By Karen Galuchie, IEEE Foundation Executive Director

For over 50 years, the IEEE Foundation has been the philanthropic partner of IEEE. Many of you may be asking, “What does that really mean?”. To put it simply, the IEEE Foundation is the heart of IEEE charitable giving. Our mission is to expand IEEE’s charitable body of work through philanthropic giving. The Foundation’s Board of Directors and professional team work together with our IEEE program partners to encourage donor engagement and philanthropic investment in IEEE Programs.

Numbers help to tell the story of the IEEE Foundation’s status and impact. At the end of 2023, IEEE Foundation held US$74.3 million in net assets in 269 donor-designated funds for 60+ IEEE program partners. Notably, 34 of the 47 IEEE Societies and Technical Councils are our partners. I could write for days sharing the incredible impact of the IEEE programs in which our donors invest, but for the sake of brevity, I’ll highlight just a few within the IEEE Technical Activities sphere (if you would like to explore more stories, please visit our news page https://www.ieeefoundation.org/news/).

IEEE PES Scholarship Plus Initiative

Since 2010, IEEE Foundation, in partnership with the IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES), has raised US$9.7+ Million for the IEEE PES Scholarship Plus Initiative. In fact, this program has secured some of the largest donations in the IEEE Foundation’s history. The funds raised have allowed PES to award 2,038 scholarships to 1,213 students, encouraging them to pursue careers in power engineering. I am pleased to report that over 780 of these students are now working full-time. That’s a tremendous impact on the power industry.

IEEE Smart Village

Fifteen years ago, IEEE Smart Village (ISV) was established and the IEEE Foundation was quick to get involved. This initiative provides sustainable energy and access to educational and entrepreneurial opportunities in underserved communities around the world. Since its inception, 170+ projects have been incubated worldwide and 6,000+ PV solar panels installed, transforming the lives of nearly 2 million people in 20+ countries around the world.

IEEE Antennas & Propagation Society Talent Workforce Fund

This year, the IEEE Foundation launched a new initiative in partnership with the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S), the IEEE AP-S Talent Workforce Fund. The goal is to raise US$1.5 million, which will be matched by AP-S, to provide long-term support for the investment in initiatives that attract, nurture, and develop a pool of talented individuals who are interested in the field of antennas and propagation. We are well on our way to raising the necessary funds to make this goal a reality.

Generous donors and members are the driving force behind these transformational initiatives. Together we are supporting programs that fund emerging technologies and potential applications for a better tomorrow. None of this is possible without philanthropic support. As we look to a future with an ever-changing set of global challenges, our work is more urgent than ever. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the IEEE Foundation or would like to explore ways in which you can get involved, please reach out to or call +1 732 562 3860. We are here to help you find the most impactful way to support IEEE donor-supported programs.