R10  HTA Oriented Project Enabler (TENHOPE2021)

Introduction
TENHOPE2021 is an additional support funding for humanitarian project in R10 that aims to inspire and enable IEEE R10 volunteers to carry out and support impactful humanitarian technology and sustainable development activities at the local level. The project aims at talent minds towards identifying local community problems, developing technology solutions and focusing on actual implementation reaching the humanitarian goals. It also provides opportunity for IEEE members and participants in R10 to work and cooperate with NGOs and other organisations for the benefit of advancing technology towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals （SDGs）in our region. The details of this initiative are given in the following.

Project Proposal Scope

Projects proposals can cover a wide variety of technological areas including technology for old people, assistive technology, healthcare, frugal technology, sustainability, intelligent mobility, smart city, clean water, food security, disaster recovery and social enterprise. A strong practical implementation of projects reaching target beneficiaries is expected. This project encourages the participant teams to actually work with beneficiary partners. As the COVID-19 pandemic is still affecting the world in an unprecedented manner, this year the project will also welcome the proposals for addressing humanitarian technology and sustainable development projects that utilize technology to improve the COVID-19 situation in the region. 

The following project areas will be highly recommended for funded if qualified: 

  • Food Security 
  • Infection Control Devices 
  • Information and Communications Technology (ICT) 
  • Medical Devices 
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 
  • Sustainable Power Sources 
  • Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene 
  • Other Engineering and Technology innovation to support COVID 19 response

Terms and Conditions

  • The key applicant must be the IEEE member. SIGHT members, Students Members, Young Professionals, Women In Engineering, and professional/senior members, are elgible to submit the proposal.
  • Funding for a selected particular proposal is limited to a maximum of US$2000 and is subject to IEEE R10 financial requirements/matching fund policy. 
  • Local Section will be required to appoint a monitor for the shortlisted projects who can assist in the development of project and also keep track of the progress of the project. A monitor must be a senior member of academics, industry, NGO, etc. who has a sound working experience in project area. 
  • An IEEE OU (normally local IEEE Section) must act as a fiscal agent for each group. 
  • Funding to the selected proposals will be released only on the submission of final report and a short video after the completion of the project. The report and video will be used for assessment to determine the success and impact of the project. Failure to achieve stated objectives in the proposal may result in decrease of amount approved for the project.
  • The report and videos regarding the selected proposal may be published in R10 Newsletter and website.

Timeline

  • Call for Proposals Initiated: April 10, 2021
  • Deadline for Proposals:   May 30, 2021
  • Assessment period: 1 Jun – 25 Jun 2021
  • Selected Project Announced: June 30, 2021
  • Project Implementation Phase: April – November, 2021
  • Amounts Reimbursed (as per report): Final by November 30, 2021

Shortlisting of Projects

A Judging panel will shortlist the project proposals that address at least one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals or addressing the COVID-19 situation in local area, A selected project will be awarded up to $2,000 USD grant from R10 HTA to support the development and implementation of the project. Proposals should cover the community-based approach with relevant environmental, cultural, socio-economic & infrastructural issues and policy priorities, or the solutions to improve the COVID-19 situation in the region. (More info could be found: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/ )

Attributes of a project considered

Proposals must involve engineering design component and therefore proposals based primarily on technology teaching and/or skill training will not be considered. But innovations on promoting STEM for certain community are welcomed. Project size should be reasonable enough to be completed within 3-4 months, or it can be a larger in-progress project to be completed within that time frame. Key factors behind planning a quality humanitarian technology project/event are suggested in the following:

  • Project must address a community need 
  • Proper mapping with the appropriate SDG 
  • Current practice of handling the project 
  • Initiatives from Government/NGO/Foreign/Industries 
  • Forecasting the long-term status/need of the project 
  • Financial analysis 
  • Social/health/political/environmental effect 
  • Scalable or not 
  • Mode of implementation 
  • Sustainability

Judging Panel

A panel of judges will assess the proposals and shortlist the final funding list. The judging panel will represent a cross section of various disciplines within the IEEE. A member of the judging panel may not evaluate a project proposal from his/her own Section or affiliation. Judging panel members must declare any possible conflicts of interest when evaluating a proposal. The decision by the judging panel, as accepted by the R10 Director, will be the final decision and no appeal against the decision will be entertained.

How to Submit

Please submit your proposal here: 
https://forms.gle/D4ayS6qtj28bVbgh9

Further Information:

Dr. Jing Dong
R10 Humanitarian Technology Activities Coordinator
jing.dong@ieee.org