Global Impact Cash Grant Program

Organizational requirements

• Organizations within the United States must be recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (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 United States 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, education, economic empowerment, and/or climate impact and regeneration.
• 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.
• The maximum request amount for first-time grant recipients is US$75,000.

Ineligible programs and/or activities

All applications must be completed using our online application form. Cisco will not consider incomplete proposals or paper-based applications.

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.
• 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.)

Policy on the funding of equipment

In general, Cisco does not fund the purchase of computer hardware or software but may consider doing so only in cases where: 1) such resources are leveraged in a strategically innovative manner, thereby extending their impact well beyond everyday/staff use; and 2) 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.

Policy on board review and approval

Cisco requires applicants to certify that the chairperson or at least one officer of the organization's board of directors has reviewed the grant proposal and that the organization's board is aware of the application and supports its submission. Cisco also requires applicants to certify the accuracy of the proposal and to confirm that the organization complies with the policies stated on this web site.

Policy on reviews of accuracy/compliance

All applicants are subject to reviews of their representations in their grant applications, their compliance with the policies stated above, and, if applicable, their adherence to the terms of the grant contract. If such a review reveals significant inaccuracies or violations of the policies stated above, or if an organization does not cooperate with the review, the organization may be required to return any granted assets and forfeit future funding eligibility.

Written grant contract

Grantee organizations are required to sign a donation agreement electronically before donations can be delivered.

Reporting and performance tracking

Cisco looks for grant proposals in which concrete measures of success can be used to assess performance. Organizations that receive funding will be required to use our online grant platform to customize performance metrics for their project and measure their progress over the life of the grant award. Meaningful participation in this process is a requirement for continued funding eligibility.

Cisco grant giving policies

In addition, organizations must adhere to Cisco policies related to nondiscrimination, religious proselytizing, nonsupport of violence and terrorism, advocacy, lobbying, and other political activities and other areas listed in grant giving policies.

Step 1: Determination of eligibility

Before spending time on a submission, we urge you to use the following resources to determine if your program is a strong fit with Cisco's mission, strategic approach, and objectives for grant support. Only optimally aligned programs can be considered for funding.

We welcome you to get in touch with us to share your concept. We offer one pathway for for-profit climate investments and a second pathway for all NPO/NGO grant proposals.

Please choose the most appropriate pathway for your concept:

• For climate impact and regeneration for-profit investing, please complete our climate impact investing inquiry form.
• For climate, education, crisis response, and economic empowerment nonprofit grant proposals, please take our eligibility quiz.

Step 2: Submission of Initial Information Form

We will invite eligible organizations to register and complete the online IIF. This form requests detailed information about your organization, the program you expect to fund, population served, and your budget. Your answers will determine whether you will be invited to complete a full proposal. Before you complete the form, we recommend that you review our investment areas and policies.

Submission of an IIF does not guarantee that your organization will be invited to submit a full proposal. The forms are reviewed wholly within the discretion of Cisco and the Cisco Foundation. Review may take up to one business quarter (3 months).

Step 3: Invitation to submit full proposal (where applicable)

If a Cisco grant administrator determines that your organization's program is aligned with Cisco's mission, strategic approach, and objectives for grant support, they will invite you to submit a full proposal. If we need further information, a grant administrator will contact you. You can expect to receive our decision on your proposal within one business quarter.

A request from Cisco to submit a full proposal application does not constitute a guarantee of funding.

Additional information

Cisco is not responsible for any proposal-related expenses incurred by your organization at any step during the grant application process. Grant policies and requirements are subject to change without notice and become effective immediately upon posting to this website. The interpretation of these policies is wholly within the discretion of Cisco and the Cisco Foundation. All grants are made at the discretion of Cisco and the Cisco Foundation. Qualification under the policies listed on this website does not entitle an organization to receive a grant. We reserve the right to decline to make any grant requested.