Institution of Mechanical Engineers
At a glance
Key takeaways
- A school, club or group running a project to promote mechanical engineering to children is the clearest fit, since the Schools and Clubs Engineering Challenge Fund is open to any individual, educational establishment or club, with no need to be an Institution member.
- Ask within the stated maximums: up to £1,000 for a schools and clubs award, or for the Group Project Award up to £200 per member, capped at £1,600 for eight members, and only if every group member is an Institution member.
- Send the completed form through the school or club coordinator to awards@imeche.org at least one month before the event, and expect to provide a mentor's comment and a report after the event; school and club applications are reviewed throughout the year.
- Teams taking part in any IMechE Challenge or Formula Student should not apply for the Group Project Award, and a successful applicant cannot reapply for the same event within three years.
- The published information does not say how competitive the awards are, so a well-prepared application with a committed mentor is the safest approach.
Overview
Institution of Mechanical Engineers is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 206882).
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is a charity registered in England and Wales (charity number 206882) whose charitable objective is to promote the development of mechanical engineering for the benefit of the general public and society, as set out in its Royal Charter. Its Educational Awards Committee assesses and distributes grants from designated Trust Funds, mainly as awards and financial assistance to members and students in education, training and research. It also supports initiatives, projects and activities in schools and clubs that promote mechanical engineering to children in primary and secondary education. Grants paid to institutions total £293,000, and grants to individuals on undergraduate and postgraduate courses total £358k.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Institution makes awards and financial assistance to members and students involved in education, training and research. It supports initiatives, projects and activities in schools and clubs that promote mechanical engineering to children in primary and secondary education. Its Schools and Clubs Engineering Challenge Fund is open to individuals, educational establishments and clubs; its Group Project Award supports engineering-related group activities by Institution members. Grant-making is overseen through trustee-led governance, with the Educational Awards Committee responsible for fair and transparent assessment and distribution through designated Trust Funds. School and club applications are reviewed throughout the year.
Themes
- Mechanical engineering education
- Engineering training
- Engineering research
- Apprenticeships
- Scholarships
Geographic Focus
The world.
What they don't fund
- Group Project Award only: teams participating in any IMechE Challenge or Formula Student
How to apply
The school or club coordinator applies on its behalf by submitting the completed application form to awards@imeche.org at least one month before the event.
Deadlines: Submit the completed application form at least one month before the event.
Who can apply:
- Schools and Clubs Engineering Challenge Fund: The award is open to any individual, educational establishment or club. There is no requirement for the applicant to be a member of the Institution.
- Group Project Award: Be a member of the Institution from anywhere in the world All members of the group must be members of the Institution. Your group must have no more than eight members.
What to send:
- Group Project Award
- Application form
- Reference form 1
- Reference form 2
- Reference form 3
Applying again: Group Project Award: Successful applicants may not reapply for the same event within three years of a successful award.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- The application must be supported by a mentor who can support it and take part in the activity.
- The mentor should comment on the award's aims and the applicants' suitability and benefits.
- Award holders must submit a report after the event; the committee may instead request a presentation.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- International
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £22,602,000 | £21,863,000 | — | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £28,710,000 | £28,523,000 | — | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £30,248,000 | £29,065,000 | — | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £31,922,000 | £32,627,000 | £267,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £28,254,000 | £29,007,000 | £293,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 2 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2024; year to 31 December 2025: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
— No grants figure for those years.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- imeche.org
- imeche.org/careers-education/scholarships-and-awards/education-awards/Schools-and-Clubs-Engineering-Challenge-Fund · read on 31 October 2026
- imeche.org/careers-education/scholarships-and-awards/education-awards/group-project-award · read on 31 October 2026
- imeche.org/careers-education/scholarships-and-awards · read on 31 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 31 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to Institution of Mechanical Engineers?
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Applying to Institution of Mechanical Engineers?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required