01
Say thank you
Recognize families, teachers, young researchers and community encouragement without mislabeling them as financial sponsors.
COMMUNITY RESEARCH & GIVING DIRECTORY EDITION 02 · OCT 2026
Progress begins with people.
A single place to thank our communities, explore direct-to-recipient giving, and discover the proposed education, health, martial-arts and research initiatives connected to the Aurora STEM Academy.
✓ Recipient-led gifts · No AHF collection of third-party donations · Clear outreach status
23Institutions and programs indexed
13Official giving routes linked
8Potential sponsor project areas
0Public donor names without verification
EXPLORE THE NETWORK
One hub. Every pathway.
Choose a topic to open its full workspace. All organization links open on the recipient's own website.
START HERE
Designed to give credit correctly.
The goal is to celebrate people and support meaningful work without implying a partnership, grant or donation that hasn't been verified.
02
Support directly
Choose an independent recipient. The organization processes its own donations and determines restrictions and tax receipts.
03
Review the science
Read the staged hybrid-lift thesis, measurable learning outcomes and honest distinctions between concept work and validated research.
04
Explore the Academy
Five guided STEM courses, 36 interactive lessons, eight advanced investigations, the Aurora mission game and Captain J3 Merlin with six Quest Club teaching guides.
Open All STEM TracksPublic presentation packetUpdated presentation including Penn State Fayette and University Park. Open the PDF in a new tab to save or share it; an alternate copy and viewing page are below.
Open PDF ↗Viewing & download help ↗WITH GRATITUDE
Thank you for growing possibility.
Appreciation for community inspiration and encouragement is distinct from a financial sponsorship or formal endorsement.
“Every student who asks one more question, every educator who protects that curiosity, and every family who helps make exploration possible belongs in this story.”
AHF STEM ACADEMY · COMMUNITY APPRECIATIONLeah Paige
Thank you for your creativity, concept development and early research on the Aurora vehicle idea. Your contribution is acknowledged as research assistance and ideation, not a claim of engineering certification.
Laurel Highlands community
With appreciation to teachers, families and the Laurel Highlands School District community for encouragement of learning, youth fitness and community development, as described by AHF. No district endorsement is asserted.
Birdville Independent School District
Forever grateful for the school community that helped a father remain part of his son’s Veterans Day experience when distance and work made attendance impossible. By including him in the presentation and making the community event available online for families and loved ones who could not be there in person, Birdville ISD helped preserve a meaningful family connection across the miles. This recognition reflects past family and community support; it does not claim a financial contribution or institutional endorsement of AHF.
Open & share this recognitionPlaquemine, Louisiana
Thank you to the wider community whose spirit of resilience and educational possibility inspires the project's public-service goals. Plaquemine High School is listed as a prospective recipient, not an Aurora sponsor.
Veterans and martial-arts communities
Recognition for service-minded mentors, youth coaches and martial-arts families who model discipline, fitness, and support. Specific academy sponsorships must be confirmed independently.
Institutional names and marks. A public thank-you is not a claim of institutional funding, permission to use a logo, or endorsement. Formal sponsor recognition is published only with authorization.
Academic network update: Penn State Fayette (The Eberly Campus) and Penn State University Park are newly indexed as independent institutions with their own giving channels. These are prospective research and philanthropic connections, not confirmed donors or AHF sponsors.
HONEST PUBLIC RECOGNITION
Donor & sponsor recognition roll.
Only independently verified gifts or partnerships, with the donor's permission, may appear on this list.
Community support recognition
Veterans Day family inclusion support. Recognized with lasting gratitude for including a father in his son’s Veterans Day presentation from a distance and providing online access to the community event for family members who could not attend in person. This is a non-financial historical acknowledgment based on firsthand family experience; no current sponsorship agreement, donation, logo permission or institutional endorsement is asserted.
✦
No public donor records confirmed for this directory yet.
Recipient organizations manage their own donation records. AHF does not automatically receive donor identities, gifts or tax information from external sites. Recognition may be added after the donor and recipient authorize the description.
Recognition categories reserved for verified records
A confirmed monetary contribution with evidence, recipient designation and donor consent.
Materials, instruction or services confirmed as received, with accurate scope and value disclosures.
A documented institutional agreement specifying roles, approvals and intended work.
POSSIBLE SPONSOR PROGRAMS
Give to the work, not the hype.
These project categories are proposals. Choosing one takes visitors to independent organizations that may be relevant to the purpose; a project-specific restricted gift must be approved by its recipient.
