The IEEE Region 8 Humanitarian Technology Activities Committee (R8 HTAC) provides seed funding to the Region 8 SIGHT groups to support their upcoming year’s activity through the SIGHT Groups Accelerator Program. The amount of the funding corresponds with their humanitarian efforts and the quality and amount of completed activities of the past year.
Following up the pilot support from HTB to this program, the SIGHT committee has decided to introduce the IEEE SIGHT Group Activity Initiative. As such, we are very happy to announce that the active SIGHT groups can receive their base funding directly though HTB/SIGHT! Therefore, we strongly suggest active SIGHT Groups to first apply for funds on the HTB Online Funding Opportunities Portal and secondly, apply for the additional funds through our IEEE Region 8 SIGHT Groups Accelerator Program.
Opening: 1 October 2024 / Deadline: 31 October 10 November 2024
Goals
The SIGHT Groups Accelerator Program aims to:
- provide funding to organize more SIGHT activities;
- help to evaluate the health of the SIGHT groups;
- promote good practices of active SIGHT groups.
Rules
All active SIGHT groups established for at least one calendar year (12 months) with properly reported activities from 1 November 2023 till 31 October 2024 can apply for the SIGHT Groups Accelerator Program funding. A SIGHT group must fulfill the following Membership and Reporting Requirements to receive funding:
- vTools Events Reporting (at least 2 activities during the mentioned period)
- vTools Officer Reporting (up-to-date roster following the HTB/SIGHT guidelines)
- R8 SIGHT Groups Self-assessment Reporting (successfully submitted before application submission deadline)
Judging & Submissions
Criterion 1. Improve visibility
- Shared SIGHT group story in local media.
- Description: That could be in journals, on TV, on blogs, on radio stations, or somewhere else.
- Submission: Link to the shared story or scan of journal news.
- Shared SIGHT group story on social media.
- Description: That could be on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram, TikTok, or somewhere else.
- Submission: Link to the shared story.
- Recorded promo video of a SIGHT group.
- Description: The promo video should depict SIGHT group activities or encourage new members to join them.
- Submission: Link to the published video.
- Promoted SIGHT group at the IEEE or local event.
- Description: Promotion of its activities on IEEE day, SIGHT day, faculty day, etc.
- Submission: Link with photos of the team at the event.
- Submitted article for the R8 News through Humanitarian Voices.
- Description: Article(s) publication for activities in Region 8 News through R8 HTAC Humanitarian Voices.
- Submission: Copy of Humanitarian Voices form submission.
- Submitted article for the IEEE Humanitarian Technologies Newsletter.
- Description: Article(s) publication for activities in the IHT Newsletter.
- Submission: Copy of the newsletter with the published article highlighted.
Criterion 2. Participate in the activities of the IEEE R8 Humanitarian Technology Activities Committee
- Organized a Webinar during a Connecting Humanitarian Experts Week.
- Description: SIGHT group participated in a CHE week organizing a webinar.
- Submission: Certificate of appreciation.
- Attended Connecting Humanitarian Experts Webinars.
- Description: Member(s) attend one or more R8 HTAC webinars.
- Submission: Copy of submitted feedback form.
- Submitted technology solutions to the R8 Humanitarian Technologies Hackathon challenges.
- Description: Team(s) affiliated with the SIGHT group participate in the hackathon by submitting technology solutions.
- Submission: Certificate of participation.
- Participated in the R8 Humanitarian Activities Congress.
- Description: Member(s) participate in the congress.
- Submission: Certificate of participation.
- Participated in SIGHT Groups Coordination Workshops.
- Description: Member(s) participate in one or more R8 HTAC workshops.
- Submission: Copy of submitted feedback form.
Criterion 3. Organize events and activities
- Applied for Project Funding in an IEEE Tech4Good CFP.
- Description: Submitted project proposal to an IEEE Tech4Good Call for Proposals or to the R8/T4G joint call for the Community Support Program.
- Submission: Proposal submission confirmation email.
- Successfully implemented Humanitarian Technology and Sustainable Development Projects.
- Description: Carried out a humanitarian and sustainable project with an impact on the targeted community (funded or not funded).
- Submission: PDF project report (template will be provided).
- Organized Training and Professional Development Activities.
- Description: In accordance with the SIGHT Toolkit (e.g., sustainable development and humanitarian technologies seminars, human-centered and community-based solutions workshops, and social impact project management and assessment workshops).
- Submission: vTools Events link AND link with photos PER activity.
- Organized activities that built the internal capacity of your SIGHT group.
- Description: In accordance with the SIGHT Toolkit (e.g., recruiting new members, engaging current volunteers, and conducting team-building activities).
- Submission: vTools Events link AND link with photos PER activity.
- Organized IEEE SIGHT Day event.
- Description: A SIGHT Day event within its area of interest.
- Submission: vTools Events link AND link with photos.
- Organized STEM Activities for pre-university students.
- Description: A humanitarian-oriented activity targeting pre-university students in STEM.
- Submission: vTools Events link AND link with photos PER activity.
Criterion 4. Collaborate with stakeholders
- Collaboration with local community/government, industry, and organization(s).
- Description: It could be established through granted sponsorship, hosted events, invited speakers from a company, etc.
- Submission: Evidence of collaboration (Letter, sponsorship granted, etc).
- Collaboration with NGOs and/or NPOs.
- Description: It could be established through granted sponsorship, hosted events, invited speakers, etc. NGOs: Non-governmental organizations; NPOs: Nonprofit organizations.
- Submission: Evidence of collaboration (Letter, sponsorship granted, etc).
- Collaboration with local IEEE organizational unit(s).
- Description: Collaboration with local IEEE Section or Student Branches, Affinity groups, Chapters, SIGHT Groups, etc.
- Submission: vTools Events link AND link with photos PER collaboration.
- Collaboration with other non-local IEEE organizational unit(s).
- Description: Collaboration with IEEE Sections, Student Branches, Affinity groups, Chapters, or SIGHT Groups from outside the SIGHT group’s Section.
- Submission: vTools Events link AND link with photos PER collaboration.
Other Activities
- Any other activity done by the SIGHT group aligned with the vision and mission of the IEEE Region 8 Humanitarian Technology Activities Committee.
Notes
vTools Events report should include at least the following items:
- Title, date/time, venue, and hosts
- Event description, and agenda
- Attendance report submitted
Funding
Every SIGHT group that completes the application and complies with the Rules is eligible for funding of up to $300. The final funding is calculated under two categories (Criteria and Ranking Funding) and depends on application count and budget availability. Following SIGHT guidelines, the funding will be transferred to the affiliated Section bank account for the use of the respective SIGHT group.
Criteria Funding (up to $150): A SIGHT group chooses the activities it wants to carry out during the period determined in the Rules section. The possibilities are listed in the Judging section. The more criteria you meet, the more funding you can get.
Ranking Funding (up to $150): Want to compete with other SIGHT groups and be publicly exposed as one of the most active ones? The more activities you undertake, the more funding you can receive! It’s a unique opportunity to support your efforts with funding and propel your projects to new heights.
Outcome Reporting: A brief report explaining the usage of the funds should be submitted on a quarterly basis for the upcoming year.
Important Dates
- Application submission portal open: 1 October 2024
- Activities considered during the following period: 1 November 2023 – 31 October 2024
- Deadline for application submission:
31 October10 November 2024 – 23:59 (GMT) - Results announcement: 20 November 2024