IEEE SPS & Tech4Good Projects Call for Proposals

IEEE Tech4Good (T4G), an IEEE Humanitarian Technologies program, offers funding opportunities to support grassroots technological projects, led by IEEE members, that address pressing social and environmental challenges. IEEE Signal Processing Society (SPS) and T4G are partnering to conduct a call for proposals for SPS members to specifically utilize signal processing technologies to propose solutions to these local community challenges.

Awards from US$1,000 to US$3,000 will be made to selected proposals that present a convincing plan to deploy a signal processing solution that meets a current need of a local community or organization over the course of six months.

A project should always focus on people and the needs of the community, rather than finding a use for a particular technology. The local projects should include specific social impact goals that contribute to one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Applicants must be active IEEE members and SPS members and teams should include other SPS members from the local chapter. Team members must have the relevant technical and other expertise to credibly execute the project.

• Submissions will be accepted from 24 July – 25 August.
• Term of funding: Up to 6 months; projects must start in the year that funding is awarded
• Amount Awarded: US$1,000 – $3,000
• Projects must comply with all national/federal, state, and local laws, guidelines, safety codes, and restrictions.
• All projects that involve children must follow IEEE Guidelines for Working with Children. Any project funding will be contingent on policy compliance.

First-time applicants will need to create a profile on the Online Funding Opportunities Portal to submit an application.

• The primary applicant and proposed project lead must be an IEEE SPS professional member grade or higher in good standing. Student members may be co-applicants. All member numbers are checked during the intake process. If membership status of the primary applicant is in arrears, the submission cannot move forward.
• In addition, the primary applicant must be a member of the SPS chapter in the section or country where the project is to be implemented.
• Each team may submit only one proposal.
• An IEEE OU – preferably the local Section – must act as the fiscal agent. Applicants must discuss this with the OU Treasurer prior to proposal submission. Funds generally cannot be transferred to a Society Chapter or Student Branch. IEEE financial requirements for funding disbursements will apply. Please see IEEE FOM 2.E – IEEE Unit Reporting (Including, but not limited to, Societies, Technical Councils, Geographic Units, and Conferences).
• Because U.S. economic sanctions and export controls are subject to frequent change, please review the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control’s Sanctions list to determine if your country can receive funding or contact tech4good@ieee.org with any questions before applying.

Please carefully review the Call for Proposals for more details and information.

Documents:

• Blank Application Form (note that all submissions must be received via the Online Funding Opportunities Portal).
• IEEE Tech4Good Projects Budget Template

We are happy to address any questions you may have about the application, the project, and criteria. Please write to sps-mdi@listserv.ieee.org.