01 / RESEARCH AREA
STEM Hybrid Lift Laboratory
A supervised youth research sequence comparing magnetic guideways, buoyancy, and low-voltage air-cushion lift.
RESEARCH PROPOSED
02 / RESEARCH AREA
Student Fabrication & Trade Skills
Materials, metrology, prototyping tools and practical manufacturing instruction through independent school partners.
OUTREACH
03 / RESEARCH AREA
Youth Fitness & Gi Access
Training scholarships, uniforms and healthy development through independent martial-arts recipients.
DIRECT PROGRAM AVAILABLE
04 / RESEARCH AREA
Teachers & Classroom Well-being
Recipient-approved classroom mini-grants, educator support and wellness initiatives.
OUTREACH
05 / RESEARCH AREA
Maternal & Family Health
Recipient-led childbirth education, postpartum care access and medical research support.
DIRECT GIVING AVAILABLE
06 / RESEARCH AREA
Aviation Design & Workforce
Airport-based educational conversations and safety-first aviation infrastructure research.
OUTREACH
07 / RESEARCH AREA
Water & Watershed Science
Environmental observation, water quality and low-voltage buoyancy experiments.
DIRECT PROGRAM AVAILABLE
08 / RESEARCH AREA
Space & Ireland Academic Exchange
Prospective youth connections to university space and international programs, including documented WVU-Ireland links.
RESEARCH PROPOSED
Donor restriction notice: The recipient's existing mission and available programs govern use of contributions. Listing a project here does not reserve donor funds for it or create an AHF-controlled account.
INDEPENDENT RECIPIENTS & CONTACTS
Find a program to support.
Every tile has its own official website link. A giving label means a recipient's donation route was found—not that it has sponsored Aurora.
22 organizations giving route contact first research only
Schools & tradesOfficial giving route
Laurel Highlands Academic Foundation
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Student enrichment, classroom innovation, teacher mini-grants and academic opportunities.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
The Foundation publishes its own charitable contribution instructions. Contributions go to the Foundation, not AHF. Donors seeking an earmarked STEM or teacher-wellness program should ask the Foundation first.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Schools & tradesOfficial foundation giving
Birdville ISD · Birdville Education Foundation
North Richland Hills, Texas
Support Birdville ISD classrooms through the independent Birdville Education Foundation’s Best for Birdville Annual Campaign. Contributions support Innovative Teacher Grants for district classrooms and campuses.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
Donations go directly to the Birdville Education Foundation through its own official campaign website, not through AHF. The Foundation is a separate nonprofit supportive of Birdville ISD. This directory listing does not imply any present-day sponsorship agreement or district endorsement.
Additional verified foundation donation page ↗
Independent donation recipient · Past Veterans Day family support recognized separately in our Thank-yous section.
Schools & tradesContact recipient first
Plaquemine High School
Plaquemine, Louisiana
Prospective student enrichment, youth technology and school/community initiatives.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
Official school website. A dedicated donation checkout for this particular initiative has not been verified; donors should request an authorized school or district method before sending money.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Schools & tradesContact recipient first
Fayette County Career & Technical Institute
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Hands-on technical education, manufacturing, fabrication and future workforce pathways.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
Prospective cooperation could center on safe bench-scale demonstrations, student fabrication and instructional materials. No joint initiative or approval has been established.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Schools & tradesContact recipient first
Laurel Technical Institute · Uniontown
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Career-oriented technical programs and potential community training discussions.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
This is the official Uniontown campus program page. Donation or sponsorship requests require institution approval and the correct receiving entity.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Schools & tradesContact recipient first
Laurel College of Technology · Morgantown
Morgantown, West Virginia
Health, technology and skilled-trade education with potential STEM workshop relevance.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
This campus and the Uniontown institution share Laurel Institutes branding. No AHF partnership or school donation program has been confirmed.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Higher educationOfficial giving route
PennWest California
California, Pennsylvania
Formerly California University of Pennsylvania; student scholarships, teaching and program support.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
PennWest California maintains a university giving pathway. Specific program designation and any recognition arrangement must be approved by the institution.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Higher educationOfficial giving route
Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus
Lemont Furnace, Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Southwestern Pennsylvania alumni and educational heritage, existing student funds, scholarship support and community programs.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
Penn State Fayette is not admitting new degree-seeking students, although high-school dual enrollment still continues according to its official admissions pages. Donors should speak to Penn State Fayette Development about currently available scholarships, alumni initiatives and the Coal and Coke Heritage Center before assuming any particular new STEM program is eligible. This is a potential recipient listing, not a campus affiliation with Aurora.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Higher educationOfficial giving route
Penn State University Park · Main Campus
University Park, State College, Pennsylvania
Penn State main-campus engineering education, aerospace, accessibility, transportation research and student learning initiatives.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
The university College of Engineering publishes independent giving opportunities for aerospace engineering, student outreach, transportation and more. Penn State Development decides available funds, restrictions and tax acknowledgements. Nothing here indicates a Penn State partnership, grant or official sponsorship of Aurora.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Higher educationOfficial giving route
