Mars Initiative

Terms

Effective date: September 8, 2026
Last updated: September 8, 2026

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the website at marsinitiative.org (the "Site"), operated by Mars Initiative, a United States 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization ("Mars Initiative," "we," "us," or "our").

By accessing or using the Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.

1. About Mars Initiative

Mars Initiative is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help fund the first human mission to Mars. We operate the Mars Prize Fund, run a Microgrant Program supporting early-career researchers and student projects, and publish educational content about human spaceflight.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 13 years old to use the Site. If you are under the age of majority where you live, you may use the Site only with the involvement of a parent or legal guardian. By making a donation or submitting an application, you represent that you have the legal capacity to do so.

3. Use of the Site

You may use the Site for lawful, personal, educational, and charitable purposes. You agree that you will not:

  • Use the Site in violation of any applicable law or regulation
  • Submit false, misleading, or fraudulent information, including in donation or grant materials
  • Impersonate any person or organization, or misrepresent your affiliation with one
  • Upload or transmit malware, or attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Site, its servers, or related systems
  • Interfere with or disrupt the Site, including through automated scraping, excessive requests, or denial-of-service activity
  • Use the Site to send unsolicited commercial messages
  • Harvest email addresses or personal information of other users
  • Copy, reproduce, or redistribute substantial portions of the Site for commercial purposes without our written permission

We may suspend or terminate access to the Site for any user who violates these Terms.

4. Accounts

Some areas of the Site, such as the donor dashboard, may require an account. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. Notify us promptly if you believe your account has been accessed without authorization.

5. Intellectual Property

The Site and its contents, including text, graphics, logos, images, illustrations, video, and software, are owned by Mars Initiative or its licensors and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. The Mars Initiative name and logo are our trademarks and may not be used without prior written permission.

You may view, download, and print pages from the Site for personal, non-commercial, educational use, provided you retain all copyright notices and do not modify the content. All rights not expressly granted are reserved.

6. Your Submissions

When you submit content to us, including messages, volunteer applications, grant applications, testimonials, or other materials, you retain ownership of that content. You grant Mars Initiative a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, and display that content for the purpose of operating our programs, evaluating your submission, and communicating with you.

We may, with your separate permission, feature your name, story, or project in our public communications. You represent that any content you submit is your own or that you have the right to share it, and that it does not infringe the rights of others.

7. Donations

Donations made through the Site support the general mission and programs of Mars Initiative unless a specific campaign or restriction is clearly stated at the time of giving.

  • Tax deductibility. Mars Initiative is a 501(c)(3) organization, and donations from United States taxpayers are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. No goods or services are provided in exchange for a donation unless expressly stated. Please consult your tax advisor regarding your particular circumstances.
  • Processing. Donations are processed by a third-party payment provider subject to its own terms and privacy policy. We do not receive or store your full payment card details.
  • Refunds. Donations are generally non-refundable. If you believe a donation was made in error or without authorization, contact us within 30 days and we will review the request in good faith.
  • Recurring gifts. If you set up a recurring donation, it will continue until you cancel it. You may cancel at any time through your donor dashboard or by contacting us.
  • Use of funds. Mars Initiative retains discretion over the allocation of all contributions in furtherance of its charitable purposes, consistent with applicable law and any donor restrictions we have accepted in writing.

8. Microgrant Program

Information about our Microgrant Program is provided for general guidance. Submitting an application does not create any obligation on our part and does not guarantee an award. We select recipients at our sole discretion based on our published criteria and available funding. Award decisions are final. Recipients may be required to enter a separate agreement setting out reporting obligations and terms of use for granted funds.

9. Newsletter and Communications

If you subscribe to our newsletter or submit a form, you consent to receive email from us relating to that request. You may unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email, or by contacting us. We may still send you transactional messages, such as donation receipts and responses to your inquiries.

10. Third-Party Links and Services

The Site links to and embeds content from third-party websites and services that we do not control, including donation platforms, video hosting, social media, and analytics providers. We provide these for convenience and do not endorse and are not responsible for their content, policies, or practices. Your use of those services is governed by their own terms.

11. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Site and all content are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Mars Initiative disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement.

We do not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that the Site is free of harmful components. Educational and scientific content on the Site is provided for general information and is not professional, financial, legal, or technical advice.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Mars Initiative and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and agents will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages, or for any loss of data, use, goodwill, or profits, arising out of or relating to your use of or inability to use the Site.

Our total aggregate liability arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Site will not exceed the greater of the amount you contributed to Mars Initiative in the twelve months preceding the claim, or one hundred United States dollars (USD $100).

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, so some of the above may not apply to you.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Mars Initiative and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and agents from any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including reasonable legal fees, arising out of your use of the Site, your submissions, or your violation of these Terms or of any law or third-party right.

14. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of [INSERT STATE], United States, without regard to its conflict of law rules. You agree that any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Site will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in [INSERT COUNTY AND STATE], and you consent to the jurisdiction of those courts.

Before filing any claim, you agree to contact us first so that we can attempt to resolve the matter informally.

15. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date above and post the revised version on this page. Your continued use of the Site after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

16. Severability and Entire Agreement

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, that provision will be limited or removed to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will stay in full force. Our failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of it. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Mars Initiative regarding the Site.

17. Contact Us

Questions about these Terms may be directed to:

Mars Initiative
Email: info@marsinitiative.org
Mailing address: [INSERT MAILING ADDRESS]
Contact form: Contact Us