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4.5.1 IEEE Young Professionals Program Funding Opportunities

IEEE Young Professionals (YP) Event Funding is designed to support IEEE Organizational Units (OUs) in organizing impactful events that engage young professionals, foster professional development, and strengthen the transition from student to professional member. Funding is available for a range of activities that align with the mission and strategic priorities of IEEE YP, with a strong emphasis on collaboration, outreach, and adherence to branding standards.

There are three main types of funding available, namely;

  1. STEP Funding (Student Transition and Elevation Partnership): The Student Transition and Elevation Partnership (STEP) fund provides up to USD 500 and is exclusively available to IEEE Student Branches (SB/SBC). Its purpose is to facilitate collaborative events between students and YP members, helping students transition into the professional world.
  2. Local Activity funding: The Local Activity fund, offering up to USD 750, is available to non-student IEEE OUs and supports both technical and non-technical events targeted at young professionals.
  3. Meet-up Funding: The Meet-up fund offers up to USD 1,500 for networking-based gatherings involving multiple groups within a shared geographic region. These are ideally organized in conjunction with larger IEEE events or conferences.

Eligible expenses under these programs include venue rental, audiovisual equipment, catering (non-alcoholic refreshments), and branded promotional materials that comply with IEEE YP branding guidelines. However, funding does not cover travel, accommodation, visa costs, speaker fees or honoraria, or any form of gift or giveaway that is not compliant with IEEE policy.

To apply for funding, OUs must complete an online proposal form and obtain a formal endorsement from a qualifying IEEE volunteer, such as a Region YP Coordinator, Affinity Group Chair or Vice-Chair, Section/Subsection Chair, or Region Director or Society/Council Representative. If the applicant already holds one of these positions, a separate endorsement is not required. All applications must be submitted by the stated deadlines of the funding cycle. The final date for hosting funded events each year is December 12.

After the event, recipients are required to submit a final report within 30 days. This report must include an event summary, attendee statistics, partnership highlights, and a detailed breakdown of income and expenses in US dollars, along with all relevant receipts. Delays or incomplete reports may result in loss of funding or future ineligibility.

Best practices include planning ahead, using the IEEE YP logo on all promotional materials, maintaining transparency in budgeting, and consulting with endorsers and YP funding coordinators throughout the process. For questions or clarifications, OUs can contact the IEEE YP Funding team via email at ypfunding@ieee.org.

Meet-up Events: Meet-ups are organized by Young Professionals to engage members and volunteers living in the same geographic location (typically within the same Section) or from the same technical area. The main focus is providing networking opportunities, where members can expand their personal and professional networks, but meet-ups can also take the form of short technical talks as well (or, even better, why not organize a short tech presentation followed by a networking session?). Meet-ups can take place in conjunction with conferences or technical congresses, where you can reach out to a larger number of members, and help local Young Professionals connect with conference attendees. For a better idea regarding past meet-ups, check the IEEE Young Professionals Facebook page, where there are several photo albums from such events held in 2016. You can get up to $1,500 in funding per meet-up event.

While applying for these programs, make sure to understand the clear differences between the programs and contact ypfunding@ieee.org for clarification on the eligibility criteria.

IEEE YP Event funding would typically have multiple cycles that each have the opening date, the evaluation period, and the announcement date. Applicants must know the timeline for each cycle and plan ahead of their event. Below is a sample of the cycles’ timeline for the year 2025. Applicants can apply at any time of the year and way ahead of the event. For example, applicants can apply for an event happening in November in cycle 1.

To avoid disqualification of the proposal, please ensure to comply with the rules and regulations set by the YP funding team, such as:

  • Ensure to apply for the correct category:
    • SB/SBC cannot apply for Meetup or Local Activity.
    • Only SB/SBC can apply for STEP. Others can be collaborators.
  • Ensure to have an endorsement if needed:
    • Only these volunteers do not require endorsement: Section YP AG Chair; Section YP AG Vice-Chair; Section Chair; Section Vice-Chair; Subsection Chair; Subsection Vice-Chair ; Society/Council YP Representatives, Region YP Chair, Region Director.

All other applicants will need an endorsement from any of them (one only).

  • Ensure to attach the correct file:
    • Ensure to use the template provided
  • Ensure to compile with the funding cycle timeline:
    • Check for the earliest day within the cycle that could be funded. Don’t choose an earlier date.
  • Ensure to comply with the budget policy of YP:
    • YP Funding Ineligible Expenses: Cash prizes, travel expenses, accommodations, visa applications, gifts (including IEEE membership gifts), honorarium, and other similar items.

However, these expenses are allowed to be covered from other sources of income other than YP Funding.

4.5.2 Funding by Society/Council

Your Society/Council might also be able to provide funding for Young Professionals activities. Here are a few ideas to ask for funding;

  • Prepare a plan of your activities for the whole year and ask Society/Council leadership to allocate an annual budget for young professionals. This must be done well in advance. Make sure you understand when your Society or Council begins planning the budget for the upcoming year, so you can request annual funding at the right time. Reach out to your Society or Council leadership or staff to familiarize yourself with the budget timeline.
  • Societies/Councils have budgets allocated for various types of activities such as speakers programs, competitions, events at conferences, etc. Try to use those resources to get support for your events. Most Societies/Councils require a business plan outlining benefits of any funding provided, so prepare ahead.

4.5.3 Partnerships with other IEEE OUs for partial funding for your events

Collaborating with IEEE Organizational Units (such as Societies, Councils, or Sections) can be a strategic way to secure partial funding for your events. These partnerships not only provide financial support but also enhance the event’s visibility, credibility, and reach. When planning an event, consider approaching relevant OUs whose focus aligns with your event theme. Clearly outline the value and benefits of the collaboration, and ensure your request is made in line with their budgeting timelines and processes. Identify the right time to request support by understanding the budgeting timelines of each OU. Reach out 6 – 9 months in advance whenever possible. Below are several IEEE-wide programs and committees for potential funding collaborations;

  • IEEE Societies & Technical Councils: Reach out to Societies or Councils aligned with your event theme for co-sponsorship or partial funding.
  • Local IEEE Geographic Units (Sections and Regions): Engage your local Section or Region (e.g., IEEE Region 6 or Santa Clara Section). Regions often have a YP coordinator and allocated funding for YP activities.
  • IEEE Chapters and Joint Chapters: If your Society has a Chapter in the event’s location, partner with them for local support and possible co-hosting.
  • IEEE Affinity Groups (AGs): Connect with local AGs (YP, WIE, LM) for additional resources and promotional support—even small contributions can be valuable.
  • IEEE Rosters: Use https://rosters.ieee.org to locate contact information for relevant OUs.
  • Other funding Sources offer targeted funding for impactful, mission-driven, or innovation-related events.

4.5.4 Industry Sponsorship and External Support

You can try to look for funding from industries related to your Society/Council areas. Industries usually want to attract young engineers for a different purpose and your event might be an attractive channel for them. Some ideas to gain funding from Industries are as follows:

  • Provide them exhibitor and branding opportunities in your events so that they can market their activities and opportunities.
  • Take your members to various industry sites to increase cooperation and provide better engagement opportunities.
  • Collaborate with IEEE Industry Engagement Committee and other senior volunteer leaders in your Society to get industry contacts and create partnerships with relevant industries.

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