University of Minnesota · Neuroscience
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Research concerning brain and nervous-system function, disease and related scientific training.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
The University of Minnesota Foundation processes gifts to the Department of Neuroscience. The Board of Regents is university governance, not a separate donor recipient for this listing.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Higher educationOfficial giving route
West Virginia University Foundation
Morgantown, West Virginia
University education, scholarships, research, health sciences and interdisciplinary initiatives.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
WVU Foundation accepts gifts independently. Ask the Foundation about an appropriate program/fund if donors wish to support space science or international education.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Higher educationResearch / program reference
WVU · Aerospace Engineering
West Virginia
Formal aerospace engineering education related to flight dynamics, structures and propulsion.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
This is a program information page, not a funding checkout. Listed to document possible academic outreach and research relevance, not an established project affiliation.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
InternationalResearch / program reference
WVU Global Affairs · Ireland
West Virginia / Ireland
WVU lists Irish academic partnerships including Munster Technological University and University College Cork.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
WVU has publicly listed these institutional relationships; they are WVU partnerships, NOT AHF/Aurora partnerships. Contact WVU Global Affairs for appropriate future academic introductions.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Health & scienceOfficial giving route
UPMC Magee-Womens · Research Institute & Foundation
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Maternal health, childbirth-related education, women’s healthcare and clinical research.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital provides obstetric and childbirth services. This linked independent Foundation has giving channels supporting its women’s-health research, patient services and education; any requested restriction should be confirmed with Foundation staff.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Health & scienceOfficial giving route
St. Margaret Foundation · UPMC St. Margaret
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Community health, patient support and family-centered healthcare needs.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
St. Margaret Foundation supports patients and community needs associated with UPMC St. Margaret. St. Margaret is not the same facility as Magee-Womens, which offers dedicated labor-and-delivery services.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Health & scienceOfficial giving route
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota / U.S.
Clinical care, education, medical research and access to health innovations.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
Mayo Clinic provides direct philanthropy routes and instructions for community fundraising approvals. No Mayo Clinic affiliation with Aurora has been established.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Health & scienceOfficial giving route
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, Ohio / U.S.
Healthcare research, education and patient-focused innovation.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
Official institutional giving information. Support is processed by Cleveland Clinic, with no money handled by AHF and no claim of institutional endorsement.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Youth fitnessOfficial giving route
Gis for Growth
U.S. youth Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Direct sponsorships for youth training, gis and competition participation.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
The official sponsor page lists Gi Sponsorship ($150), Half Scholarship ($750) and Full Scholarship ($1,500). Prices are published by the recipient and may change. This recipient has its own donation/receipt process.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Youth fitnessContact recipient first
Southern Soul Academy · Shane Lees
Mary Esther / Navarre area, Florida
Family-focused Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and youth confidence development led by Head Professor Shane Lees.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
The academy is a proposed community recipient and not a confirmed donor or Aurora sponsor. Ask the academy whether it accepts school-sponsored training, donated gis or scholarship funds. No independent Purple Heart BJJ fundraising program was verified.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Youth fitnessContact recipient first
Uniontown Karate Club · Sensei Jim Umbel
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Traditional Shotokan karate, longstanding youth development and regional martial-arts history.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
The club website identifies Sensei James E. Umbel as owner and chief instructor. Any direct sponsorship arrangement must be confirmed with the club before a donation button is represented.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Environment & aviationContact recipient first
Joseph A. Hardy Connellsville Airport
Connellsville / Dunbar Township, Pennsylvania
Prospective aviation education, infrastructure design and regional workforce conversations.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
The airport is publicly owned by the Fayette County Airport Authority. Any infrastructure funding, design initiative or use of airport facilities would require airport authority and applicable regulatory approvals.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Environment & aviationOfficial giving route
Friends of the Cheat
Cheat River watershed, West Virginia
Watershed preservation, river access, water-quality monitoring and environmental education.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
An independent nonprofit supporting the Cheat watershed. This is a regional environmental program relevant to Cheat Lake-area interests, not a claim that the organization runs a particular Aurora program at Cheat Lake.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
Environment & aviationResearch / program reference
Cheat Lake environmental programs
Cheat Lake, West Virginia
Potential regional citizen-science and environmental education connections.
