The Alpha Foundation primarily funds university-led applied research aimed at improving underground mine safety and miner respiratory and mental health. Their grants support engineering solutions (roof support, autonomous systems, ventilation and sensing) and biomedical/toxicology studies of mine dust and diesel exposures, often through multi-year projects at major research institutions. They favor technical demonstrations and exposure-assessment tools that can be translated into safer mining practices.
Alpha Foundation for the Improvement of Mine Safety and Health Inc. centers its giving on applied research that can be translated into safer mining practices, with a strong emphasis on underground coal mine safety, miner respiratory health, and mental health. The largest recent grant in the data went to the University of Kentucky for Autonomous Underground Mining Systems to Improve Safety - Intelligent Coal Mining, signaling sustained interest in autonomy and hazard reduction underground. Other large awards show similar priorities: West Virginia University Research Corporation received funding for assessment of pillar stability in underground room-and-pillar mines from autonomous robotic inspection, and the University of Illinois received support for research on mental health disorders in U.S. coal miners. The foundation’s portfolio blends engineering and biomedical research. On the engineering side, it backs roof support, rib control, ventilation, sensing, and robotic inspection work. On the health side, it supports studies of coal mine dust, diesel exposure, lung disease, and psychosocial outcomes among miners. Its grants often go to major research universities and research corporations working on multi-year projects that combine laboratory work, field demonstration, and exposure assessment. The pattern suggests a funder looking for projects that can move from technical development into practical use in mining environments.
In ground control, the foundation backed West Virginia University Research Corporation for assessment of pillar stability in underground room-and-pillar mines from autonomous robotic inspection, and also supported University of Arizona work on a strong and ductile high-performance pumpable roof support. Roof bolting and support optimization appear repeatedly through university-led engineering projects. Respiratory disease and exposure assessment are another major strand. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and University of Illinois both received grants tied to respirable coal mine dust, including work on temporal changes in dust characteristics and the toxicity of coal mine dust constituents in modern U.S. coal miners. The foundation also funded Oakland University for a miniaturized electrochemical particulate matter sensor for mine dust exposure assessment. Mental health appears in the portfolio as well, with grants to the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Illinois for depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress research among coal miners. These awards point to a mix of engineering controls and miner health studies.
$957K
$4.6M
$373K
$1.4M
Most grants fall between $56K and $125K, with a median of $71K.
25th Percentile
$56K
Median
$71K
75th Percentile
$125K
About 1% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Concentrated, research-focused giving: relatively few, substantial grants directed to academic institutions and research centers, with multiple repeat awards to the same universities and multi-year project support rather than many small community grants.
Notable grantees: West Virginia University Research Corporation, University of Kentucky Research Foundation / University of Kentucky, University of Illinois, University of California (UCLA / UC Berkeley), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Typical grant size sits in a mid-five-figure to low-six-figure range, with p25 at $55,768, median grant size at $71,082, and p75 at $125,378. The recent grant list also shows larger multi-year awards above that band, including several in the $200,000+ range. Recipients reappear across years: University of Kentucky, West Virginia University Research Corporation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and University, and the University of California system all show repeated awards. The foundation is a grantmaker, not a funder of individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. The data also shows a mix of open and targeted research programs, including solicitations and follow-up awards tied to completed work.
Giving is national, and every recent grant in the dataset went to a U.S. recipient. Ohio is the top state by grant count, though the foundation’s headquarters are in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Recent awards cluster in university towns such as Lexington, Kentucky; Morgantown, West Virginia; Chicago, Illinois; Blacksburg, Virginia; and Rochester, Michigan. California recipients also appear, including Los Angeles, Berkeley, and San Francisco. Only 2% of grants went to recipients in Pennsylvania.
It funds applied mine safety and health research, especially underground coal mining. The recent grants include autonomous underground mining systems, pillar stability and roof support work, respirable dust exposure assessment, diesel exhaust research, and mental health studies among coal miners.
Yes. Several organizations appear more than once in the recent grants list, including the University of Kentucky, West Virginia University Research Corporation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and University, and the University of California system. That pattern suggests repeat funding across projects and years.
The distribution centers on mid-five-figure awards: p25 is $55,768, the median is $71,082, and p75 is $125,378. The recent list also includes larger awards above $200,000 for selected multi-year projects.
No. The foundation’s geographic scope is national, and the recent grants are all to U.S. recipients. Ohio appears most often in the grant count, while recipients are also located in Kentucky, West Virginia, Illinois, Virginia, Michigan, California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Missouri, Colorado, and Pennsylvania.
Yes, for some programs. The data shows unsolicited acceptance for the AFC316 single-investigator solicitation, follow-up research opportunities, and the general Alpha Foundation Research Grants program. Several other named programs in the data are marked as not accepting unsolicited proposals.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $245,274 | 2025 | Mental Health Disorders in US Coal miners: A Collaborative Approach to understand risks and prev... |
| UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI | COLUMBIA, MO | $149,331 | 2025 | Reducing Rib Failure Hazards in Underground Coal Mines by Improvement of the Coal Rib Control Sy... |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOU | LEXINGTON, KY | $118,114 | 2025 | Development of a Stability Mapping Platform For Stone Mines |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $112,500 | 2025 | AFC820-59 - Elucidating the individual and combined toxicity of coal mine dust constituents and their contribution to disease in modern US coal miners |
| OAKLAND UNIVERSITY | ROCHESTER, MI | $111,859 | 2025 | AFC820-22 - Miniaturized and Low Cost Electrochemical Particulate Matter (PM) Sensor for Mine Dust Exposure Assessment |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $109,996 | 2025 | AFCTG22r2-157 - Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress among Coal Miners |
| COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES | Golden, CO | $92,844 | 2025 | 2AFC820-54 Lifting the Veil: Fusing RaDAR and Sound to Provide Enhanced Perception in Obscured En... |
| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA | Tucson, AZ | $84,836 | 2025 | AFCTG22r2-161 A Strong and Ductile High-Performance Pumpable Roof Support |
| COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES | Golden, CO | $72,514 | 2025 | AFC820-52 - Large Scale Testing and Modeling of Supported and Unsupported Pillar Analogs |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $64,619 | 2025 | Analysis of the spectrum of Coal Mine Dust Lung Disease Through Life and Impact of COVID-19 Pand... |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOU | LEXINGTON, KY | $64,616 | 2025 | Grant paid AFCINV24-10 - Automated Sensing Module for Enhancing Miner Safety |
| WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH C | Morgantown, WV | $63,721 | 2025 | AFCTG22r2-159 - Assessment of Pillar Stability in Underground Room & Pillar Mines from Autonomous Robotic Inspection |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $59,062 | 2025 | AFCTG20-106 - A Translation Project: How best to communicate epidemiology to improve protection of miners health |
| VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND | BLACKSBURG, VA | $58,348 | 2025 | Evaluation of New Respirable Silica Monitoring Tools for the Aggregates Industry |
| UNIVERSITY OF UTAH | Salt Lake City, UT | $42,240 | 2025 | AFC820-82 Development of a wireless borehole instrument device to measure 3D rock mass stress an... |
| WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH C | MORGANTOWN, WV | $39,601 | 2025 | Integrated RSTCs for Roof Bolt Design with Standing Suppport GRC Design for Support Optimization |
| COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES | GOLDEN, CO | $20,738 | 2025 | AFCRFP20-111 - Minimizing Rib Failure Hazard through Improvement of the Coal Pillar Rib Rating System, Development of Stability-Mapping Tool and Feasibility Demonstration for Low-Cost, High-Resolution Rib Monitoring |
| WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH C | Morgantown, WV | $295,338 | 2024 | AFCTG22r2-159 - Assessment of Pillar Stability in Underground Room & Pillar Mines from Autonomous Robotic Inspection |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY | LEXINGTON, KY | $222,522 | 2024 | Autonomous Underground Mining Systems to Improve Safety - Intelligent Coal Mining |
| VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND | BLACKSBURG, VA | $211,185 | 2024 | AFCTG20-104 Exploration of Temporal Changes in Respirable Coal Mine Dust Characteristics |
| WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH C | Morgantown, WV | $211,078 | 2024 | AFC820-69 - Autonomous Robotic Early Warning System for Underground Stone Mining Safety |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA | MERCED, CA | $197,636 | 2024 | Symtoms of Depression, Anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress among Coal Miners |
| WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH C | MORGANTOWN, WV | $143,977 | 2024 | Integrated RSTCs for Roof Bolt Design with Standing Suppport GRC Design for Support Optimization |
| UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI | COLUMBIA, MO | $136,502 | 2024 | To Curators for 21645-Improvement of Rib SSupport Design Utilizing Recent Advancements of the Co... |
| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA | Tucson, AZ | $124,902 | 2024 | AFCTG22r2-161 A Strong and Ductile High-Performance Pumpable Roof Support |
| COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES | Golden, CO | $119,578 | 2024 | AFC820-43 The effect of coal and mine respirable dust size on lung cells and exposure assessment |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOU | LEXINGTON, KY | $119,503 | 2024 | Development of a Stability Mapping Platform For Stone Mines |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY | BERKELEY, CA | $112,500 | 2024 | AFC820-15 - Reducing Mortality Risks in the Extended Diesel Exhaust and Miners Study (DEMS)Costello |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOU | LEXINGTON, KY | $112,256 | 2024 | AFC820-68 Roof Bolting Module Automation for Enhancing Miner Safety |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $104,044 | 2024 | Mental Health Disorders in US Coal miners: A Collaborative Approach to understand risks and prev... |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $82,770 | 2024 | AFCTG22r2-157 - Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress among Coal Miners |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $69,994 | 2024 | AFCTG20-106 - A Translation Project: How best to communicate epidemiology to improve protection of miners health |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA | RENO, NV | $69,000 | 2024 | AFSTI14FO-81 - Early-Warning System Prototype Tests for Real-Time Intervention and Optimum Ventilation Control Assistance |
| OAKLAND UNIVERSITY | ROCHESTER, MI | $66,873 | 2024 | AFC820-22 - Miniaturized and Low Cost Electrochemical Particulate Matter (PM) Sensor for Mine Dust Exposure Assessment |
| UNIVERSITY OF UTAH | Salt Lake City, UT | $66,276 | 2024 | AFC113FO-87 - Application of Pressure Balancing Techniques at the West Elk Coal Mine |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOU | CLEVELAND, OH | $64,348 | 2024 | Grant paid AFCTG22r2-160 - Development of a Stability Mapping Platform for Stone Mines |
| UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS | Lowell, MA | $61,982 | 2024 | AFC820-14 Opioid Hazard Awareness Training for Sand, Stone and Gravel Workers |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $59,836 | 2024 | Continued Epidemiologic Analyses of Large Data Sets of Health Data on US Coal Miners |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOU | CLEVELAND, OH | $57,333 | 2024 | AFCTG20-103 - Comprehensive atmospheric monitoring in underground coal mines: long term critical trend analysis and tablet-based communication |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $56,024 | 2024 | AFCTG22r2-158 Mental health Disorders in US Coal Miners: A collaborative Approach to understand ... |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $52,539 | 2024 | AFC820-59 - Elucidating the individual and combined toxicity of coal mine dust constituents and their contribution to disease in modern US coal miners |
| UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI | COLUMBIA, MO | $46,262 | 2024 | AFCRFP20-112 Towards Reducing Rib Hazards in Underground Coal Mines by Improvement of the Coal P... |
| NEW MEXICO INSTITUTE OF MINING TECH | SOCORRO, NM | $9,824 | 2024 | AFCRFP20-130 - Demonstration of an intrinsically safe drone propulsion system for underground coal mining applications |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY | LEXINGTON, KY | $338,961 | 2023 | Autonomous Underground Mining Systems to Improve Safety - Intelligent Coal Mining |
| VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND | BLACKSBURG, VA | $205,466 | 2023 | AFC518SP-89 - Collecting mine dust particles with liquid-coated vibrating meshes, Phase 2 |
| OAKLAND UNIVERSITY | ROCHESTER, MI | $194,756 | 2023 | AFC820-22 - Miniaturized and Low Cost Electrochemical Particulate Matter (PM) Sensor for Mine Dust Exposure Assessment |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $188,666 | 2023 | AFCTG20-98 - Rheumatoid Arthritis in Hard Rock Underground Miners |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOU | LEXINGTON, KY | $152,672 | 2023 | AFCRFP20-131 - Analysis of the Influence of Macro Fractures on Underground Coal MIne Ventilation Seals |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA | RENO, NV | $140,532 | 2023 | Early Warning Safety Hazard Predictor for Preventive Ventilation Management |
| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA | Tucson, AZ | $128,364 | 2023 | Time Dependent Pumpable Roof Support Assessment |
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
$245,274Mental Health Disorders in US Coal miners: A Collaborative Approach to understand risks and prev...
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
$149,331Reducing Rib Failure Hazards in Underground Coal Mines by Improvement of the Coal Rib Control Sy...
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOU
$118,114Development of a Stability Mapping Platform For Stone Mines
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
$112,500AFC820-59 - Elucidating the individual and combined toxicity of coal mine dust constituents and their contribution to disease in modern US coal miners
OAKLAND UNIVERSITY
$111,859AFC820-22 - Miniaturized and Low Cost Electrochemical Particulate Matter (PM) Sensor for Mine Dust Exposure Assessment
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
AFCTG22r2-157 - Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress among Coal Miners
COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
$92,8442AFC820-54 Lifting the Veil: Fusing RaDAR and Sound to Provide Enhanced Perception in Obscured En...
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
$84,836AFCTG22r2-161 A Strong and Ductile High-Performance Pumpable Roof Support
COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
$72,514AFC820-52 - Large Scale Testing and Modeling of Supported and Unsupported Pillar Analogs
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
$64,619Analysis of the spectrum of Coal Mine Dust Lung Disease Through Life and Impact of COVID-19 Pand...
