Global Impact Cash Grants Grant / Funding

Eligibility

• Organizational Requirements
  • Organizations within the United States must be recognized by the IRS as tax exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c)(3), and classified by the IRS as a public charity.
  • Organizations from outside the U.S. must provide information and documents to determine whether the organization is the equivalent of a U.S. public charity.
  • Organizations to be funded must serve an audience greater than 65 percent economically underserved relative to the average standards of the target geography.
  • Organizations and programs must focus on at least one of our social investment areas: crisis response, access to education, or economic empowerment.
    • For education, crisis response, and economic empowerment proposals, we will also consider proposals that address environmental sustainability within the context of that investment area.
      • For example, we would consider funding an economic empowerment program that specifically focuses on creating green jobs.
  • An organization’s overhead is not to exceed 25 percent. (Organizations are occasionally exempt from this requirement; however, they must be exceptionally aligned with Cisco’s values and criteria, and they must clearly explain and justify their overhead costs.
    • Exemptions to the requirement on overhead expenses are determined on a case-by-case basis.) Cisco Foundation does not tend to make grants to colleges and universities. In the case that such a grant may be made, Cisco Foundation does not support additional institutional overhead rates for colleges and universities.
• In addition, organizations must adhere to Cisco policies related to non-discrimination, religious proselytizing, non-support of violence and terrorism, advocacy, lobbying, and other political activities and other areas listed in grant giving policies.

Ineligibility

• Proposals in the following areas are not eligible for a Global Impact Cash Grant:
  • Miscellaneous exclusions:
    • general operating expenses, other than directly associated with the program itself;
    • individuals;
    • research programs;
    • membership-based activities;
    • programs that promote or serve one culture, race, religion, population group, or political viewpoint – rather than the community at large;
    • religious, political, or sectarian organizations.
      • (Note: A direct service program run by a faith-based organization may be eligible. See our grant giving policies.)
  • Hospitals:
    • Private or public hospitals;
    • hospital foundations;
    • medical centers, research centers, etc.
      • (Programs based in a hospital may be eligible; however, grant funds must go exclusively to direct service in the community, not to general hospital operating expenses.)
  • Healthcare
    • Programs focused on improving physical or mental health
  • Schools and scholarships:
    • Private, public, or charter schools;
    • school foundations, booster clubs, and/or fundraising organizations affiliated with a particular school;
    • colleges/universities;
    • scholarships, stipends or loans within a program; and/or
    • school-related activities such as field trips, research programs, etc.
    • Sustaining existing programs, interventions, or solutions.
    • Geographic replication through sponsorships.
    • Purchasing 3rd party technology solutions, including, but not limited to, learning management, customer relationship management, or collaboration technologies.
    • Paying on-going operational expenses for teachers/administrators/aids salaries, purchasing supplies, paying student tuition, funding scholarship programs, purchasing equipment (i.e. hardware and/or software), or recurring utilities.
  • Events:
    • athletic events, competitions, tournaments;
    • conferences, seminars, workshops;
    • festivals, field trips, or other recreational events;
    • fundraising events or sponsorships (benefit dinners, walks/runs, concerts, sports teams, etc.).
  • Philanthropic:
    • capital building funds, challenge grants, grant-making organizations (all other foundations including private foundations, family foundations, school foundations, etc.).
• In general, Cisco does not fund the purchase of computer hardware or software, but may consider doing so only in cases where:
  • such resources are leveraged in a strategically innovative manner, thereby extending their impact well beyond everyday/staff use; AND
  • such resources are not available through other, more cost-effective means such as in-kind donation.
  • Applicants must demonstrate that they have thoroughly explored such avenues without success.

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder’s website.

Applications are on a rolling basis

Complete the eligibility quiz before submitting your LOI — and monitor the official page for the platform relaunch announcement.