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IEEE Foundation Releases 2023 Annual Report
Reflects on an Enduring 50 Years of Impact
2023 marked a momentous milestone for the IEEE Foundation — our golden anniversary. This milestone celebration, led by John McDonald, IEEE Foundation Director and 50th Anniversary Celebration Chair, reflected on and heralded the message of the collective impact the Foundation inspired during its first 50 years thanks to donors, and the IEEE programs in which they invested.
The generosity of 6,742 donors who collectively gave US$8 million made it possible for US$5.6 million to be invested in IEEE donor-supported programs across our program pillars — — Illuminate, Educate, Engage, Energize, while we build upon the Future pillar. Your generosity also expanded our family of donor-funded programs, adding 17 new funds supporting the IEEE Women in Engineering Family Care Grant Program, scholarships, and the IEEE Global Museum, to name a few.
In 2023, with incredible donor support, the IEEE Foundation helped 1,834 projects and deployments, leveraged 121,212 volunteer hours, and impacted 789,698 people.
“The generous donors and members are the driving force behind the IEEE Foundation’s world-changing initiatives, which have had a positive impact on more than 789,000 people in hundreds of communities around the world, in 2023 alone,” shares IEEE Foundation President, Ralph Ford. “I am excited about the opportunity to continue building the future with the IEEE Foundation and all those involved. The steps we are taking are moving us in the right direction.”
Some highlights from the report include:
- Empower a Billion Lives welcomed 25 teams to the second global competition finals, at which Team Nanoe from Madagascar became the grand prize winner for its “Lateral Electrification” project, an innovative electrification model using nanogrids.
- IEEE TryEngineering funded 43 local STEM outreach initiatives through the TryEngineering STEM Grant program, delivering educational opportunities and hands-on experiences to underserved populations.
- IEEE History Center piloted two exhibits as part of the new IEEE Global Museum initiative at several IEEE events, including one featuring Edwin H. Armstrong, the first IEEE Medal of Honor winner.
- IEEE-ETA KAPPA NU (IEEE-HKN) engaged 300+ IEEE-HKN student members representing 55 HKN Chapters during the IEEE-HKN Student Leadership Conference.
- IEEE Women in Engineering launched the IEEE Women in Engineering Family Cares Grant Program, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at providing financial support for primary caregivers, irrespective of gender, to participate in IEEE conferences.