Volunteer Resources

Event Funding

IEEE Young Professionals funds events that connect, develop, and grow the early-career engineering community worldwide. Here is everything you need before you apply.

📋
First-time applicant?
Read this page in full before submitting. Questions? Email ypfunding@ieee.org with your application number in the subject line.
Before you apply

Event funding guidelines

Not all expenses are covered. Know what qualifies before building your budget.

✓
Funding can be used for
✦ Venue and meeting room hire
✦ Food and refreshments for attendees
✦ Audio-visual equipment (projectors, sound systems)
✦ IEEE YP branded promotional materials
✕
Funding cannot be used for
✦ Travel, accommodation, or transportation costs
✦ Visa application fees
✦ Gifts of any kind
✦ Honoraria or speaker fees
🏷️
Promotion requirement: All event materials must display the IEEE YP logo and the IEEE Foundation logo.

Approval note: Proposal approval does not guarantee full or partial funding. The final amount is determined after review of your event report.
Funding types

Three grants, three purposes

The funding type you apply for depends on who you are and what your event is designed to do.

STEP
Student Transition & Elevation Partnership
$500maximum award

STEP events bring IEEE Young Professionals and IEEE Students together to ease the transition from student to professional life.

Eligible applicants
Student Branches (SBs) & Student Branch Chapters (SBCs) only
Local Activity
Local Activity Funding
$750maximum award

Local Activities support volunteers in developing and running local-level initiatives with flexibility in structure.

Eligible applicants
All IEEE OUs — except Student Branches and SBCs
Meet-Up
Meet-Up Funding
$1,500maximum award

Meet-Up funding supports IEEE members in a shared geographic area to network, collaborate, and build professional relationships.

Eligible applicants
All IEEE OUs — except Student Branches and SBCs
Eligibility

Who can apply

Each funding type has specific eligible applicants. Check the table before submitting.

Organisational Unit STEP Local Activity Meet-Up
Student Branches (SBs)✓✕✕
Student Branch Chapters (SBCs)✓✕✕
All other IEEE OUs
Sections, Subsections, Councils, Societies, Affinity Groups		✕✓✓
⚠️ Do not apply simultaneously for funding from other IEEE YP Organisational Units or related programmes such as the Mentoring-Meet Program or CSTF.
Proposal requirement

Endorsement

Every proposal needs a written endorsement from a qualifying IEEE volunteer.

Qualifying endorsers

Your endorser must be actively listed in vTools Officers.

IEEE Region YP Coordinators
IEEE YP Affinity Group Chairs / Vice-Chairs
IEEE Section Chairs / Vice-Chairs
IEEE Subsection Chairs / Vice-Chairs
IEEE Society / Council YP Representatives
IEEE Region Directors
✅
Exempt from endorsement
If you are a qualifying endorser submitting the proposal yourself, the endorsement letter is not required.
Check endorser status
Verify your endorser in vTools Officers before submitting — proposals with unlisted endorsers will not be considered.
2026 schedule

Funding cycles

Proposals are evaluated in set cycles. Each cycle has a distinct deadline, evaluation period, and earliest fundable event date.

📅 All deadlines close at 11:59 PM Eastern Time  ·  Last day to fund an event in 2026: 13 December 2026
Cycle 1Closed
Deadline
1 Dec 2025
Results
15 Dec 2025
Earliest event
1 Jan 2026
Cycle 2Closed
Deadline
15 Feb 2026
Results
1 Mar 2026
Earliest event
15 Mar 2026
Cycle 3Closed
Deadline
15 Apr 2026
Results
1 May 2026
Earliest event
15 May 2026
Cycle 4Open now
Deadline
15 Jul 2026
Results
1 Aug 2026
Earliest event
15 Aug 2026
Apply for Cycle 4 →
Cycle 5Upcoming
Deadline
15 Sep 2026
Results
1 Oct 2026
Earliest event
15 Oct 2026
⏰ Final 2026 deadline: The last day to fund an event in 2026 is 13 December 2026.
Post-event

Event reporting requirements

All funded events require a final report. Late or incomplete reports may result in loss of funding.

1
2 days before
You'll receive an email with report submission instructions two days before your event.
2
Event runs
Collect receipts, track attendance, and note any speakers, partners, and activities as you go.
3
Within 30 days
Submit your final report within 30 days of the event end date.
4
Funding confirmed
The final funding amount is confirmed after report review.
Your final report must include
✓
Total number of attendees
✓
Noteworthy speakers and activities
✓
Internal and non-IEEE OU partnerships
✓
Reach and impact of the event
✓
Itemised expenses with receipts (US$XXX format)
✓
Revenue received, if applicable
📄 Download final report template
After approval

How fund transfer works

Funds are not sent directly to individuals — they are transferred to your parent Organisational Unit.

1
Report reviewed
Your event report is evaluated and the final funding amount is confirmed.
2
Amount emailed
The confirmed funding amount is sent to you by email.
3
Transfer initiated
Funds are transferred to your parent OU.
4
Funds received
Allow up to 8 weeks from when the transfer is initiated.
⏱️ Timeline note: Fund transfers can take up to eight (8) weeks. Use US$XXX format and MM/DD/YYYY date format in all financial reporting.
Common questions

Frequently asked questions

How can I avoid common proposal mistakes?
Ensure your IEEE membership is active and listed in vTools Officers. Confirm your OU's eligibility, include an endorsement letter, and never include travel, accommodation, visa fees, gifts, or honoraria in your budget.
Do qualifying endorsers need an endorsement letter?
No. If you are a qualifying endorser submitting the proposal yourself, the endorsement letter is not required.
Can an OU submit more than one proposal per cycle?
Yes. OUs may submit multiple proposals within the same funding cycle.
How do I ask questions about my application?
Email ypfunding@ieee.org. Include your application number in the subject line.
Questions or feedback?
Comments, ideas, and questions about the funding programme are always welcome.