Fort Collins-based foundation backs energy research while permanently funding student programs focused on democracy and the arts.
By North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — A $5 million gift from Fort Collins-based Bohemian Foundation will expand energy research at Colorado State University while creating permanent funding for student programs centered on civic engagement and the arts.
The investment directs $3.8 million to CSU’s Powerhouse Energy Campus and $1.2 million to endow the Colorado Democracy Prize and Amy Parsons Presidential Art Prize.
“We are profoundly grateful to Bohemian Foundation for investing in and affirming the importance of these unique programs,” CSU President Amy Parsons said. “This gift advances our capacity for groundbreaking energy innovation, and it also ensures that two of our most distinctive student initiatives will continue to provide generations of young people with opportunities to lead, create and contribute.”
Expanding Energy Research in Fort Collins
CSU’s Powerhouse Energy Campus has spent more than three decades developing and testing energy technologies while connecting university researchers with industry partners and students.
Nearly 40 faculty members and more than 250 students currently work at the campus, according to CSU.
The $3.8 million investment is expected to help expand the Powerhouse’s research capacity in areas including grid resilience, wildfire challenges, fusion and nuclear technologies, and global energy access.
Infrastructure improvements and expansion of existing and adjacent space are also planned to provide additional room for large-scale testing, demonstration projects and energy systems research.
CSU said the investment will support engineering capstone projects, student entrepreneurship and a fabrication academy that introduces students from across the university to rapid prototyping and manufacturing technologies.
Additional artificial intelligence and advanced computing infrastructure is expected to support research into grid modernization, clean power production, buildings, lower-impact data centers and clean-energy access in developing countries.
“As a global hub for energy research and industry collaboration, the Powerhouse Energy Campus has a growing pipeline of energy challenges ready to be tackled by our teams of students, faculty and industry experts,” Energy Institute Executive Director Bryan Willson said.
Democracy and Arts Programs Endowed
Another $1.2 million will establish permanent funding for two student-focused programs launched in 2025.
The Colorado Democracy Prize supports student-led civic engagement through workshops, seed grants, and mentorship. An annual award recognizes a student-led civic project judged to have significant impact.
The Amy Parsons Presidential Art Prize recognizes work by CSU students and recent alumni across disciplines.
Students participate in selecting, curating, and presenting the artwork with leadership from the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art. Selected pieces receive awards and public recognition, with top works displayed at locations including Magnolia House, CSU’s presidential residence, and community venues such as The Center for Creativity at the Historic Carnegie Library.
More than 150 works from students and alumni were submitted during the art program’s inaugural year, according to CSU.
“These generous gifts from Bohemian Foundation will enable us to promote hands-on student work in both democracy and visual art,” College of Liberal Arts Dean Kjerstin Thorson said.
Longstanding Fort Collins Partnership
Bohemian Foundation President and CEO Cheryl Zimlich said the investment reflects the foundation’s support for both research and student development.
“CSU continues to demonstrate how higher education can drive solutions to complex challenges while preparing students to lead in their professions and their communities,” Zimlich said.
Bohemian Foundation, established in 2001 and based in Fort Collins, supports community initiatives locally, nationally, and internationally.
The latest investment builds on the foundation’s previous support for CSU and the Powerhouse Energy Campus.
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