IEEE Computer Society (IEEE CS) Quadruples Investment in Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Fund

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 18 October 2022 — The IEEE Computer Society (CS) today announced a $400,000 USD contribution to its 2023 Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Fund, a quadrupling of its previous investment. In conjunction with this announcement, IEEE CS is launching a call for proposals for 2023 D&I Fund programs.

“The Computer Society’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is a top organizational priority,” said Nita Patel, Computer Society Diversity and Inclusion Chair and 2023 Computer Society President. “We wanted to ensure our investment speaks to that emphasis, and we are excited to witness the positive effects it will have in expanding the community’s work in D&I initiatives.”

A part of the IEEE Foundation, the IEEE CS D&I Fund was created to positively impact diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the computing community—supporting programs and activities that aim to help women; Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC); people with disabilities; and individuals from underrepresented groups. 

In its first year, the IEEE CS D&I Fund supported five key projects that brought together BIPOC high-school students, taught computer literacy in rural communities, created mentoring circles and inclusive teaching spaces, and enabled workshops/courses for underrepresented communities in four countries around the world.

In considering 2023 D&I Fund proposals, IEEE CS encourages the submission of unique approaches that can advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in computing and can be accomplished within a year’s time frame. While funding amounts vary, proposals should seek to fall within the $5,000 USD to $15,000 USD range. Proposal approaches might include, but are not limited to:

• Hackathons, student competitions, mentoring circles, maker events, outreach projects, and other hands-on activities that broaden the reach of computing
• Panel discussions or workshops that bring together diverse perspectives, advancing D&I education (such as bias mitigation, computing to advance social justice and equity)
• Reports, courses, briefings, training, and other communications that help to increase awareness for diversity and inclusion in computing. 

Proposals will be evaluated for innovation/creativity, impact on target audience, relevance and impact on the future of computing, and alignment with D&I goals.

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion sit at the heart of our values as a professional society empowering the global computer science and engineering community,” said Melissa Russell, IEEE CS Executive Director. “Our Board of Governors and leadership felt it was vital to increase our investment in D&I initiatives to build upon last year’s successes and create greater opportunities for long-standing impact. We look forward to seeing the ideas that our community puts forth.”

The D&I Fund call for proposals is open now until Monday, 14 November, and proposals can be submitted online. Decisions on awarded programs will be made in early December, and recipients will be notified via email. More information can be found at https://www.computer.org/about/diversity-inclusion and in our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). For individual questions, please contact inclusion@computer.org. 

About the IEEE Computer Society

Engaging computer engineers, scientists, academia, and industry professionals from all areas of computing, the IEEE Computer Society (CS) sets the standard for the education and engagement that fuels continued global technological advancement. Through conferences, publications, and programs, and by bringing together computer science and engineering leaders at every phase of their career for dialogue, debate, and collaboration, IEEE CS empowers, shapes, and guides the future of not only its members, but the greater industry, enabling new opportunities to better serve our world. Visit computer.org for more information.