Find answers to frequently asked questions and additional information about the New Initiative process.
More information about the Seed Grant and New Initiative application process is available on the home page. The below FAQs will provide answers to some common questions. If any questions are not addressed, please email NICquestions@ieee.org.
The new initiative program is designed to support potential new programs, products, or services that will provide significant benefit to IEEE members, the public, the technical community, and customers, or which could have lasting impact on IEEE or its business processes. Initiatives must be of strategic importance to IEEE.
The Seed Grant proposal is designed for potentially small scale and/or high-risk proposals where relatively small (US$40,000 or less) amounts of funding are required to get started. Also, a Seed Grant may be used as precursor demonstration for a larger New Initiative submission.
Any project proposal with a total budget exceeding US$40,000 must be submitted as a New Initiative.
Typically, New Initiatives are expected to require US$100,000 or more for a 12-month period. However, any project proposed to the New Initiative Committee with a total budget exceeding US$40,000 will be considered a new initiative. Multi-year funding is allowable for New Initiatives, with a maximum of up to three 12-month periods.
The Seed Grant proposal should be used for smaller-scale or high-risk proposals when funding of US$40,000 or less is required and the project to be completed in a 12-month period.
Seed Grant and New Initiatives proposals may be submitted at any time during the year by following the steps found on the online form.
The new initiative program is designed to support potential new IEEE programs, products, or services that are of strategic importance to IEEE. Here are criteria that NIC uses to evaluate proposals.
NIC receives a wide range of funding requests but will not fund the following types of proposals:
IEEE sponsors more than 1,300 conferences annually around the world and is a major source of revenue. Historically, NIC has not provided seed money to new conferences since it is major part of IEEE's on-going business.
Staff project managers will support the initiative leader and volunteer team. They will engage appropriate IEEE stakeholders in the project and coordinate resources, monitor schedules and budgets, provide an ongoing picture of progress, status, and issues, and interact and communicate with the project team. The project manager will ensure communication and coordination of work activities and the integration of resources and project components.
Select the area of interest below for additional information: