Methods were developed to prepare samples and conduct microcalorimetric studies of reduced nickel powders containing submonolayer amounts of metallic K or Cs. The average surface alkali coverages were determined by AES to range from 10 to 20% monolayer coverage for K and 30 to 60% monolayer coverage for Cs. Microcalorimetric measurements of CO and H-2 adsorption on nickel at 308 K give initial heats of 120 and 90 kJ/mol, respectively. The addition of metallic K or Cs to nickel increases the heat of CO adsorption by 80-85 kJ/mol. Smaller promotional effects on the heat of CO adsorption (ca. 40 kJ/mol) were observed when these samples were exposed to air and subsequently treated in Hz at 623 K. Weak promotional effects of metallic potassium (ca. 20 kJ/mol) were observed for H-2 adsorption on nickel.