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOU
$64,616Grant paid AFCINV24-10 - Automated Sensing Module for Enhancing Miner Safety
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH C
$63,721AFCTG22r2-159 - Assessment of Pillar Stability in Underground Room & Pillar Mines from Autonomous Robotic Inspection
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
$59,062AFCTG20-106 - A Translation Project: How best to communicate epidemiology to improve protection of miners health
VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND
$58,348Evaluation of New Respirable Silica Monitoring Tools for the Aggregates Industry
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
$42,240AFC820-82 Development of a wireless borehole instrument device to measure 3D rock mass stress an...
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH C
$39,601Integrated RSTCs for Roof Bolt Design with Standing Suppport GRC Design for Support Optimization
COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
$20,738AFCRFP20-111 - Minimizing Rib Failure Hazard through Improvement of the Coal Pillar Rib Rating System, Development of Stability-Mapping Tool and Feasibility Demonstration for Low-Cost, High-Resolution Rib Monitoring
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH C
$295,338AFCTG22r2-159 - Assessment of Pillar Stability in Underground Room & Pillar Mines from Autonomous Robotic Inspection
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
$222,522Autonomous Underground Mining Systems to Improve Safety - Intelligent Coal Mining
VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND
$211,185AFCTG20-104 Exploration of Temporal Changes in Respirable Coal Mine Dust Characteristics
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH C
$211,078AFC820-69 - Autonomous Robotic Early Warning System for Underground Stone Mining Safety
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
$197,636Symtoms of Depression, Anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress among Coal Miners
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH C
$143,977Integrated RSTCs for Roof Bolt Design with Standing Suppport GRC Design for Support Optimization
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
$136,502To Curators for 21645-Improvement of Rib SSupport Design Utilizing Recent Advancements of the Co...
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
$124,902AFCTG22r2-161 A Strong and Ductile High-Performance Pumpable Roof Support
COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
$119,578AFC820-43 The effect of coal and mine respirable dust size on lung cells and exposure assessment
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOU
$119,503Development of a Stability Mapping Platform For Stone Mines
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
$112,500AFC820-15 - Reducing Mortality Risks in the Extended Diesel Exhaust and Miners Study (DEMS)Costello
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOU
$112,256AFC820-68 Roof Bolting Module Automation for Enhancing Miner Safety
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
$104,044Mental Health Disorders in US Coal miners: A Collaborative Approach to understand risks and prev...
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
$82,770AFCTG22r2-157 - Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress among Coal Miners
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
$69,994AFCTG20-106 - A Translation Project: How best to communicate epidemiology to improve protection of miners health
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA
$69,000AFSTI14FO-81 - Early-Warning System Prototype Tests for Real-Time Intervention and Optimum Ventilation Control Assistance
OAKLAND UNIVERSITY
$66,873AFC820-22 - Miniaturized and Low Cost Electrochemical Particulate Matter (PM) Sensor for Mine Dust Exposure Assessment
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
$66,276AFC113FO-87 - Application of Pressure Balancing Techniques at the West Elk Coal Mine
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOU
$64,348Grant paid AFCTG22r2-160 - Development of a Stability Mapping Platform for Stone Mines
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
$61,982AFC820-14 Opioid Hazard Awareness Training for Sand, Stone and Gravel Workers
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
$59,836Continued Epidemiologic Analyses of Large Data Sets of Health Data on US Coal Miners
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOU
$57,333AFCTG20-103 - Comprehensive atmospheric monitoring in underground coal mines: long term critical trend analysis and tablet-based communication
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
$56,024AFCTG22r2-158 Mental health Disorders in US Coal Miners: A collaborative Approach to understand ...
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
$52,539AFC820-59 - Elucidating the individual and combined toxicity of coal mine dust constituents and their contribution to disease in modern US coal miners
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
$46,262AFCRFP20-112 Towards Reducing Rib Hazards in Underground Coal Mines by Improvement of the Coal P...
NEW MEXICO INSTITUTE OF MINING TECH
$9,824AFCRFP20-130 - Demonstration of an intrinsically safe drone propulsion system for underground coal mining applications
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
$338,961Autonomous Underground Mining Systems to Improve Safety - Intelligent Coal Mining
VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND
$205,466AFC518SP-89 - Collecting mine dust particles with liquid-coated vibrating meshes, Phase 2
OAKLAND UNIVERSITY
$194,756AFC820-22 - Miniaturized and Low Cost Electrochemical Particulate Matter (PM) Sensor for Mine Dust Exposure Assessment
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
$188,666AFCTG20-98 - Rheumatoid Arthritis in Hard Rock Underground Miners
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOU
$152,672AFCRFP20-131 - Analysis of the Influence of Macro Fractures on Underground Coal MIne Ventilation Seals
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA
$140,532Early Warning Safety Hazard Predictor for Preventive Ventilation Management
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
$128,364Time Dependent Pumpable Roof Support Assessment
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