IMPORTANT UPDATE TO Our 2020 GRANT CYCLE:
As of May 2020
Our world is facing an unprecedented crisis in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis is unlike any we have dealt with before - the scope is global in nature, every individual and business on the planet is impacted. The IEEE Foundation and the IEEE Life Members Committee are not immune to the challenges presented by the pandemic, and as such, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Grants Cycle.
Grants approved through past iterations of the Grants Program are continuing to implement their projects as planned and we look forward to sharing their results. The team will evaluate the feasibility of the 2021 Grants Cycle and will make additional announcements via this web page. We regret any inconvenience this may cause for our current and future applicants and wish you all the best as we navigate these troubled times.
Alternative funding sources to explore:
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- IEEE Humanitarian Activities Committee and SIGHT (Special Interest Group on Humanitarian Technology) have joined forces to prioritize proposals that have a strong potential for immediate impact in the fight against COVID-19. Learn more.
- EPICS in IEEE (Engineering Projects in Community Service) supports community based projects. The project must involve a non-profit organization partner, and must provide a technical solution in IEEE fields of interests to problems in one or more of the EPICS in IEEE categories. Learn more.
Apply for an IEEE Foundation Grant
The IEEE Foundation Grants Program is a joint effort between the IEEE Foundation Board of Directors and the IEEE Life Members Committee. The joint committee, known as the Grants Committee, executes one grant cycle each year that addresses a pre-defined theme. The theme itself aligns with the IEEE Foundation's mission to "enable IEEE programs that enhance technology access, literacy, and education."
2020 Foundation Grants Theme:
Increasingly, emerging technologies are improving the human condition across a number of disciplines including, but not limited to, biometrics, wearables, artificial intelligence, communications (5G), Internet of Things and data sharing. The IEEE Foundation and the IEEE Life Members Committee exclusively invites IEEE organizational units to propose projects that:
Educates the public about the potential for emerging technologies to improve the quality of life. Preference will be given to projects that highlight how emerging technologies play a role in delivery of healthcare.
Eligibility Requirements
Grants Process
Grant Evaluation Criteria
Questions
Eligibility Requirements
Applying entity:• Applicants must be IEEE organizational units as defined in the IEEE Bylaws, Section I.107. • IEEE organizational units include regions, sections, societies, chapters, affinity groups, student branches, and major IEEE boards.• Grant recipients may partner with other groups, but the chief organizers and financial controllers must be IEEE members.• Applicants must agree to the Grant Terms & Conditions including, but not limited to:
o The Grant Reporting Guidelines
o The Grant Payment Terms
Grant Proposal:
• The start date of the project must fall after the funding decisions are announced.• Grants requests should be between US$5,000 and US$100,000.• Performance period for funded projects will be limited to no longer than 12 months.• If awarded, the grant is to be used solely for the activities specified in the grant application.• These Grants do not fund research projects.
Grants Process
Grant Cycle Timeline:
• The application window opens 1 March 2020
• The application window closes 3 July 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
• Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.
• Funding decisions will be announced by 15 December 2020
• Projects should commence 1 January 2021 or thereafter.
Funding Decision Process:
• Applications are first screened against the eligibility criteria listed below.
• The Grants Committee reviews qualified applications and makes recommendations based on how well the proposal meets:
o The evaluation criteria listed below
o The Grant Terms and Conditions
• Recommendations are presented to both the IEEE Foundation Board and Life Members Committee for final decision.
• Decisions are announced by 15 December 2020.
• If selected for a grant, the grant payment will be released once a Grant Agreement has been signed and returned to the IEEE Foundation.
Grant Evaluation Criteria
In evaluating proposals, the Grants Committee will seek to determine the extent to which the proposed project:
• Addresses the theme identified in the Request for Proposals.
• Furthers the scientific and educational purposes of IEEE and relates to the fields of interest of IEEE.
• Directly involves IEEE members, including, as appropriate, student members.
• Engages the public in informal learning environments through projects.
o Informal learning environments include museums, libraries, community centers, maker spaces, etc.
o Project examples include, but are not limited to, exhibits, public lectures, hands-on demonstrations with students, etc.
• Provides technical information at a level that can be understood by the general public reaching a broad cross-section of society.
• Has a well-articulated communications plan, that includes social media, designed to promote the project, increase awareness and engage the target audience.
• Presents, in a neutral and balanced manner:
o An analysis of the social benefits and costs of deploying the subject technology.
o An understanding of the technology without advocating for specific solutions.
• Includes ways to measure a project’s success and effectiveness.
• Avoids advocating a particular action but encourages and enables participants to make an informed decision.
• Does not include any items on the “What We Don’t Fund” list in the Grant Terms & Conditions.
Questions
Please contact us by:
E-mail: foundation-office@ieee.org
Telephone: +1 732 981 3435
Grant Application Process Suspended for 2020 - see message above.
Applicants must login to the Grant Application Management System. First time users must create an account.