned by his two children Amy and Douglas in 2014, and received their 501(c)(3) status from the IRS in 2015. Amy and Douglas sought out the assistance of their cousins to build upon the charitable principals on their parents, aunts and uncles.

The foundation is headquartered in Kalamazoo Michigan.

Mission

The mission of the Mesara Family Foundation is to honor the philanthropic principles of the Mesara and Pauch families by supporting carefully selected organizations that share similar values. Our focus is to provide support toward education, conservation and other causes of special family interest where our funding will make a genuine difference.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is inviting proposals for projects that enhance coastal flood protection through public-private partnerships, innovative insurance products, and improved sediment management. This initiative aims to utilize natural infrastructure to bolster flood preparedness and resilience. Funding of up to $2,000,000 is available for selected projects, supporting research teams that collaborate with regional stakeholders. Proposals must be submitted via Grants.gov, ensuring accessibility to critical resources and information.

The CDC is offering funding to enhance collaboration among tuberculosis control programs and various partners in the U.S. This initiative aims to strengthen relationships with national TB control entities, federal agencies, academia, and community organizations. The goal is to promote health and quality of life by preventing, controlling, and eventually eliminating tuberculosis in the United States, building on previous funding opportunities.

The Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Program aims to enhance the research capabilities of individuals with advanced degrees, focusing on disability and rehabilitation research related to employment outcomes. Funded by the US HHS Administration for Community Living, this grant offers a 36-month project period, supporting multidisciplinary training for researchers, including those with disabilities, to contribute to high-quality research in the field.

The Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Program, funded by the US HHS: Administration for Community Living, aims to enhance the capabilities of individuals with advanced degrees in conducting high-quality research focused on health and function outcomes for people with disabilities. The program offers advanced training opportunities over a 36-month period, specifically targeting rehabilitation researchers, including those with disabilities, to foster multidisciplinary approaches in disability and rehabilitation research.

The Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase II aims to enhance technological innovation in the private sector, focusing on improving the lives of individuals with disabilities through research and development. Administered by the US HHS Administration for Community Living, this program supports small businesses in addressing the needs of these individuals. Grants are available for a 24-month project period, allowing projects to expand upon Phase I results to achieve greater commercial application and societal impact.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, Phase I, aims to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector, enhancing the role of small businesses in meeting Federal research needs. Specifically, ACL's SBIR program focuses on improving the lives of individuals with disabilities through research and development products. The initiative includes 11 grants with a 6-month project period to assess the feasibility of innovative concepts, contributing to economic and social benefits.

The Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Program, funded by the US HHS: Administration for Community Living, aims to enhance the skills of researchers in the field of disability and rehabilitation. By providing advanced training over a three-year period, this program focuses on improving community living and participation outcomes for individuals with disabilities. It seeks to equip scholars with the necessary tools to conduct high-quality, multidisciplinary research, ultimately benefiting the disability community.

The Alzheimer's Disease Programs Initiative (ADPI) aims to foster the development of dementia-capable community health worker programs within the National Aging Network. This initiative, supported by the US HHS: Administration for Community Living (ACL), seeks to enhance dementia screening, reduce barriers to care, and improve access to essential services for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. By integrating community health workers into aging services, the program aspires to elevate the quality of life for those affected.

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Recreational, Sport, and Exercise Technologies for People with Disabilities aims to enhance rehabilitation services through innovative technological solutions. This initiative focuses on promoting health and exercise among individuals with disabilities by addressing unique rehabilitation challenges. Funded by the US HHS Administration for Community Living, the project spans 60 months, involving advanced research and development to create effective support mechanisms and overcome environmental barriers.

The Field Initiated Projects Program aims to foster new research and develop solutions that enhance the inclusion and independence of individuals with disabilities. This initiative focuses on generating scientific knowledge and understanding critical issues faced by these populations, particularly those with significant support needs. With a total of 16 grants available over a 36-month period, this program encourages innovative approaches that support employment, living arrangements, and caregiver involvement.

The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) focuses on enhancing the lives of parents with disabilities through research, training, and technical assistance. This initiative aims to develop evidence-based services and supports that empower parents in their caregiving roles. Funded by the US HHS: Administration for Community Living (ACL), the project spans 60 months with a commitment to fostering inclusive environments for families. The RRTC will explore innovative interventions and technologies to better support these parents in their daily challenges.

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center aims to enhance services for individuals who are blind or have low vision through innovative technology development. This initiative focuses on overcoming rehabilitation challenges and environmental barriers, promoting independence and community living. A grant of five years will support ongoing research efforts, ensuring advancements in assistive technologies that empower the target population. The project aligns with the Rehabilitation Act's goals, emphasizing the importance of accessibility and inclusion.

The Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (KTDRR Center) aims to enhance the use of relevant disability and rehabilitation research through effective knowledge translation. Serving as a key resource for NIDILRR grantees and the general public, the KTDRR Center's initiatives will support high-quality research dissemination. The project spans 60 months, including five 12-month budget periods, ensuring ongoing support for researchers and stakeholders in the field.

The Burn Injury Model System Centers aim to enhance burn rehabilitation through innovative research. These centers must create knowledge to improve the health, community engagement, and employment outcomes for individuals affected by burn injuries. Funded by US HHS's Administration for Community Living, grants support site-specific and collaborative research while contributing to a longitudinal database. Each grant has a maximum duration of 60 months, divided into five budget periods, ensuring comprehensive support for ongoing studies.

The Field Initiated Projects Program (Development) aims to enhance the inclusion and self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities through innovative research and development. This program supports the creation of tools, methods, and systems that assist people with disabilities, particularly those with significant support needs. With 16 grants available, the initiative will span 36 months, focusing on impactful projects that foster independence, employment, and community integration.

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.

5416 - Innovative Approaches to Extend Lifetime and Minimize O&M for Nature-based Installations

Grant Information

• Identify and evaluate innovative design, construction, and management approaches that extend the functional lifetime of nature-based installations and reduce ongoing operations and maintenance (O&M) requirements.
• Develop practical guidance on key factors affecting nature-based solution (NbS) longevity, including hydraulic optimization, engineered media selection and replacement, plant selection, sediment management, and construction-phase best practices.
• Survey utilities and other NbS owners to document current maintenance practices, costs, and hours, and establish benchmarks to inform targets for improvement.

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.