We give highest priority to proposals that clearly articulate the planned impact of their efforts, as well as the metrics by which the impact is measured.
Basic Eligibility Criteria for the Product Grant Program (PGP)
Before beginning the application process, please review these basic eligibility criteria with care:
- Organizations 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 must serve the community at large.
- PGP does not fund organizations or projects whose general operating overhead expenses exceed 25%.
- We generally do not fund programs or organizations that re-grant or loan funds.
- Organizations must have a non-religious primary purpose. Social service groups sponsored by a religious organization and serving the community at large are eligible, provided that the program's beneficiaries are not encouraged or required to learn about, adhere to, or convert to that organization's religious doctrine as a condition of receiving service.
Grant Funding Areas
Cisco's product grants focus on the underserved in communities worldwide, seeking to make an impact in three essential areas:
- Basic Human Needs: Overcoming the cycle of poverty and dependence through strategic partnerships that help to provide food, shelter, and other essential prerequisites to self-sufficiency. In the area of health care we support community health care organizations; we do not support hospitals.
- Access to Quality Education: Creating educational opportunity and fostering classroom innovation, thereby giving underserved students the chance to thrive. Note: schools, charter schools, and school districts are not eligible.
- Increased Individual Economic Opportunity: Encouraging individual entrepreneurship and innovation among underserved populations through support of microfinance organizations, small business development, and similarly effective economic empowerment strategies.
Application Deadlines
Grant applications are accepted year-round on an ongoing basis. However, grants submitted after May 1 of the current fiscal year will not be fulfilled during that fiscal year. (Cisco's fiscal year ends annually on July 31.) Applicants must allow at least three months for grant review and product shipments. Grants can be submitted after May 1, but they will not be considered for grant approval until the next fiscal year begins in August.
Promoting Internet and Communications Technology in Nonprofits
We specialize in partnering with community organizations around the world who are working in one of the three funding areas listed above. Together, we build public benefit programs that make innovative use of the Internet and of communications technology. Our ideal grantees take full advantage of Cisco's rich asset mix and end-to-end strategic thinking, using technology and ingenuity to bring about order-of-magnitude improvements in their programs' scalability, replicability, sustainability, cost efficiency, and overall productivity.
We are most interested in organizations that effectively use technology to:
- enhance their ability to address their mission or the mission of other nonprofits (missions will generally fall within one of the three funding areas listed above);
- realize productivity improvements enabling them to serve more clients at similar costs and/or provide additional services at similar costs; and/or
- reduce the "digital divide," i.e. provide technology access for those who normally don't receive access, or help other nonprofits bring network access to low income people.
Metrics and Measurement for Successful Grant Proposals
Cisco PGP seeks applicants who can qualify and quantify the benefits derived from their grant. Specifically, there are three key areas of success whose measurements we require for every application:
- Operational Success: Measurements in this category would demonstrate that the operations of your organization would markedly improve as a result of the grant. This could mean:
- A decrease in the inputs needed for your operations to deliver the same or higher level of service. Some examples include hours needed to perform routine tasks, personnel costs, including FTE wages, consulting fees, or other expenditures relevant to your organization. Note that this could mean a decrease of down/idle time as well.
- An increase in the outputs of your organization with the same or lower amount of inputs. This could be the number of clients served, or units of service delivered, or a broadening of geographic scope.
The above data can often be easily converted to cost savings and increased revenues. As a result, PGP can see the efficiency and productivity gains in your operations.
- Mission Success: Measurements for mission success would show that because of the grant, your organization can increase its reach and impact. This could be shown by:
- An increase in the number of services you provide to your existing customers, which was constrained due to the lack of technological capacity. This could be a new program or the expansion of an existing program for that population.
- An increase in the types of customers that you serve, which could not be done without better or new equipment. This could be extending an existing program to a previously underserved set of clientele.
- An increase in the quality of your services, which was suboptimal due to aging or unreliable equipment. You should be able to quantifiably define the potential scale of improvement as a result of the grant.
- Technology Success: Measurements for technology success would come in the form of the technology benefits derived from the equipment. Some indicators would include enhanced security, newfound scalability, or improved reliability of communications within your organization, or with your partners and other stakeholders. You can also describe related technological enhancements as a result of the grant.
In general, the larger the requested grant amount, the more measurements you will need to provide. Refer to the Programs/Guidelines section for additional information on how to apply.
Please note that requests for Voice over IP products will not be considered unless the organization has a Voice certified individual to do the installation and maintenance of the products donated. You should also be prepared to provide details on the level of support they are going to provide during and after the grant.
Cisco will not grant requests for over $50,000 (list price) of equipment to organizations which we have never funded.
Program/Projects Ineligible for Donations
We cannot consider incomplete proposals or programs/projects that fall outside our funding priorities. In addition, proposals in the following areas are not eligible.
- Individuals are not eligible. (Program is open to organizations only.)
- Proposals that fall outside our stated funding areas
- Start-up/new nonprofits (i.e. those with less than one year of successful operations)
- Multi-year grants
- Incomplete/inaccurate proposals
- Schools & scholarships:
- Public schools or school systems
- Private schools
- Charter schools
- School foundations
- Booster clubs or other fundraising organizations affiliated with particular school(s)
- Colleges/universities
- Scholarships/stipend programs of any kind
- Libraries
- Museums
- Hospitals