Eligibility, designation & disclosure
West Virginia DEP lists watershed groups, including the Cheat Lake Environmental Recreation Association. No specific direct donation portal was independently verified for this entity.
Independent organization. No AHF endorsement or sponsorship agreement implied.
No matching organizations
Try another category or a shorter search term.
External transactions: No payment is processed on this site. You are leaving AHF to contact or donate to a separate organization. Verify the destination, restrictions and tax receipts with that recipient before giving.
THESIS REVIEW · MISSION 001
The science behind a safer first step.
Aurora Hybrid Lift Research: testing which proven physical mechanisms can be demonstrated individually before any attempted integration.
NOW OPEN: Full Exploration STEM AcademyFive teaching tracks and 36 chapters, plus Aurora Mission 001, four classroom physics calculators, a four-stage mission game, eight Research Atlas investigations, notebooks and gentle optional character voices. No real-world vehicle performance is asserted.
Explore STEM AcademyWORKING RESEARCH QUESTION
Can one unmanned teaching platform demonstrate distinct water, magnetic and air-cushion lift modes?
Magnetic levitation requires an engineered guideway. Water supplies buoyancy; low-voltage air-cushion lift can be demonstrated above water or prepared surfaces. These are different mechanisms, not one water-powered anti-gravity system. Integrated transitions remain unvalidated.
Define
Mass, forces, energy, materials and hazard review.
Demonstrate
Guided magnetic lift over suitable conductors.
Float
Buoyancy, ballast and stability measurements.
Hover
Low-voltage air-cushion prototype above water.
Publish
Measured data, setbacks and design revisions.
Background program connections
- Aurora Mk-I / Halo: illustrative mobility system and concept-development branch.
- Aurora HOPE: proposed accessible medical and environmental experience platform.
- BioGrow Obloe: separate proposed space habitat and life-support research concept.
- STEM Academy: youth-safe engineering learning, measurement, presentation and community outreach.
External education references
- NASA public science resources ↗ — reference only, not program sponsorship.
- WVU aerospace education ↗ — formal curriculum reference.
- WVU international partners ↗ — documented Irish connections at WVU, no AHF agreement.
- Penn State Fayette student and alumni programs ↗ — Institutional giving and existing funds; no new degree-seeking admissions.
- Penn State main-campus engineering ↗ — Official engineering gift priorities, including aerospace and outreach.
NOT TESTED
No rideable hovercraft, water-powered flight, lunar-ready system, pressurized submersible, or proven integrated propulsion system has been validated under this initiative.
Full research and community presentationUpdated presentation including Penn State Fayette and University Park. Open the PDF in a new tab to save or share it; an alternate copy and viewing page are below.
Open PDF ↗Viewing & download help ↗TRUST & COMPLIANCE
Recognition without misrepresentation.
Community goodwill should never be confused with an executed contract, authorized use of an institutional identity, or a verified tax receipt.
01
Funds bypass AHF
When visitors use an external giving link, money goes directly to the named organization under its own payment system and gift policies. AHF does not process or receipt these third-party funds.
02
Recipient determines the fund
Program restrictions, gift eligibility, sponsorship recognition and tax treatment depend on the recipient's governing policies and applicable law. Contact its development office for special designations.
03
Accurate recognition
No organization is shown as an official Aurora donor, partner or sponsor merely because it is mentioned. Names, donor amounts, student images and logos require verification and the appropriate consent.
04
Science stays honest
Aurora imagery is promotional concept artwork; academic pathways and engineering features remain proposals until documented tests and independent reviews support specific claims.
Directory status key
Official giving route means an organization publishes a link or instructions to donate to its own programs. It does not establish any AHF relationship. Contact recipient first means donors must arrange a permitted gift with the organization directly. Research / program reference is informational and does not solicit funds. All organizations are independent third parties unless expressly noted in a signed public agreement.
Fundraising and brand compliance: Joint promotions, use of protected names or seals, cause-marketing claims, charitable solicitation regulations, and disclosure of donor data can trigger additional requirements. AHF should obtain legal review and written authorization before suggesting an organization approved a joint campaign. No endorsement by NASA, universities, hospitals or named schools is claimed here.
Privacy: This static portal does not collect payment credentials, donor identity or visitor-submitted personal information. External links are controlled by the destination organization. The public donor roll stays empty unless recognition is independently approved and supported.