ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS USA INC

EWB-USA's ultimate goal is to equip the communities we serve with the capacity to sustainably meet their basic human needs.

In the pursuit of this goal, EWB-USA serves two constituencies: the community members who are the owners and beneficiaries of EWB-USA programs and the member volunteers who dedicate their time and expertise to realizing our mission.

We believe that all people should have access to clean water, adequate sanitation, sustainable, low-cost energy sources and community structures like schools, clinics and bridges. EWB-USA focuses on partnering with developing communities where access to these basic services is limited or non-existent. Given the immensity of the issues facing the global population, there is no shortage of communities that desire technical assistance. The demand for community programs continues to grow and is only limited by EWB-USA’s infrastructure to ensure such growth is done in a thoughtful, strategic and sustainable manner.

Regarding expected outcomes of participation for EWB-USA's member volunteers: EWB-USA, in conjunction with Colorado University at Boulder, conducted an evaluation funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study the effects of our programs on the volunteer participants. In this study, EWB-USA members cited global perspectives, project management, and real-world experience as some of the greatest gaps in traditional engineering education. As also reported in that study, EWB-USA members noted gains in those same areas through involvement in our programs. This study affirmed that opportunities offered by EWB-USA are unique within U.S. academic institutions and are highly valued by universities, students, professional groups, engineering and construction firms, donors and supporters.

Regarding expected outcomes for the communities we partner with: The long-term impact of our work aims for all members of our partner communities to enjoy an improved quality of life through being able to access, use and maintain technologies that are relevant to their identified needs. EWB-USA has successfully designed and implemented hundreds of engineering projects in communities around the world. We see the effects that our work has in the number of communities and people that are impacted by the projects our chapters undertake. EWB-USA estimates that our projects have impacted more than 5 million lives through clean water, improved sanitation, bridges, clinics, schools, or energy access and more.

Future goals: In order to create scale and sustainability, EWB-USA plans to invest in several capacity building projects, including ; elevation of our monitoring and evaluation program; and further member engagement infrastructure. With the buildout of these three infrastructure systems, we will ensure a continuous stream of educated practitioners working in developing communities.

EWB-USA's 9,500+ members are the heart of the organization and the boots on the ground, but their productive work in the field would not be possible without the support and quality assurance and quality control process facilitated daily by our headquarters staff. EWB-USA’s headquarters staff play the following roles in carrying out our project process to ensure chapters’ delivery of sustainable, quality services:

EWB-USA’s Project Managers:

Every EWB-USA project has a Project Manager, one of EWB-USA’s four professional engineers that assist each chapter in ensuring that a safe, well-designed and sustainable project will be implemented with the partnering community.

For every project, Project Managers:
• Provide education and guidance on the stages of each project’s development: assessment, implementation and monitoring
• Review all project designs for technical feasibility, safety, and in-country sustainable materials

EWB-USA also underwrites the following insurances: comprehensive (ISOS), worldwide general liability, professional liability, travel insurance and event insurance.

EWB-USA’s Chapter Relations Managers:

Every EWB-USA project has a Chapter Relations Manager, one of EWB-USA’s three membership associates that support and educate chapters on development, establishment and project process.

For every project, Chapter Relations Managers:
• Ensure the chapter project teams are appropriately trained and up to date on EWB-USA policies, timely submission of project reports, project applications, and travel requirements
• Facilitate Technical Advisory Committee meetings and regional steering committee meetings, where all project designs are reviewed and approved
• Review and approve travel arrangements

EWB-USA’s Financial Team:

The professional accounting staff of EWB-USA ensures that proper governance is maintained over all funds associated with the organization, including our 275+ chapters. In addition to ensuring that audited and governmental reporting is accurate, we provide the following for each chapter’s general account and project accounts:
• Account management, including tracking the income and expenditures for each chapter and each project of that chapter, including the provision of monthly financial reports
• Processing and reporting of donations
• Payments to vendors, as well as cash advances and reimbursements
• Personalized advice and education to each chapter treasurer

Future Resources/Tools that will strengthen our work include the addition of contracted in-country staff and the further development of EWB-USA's personalized education platform.

The key tenets of our mission and vision have been achieved and continue to be achieved on a daily basis. We aim for all members of our partner communities to enjoy an improved quality of life through being able to access, use and maintain technologies that are relevant to their identified needs. EWB-USA has successfully designed and implemented hundreds of engineering projects in communities around the world. We see the effects that our work has in the number of communities and people that are impacted by the projects our chapters undertake.

Likewise, an independent government study affirms that the impact of our programs is particularly evident in our members. In this study, EWB-USA members noted that they had enriched global perspectives, project management skills, and real-world experience as a result of working on EWB-USA programs. We have found that corporations desire access to the EWB-USA student members because they bring a unique perspective to the job when hired.

EWB-USA realizes that in order to create scale and sustainability, we need to invest in several capacity building projects, including Education programming, a Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (PMEL) framework, and member engagement infrastructures. With the buildout of these three infrastructure systems, we will ensure a continuous stream of educated practitioners working in developing communities.

The Education goal is to nurture and expand the expertise of EWB-USA members in delivering successful and sustainable community-based engineering initiatives through the delivery of an EWB-USA-managed comprehensive education program.

The Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning goal is to establishing a tracking plan, program and supporting system to monitor and record results of projects/programs carried out by EWB-USA chapters. It then will carry out Impact Assessments and lessons learned analysis to better inform the EWB-USA Education and Community Development system.

The Member Engagement goal will involve the development of resources for our members on how to engage as an international volunteer and will provide avenues of engagement whether it is through the 5 year engagement within a developing community, through the donation of expertise in a domestic project, or through the donation of expertise through an international NGO. The Member Engagement will also provide for more opportunities for engagement of Quality Control teams and Chapter mentoring.