Your support helps us expand the Sink Microbiome Project to more homes, more states, and increases our potential to make new discoveries. Every donation directly funds the sampling kits and DNA sequencing efforts that make this science possible.
Please note: Sampling kits and branded swag are available for shipping to US residents only. Donations received from outside the United States are gratefully accepted as direct contributions to the project research; no physical items will be shipped.
Option 1 — Join the Study: Receive a Sampling Kit
For a $10 donation, you will receive a bathroom sink sampling kit delivered to your door. The kit contains everything you need to collect a sample from your sink drain and countertop, ship it back to us prepaid, and receive personalized results.
- Sampling swabs
- Prepaid return shipping envelope
- Step-by-step collection instructions
- Personalized microbial community results
Due to project scope, please request one kit per household. For large-scale participation or institutional collaboration, contact us at sinkmicrobiome@duke.edu.
Option 2 — Support the Research: PreMiEr-Branded Swag
Make a donation at any of the levels below and receive a gift from the PreMiEr team. A sampling kit is included with every tier. Suggested amounts are listed; you are always welcome to give more.
- Sampling kit
- PreMiEr t-shirt
- Choice of white or grey
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Specify color and size in your follow-up email
- Sampling kit
- PreMiEr 30 oz Owala insulated stainless steel water bottle
- Cream colored with a blue PreMiEr logo
How to Donate
All donations are processed securely through Duke University's giving portal.
- Visit gifts.duke.edu and search for PreMiEr (select PreMiEr: NSF Engineering Research Center).
- Enter your donation amount and click Next.
- Select One Time Gift, then continue to payment.
- After completion of payment, you will receive a confirmation email from Duke University for your tax records.
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Email us at sinkmicrobiome@duke.edu with the following information so we can ship your kit or swag:
- Your first and last name
- Your mailing address (US addresses only)
- The donation option you selected (kit or swag tier)
- For t-shirts: your preferred size and color
Important Information
- Tax deductibility. Duke University is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 56-0532129). Donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. You will receive a donation receipt from Duke University for your records.
- Use of funds. All donations support the Sink Microbiome Project directly, including sampling kit production and DNA sequencing costs.
- One kit per household. Due to the scope of this project, each household may request no more than one sampling kit. For large-scale participation or institutional collaboration, please contact us at sinkmicrobiome@duke.edu.
- US shipping only. Kits and swag are currently available for shipping to US addresses only.
- Availability. Swag items are available while supplies last. If a requested item is out of stock, we will contact you by email to arrange a substitution.
- One reward per donation. Each donation qualifies for one reward item at the corresponding tier level.
- T-shirt sizing. Please specify your preferred size (S, M, L, or XL) and color (white or grey) in your follow-up email. If not specified, we will fulfill based on current availability.
- No refunds. Donations to Duke University are non-refundable once processed.
- Privacy. Your mailing address is collected solely for shipping purposes and will not be stored in our research database or shared with third parties. It will be handled in accordance with Duke University's privacy policy.
Want to give any amount without receiving swag?
We gratefully accept unrestricted donations of any size. Simply follow the same steps above and note "General Support" in your email — no physical reward will be sent.
This work was supported primarily by the Engineering Research Centers Program of the National Science Foundation under NSF Cooperative Agreement No. EEC-2133504.