Eligibility and Policies

The following are the Eligibility and Policy requirements for Community Impact Cash Grants.

• Organizations within the United States (U.S.) 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 (U.S.) must (a) provide information and documents to determine whether the organization is the equivalent of a U.S. public charity, or (b) agree to sign and comply with an expenditure responsibility contract. Cisco will determine whether (a) or (b) is appropriate for a particular organization.
• Organizations to be funded must serve an audience greater than 50 percent economically underserved relative to the average standards of the target geography.
• Organizations and programs that fit the core parameters outlined in the Community Impact Cash Grants Investment Areas are eligible to apply.
• Community Impact Cash Grants are available to qualifying organizations within a 50 mile radius of Cisco major site communities including Bangalore, India; Boxborough, Massachusetts; Lawrenceville, Georgia; Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; Richardson, Texas; San Jose, California; Shanghai/Beijing, China; Toronto, Canada; and other Cisco locations that have a significant employee presence and Civic Council. The physical headquarters of the organization need not be within this radius, as long as an affiliate office operates and/or administers programs within the specified area.
• An organization's overhead is not to exceed 25 percent.

In addition, Cisco will not consider incomplete proposals or programs/projects that fall outside the Community Impact Cash Grants Investment Areas including the Eligibility and Policies listed on this webpage. In addition, proposals in the following areas are not eligible for a Community Impact Cash Grant.

• Multi-year grant support requests
• Public/private schools, charter schools, school districts, parent/booster clubs and school, college or university foundations.
• Organizations whose primary mission is grant making or fundraising.
• Programs such as athletic events, competitions or tournaments, conferences/seminars, festivals, field trips, and fundraisers including sponsorship of benefit dinners, walks/runs, golf tournaments, sports teams, etc.
• Capital building funds, challenge grants and matching grants
• Individuals seeking personal grant awards
• Religious, political, or sectarian organizations (Exceptions may apply. See our Policy on Religious Proselytizing.)
• Research projects/programs

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.

Cisco and the Cisco Foundation do not promote or discriminate against any person, population group, or organization with regard to categories protected by applicable United States law, as well as other categories identified by Cisco in alignment with our own Human Resources policies. These include, but are not limited to race, color, religion, sex, gender expression, physical appearance, language, education background, national origin, age, disability, and veteran status.

Cisco and the Cisco Foundation seek to support public benefit organizations that are substantially in alignment with our non-discrimination policy. Organizations that are found to discriminate in their provision of services and/or their hiring practices based on any of these or other criteria may be deemed ineligible for funding support and/or required to return any grant awards, and may be rendered ineligible for future support.

Cisco is committed to providing an open, diverse, and nondenominational working environment. Cisco will not support any program which requires exposure, adherence to, or conversion to any religious doctrine in order to be a beneficiary of the program. To clarify, a direct service program run by a faith-based organization may be 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 from the program.

It is Cisco's mission to fund nonpartisan service organizations that adhere rigorously to fundamental human rights principles. Cisco does not knowingly support grantee organizations that endorse, support, or promote violence, terrorist activity, or related training, whether through their own activities or indirectly through their support of, support by, or cooperation with, other persons and organizations engaged in such activities. Cisco requires grantees to confirm that they do not engage in or support such activities, and Cisco vets potential grantees with care. If a grantee appears to be in violation of this policy, Cisco will suspend funding immediately and require the grantee to freeze grant funds until Cisco has investigated the matter. If the investigation discloses violations of this policy, Cisco will require the grantee to return all grant funds; Cisco will classify the grantee as ineligible for future funding; and Cisco will take such other steps as the law may require.

Cisco's policy with respect to providing grant support to organizations that engage in advocacy and/or lobbying is subject to our diversity policy. This policy states that Cisco does not promote or discriminate against any person, population group, or organization with regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other categories protected by applicable United States law. In accordance with this policy, Cisco will not provide grant support to any organization that advocates or lobbies against any such protected category.

Furthermore, in order to avoid actual or apparent preferences for any protected or non-protected category over another, Cisco may reject grant support to any organization that lobbies or advocates for or against any single person, population group, organization, or cause/issue (e.g., political position, policy, law/legislation, etc.).

In addition, grantees that are classified as charitable organizations under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code must certify to Cisco that they comply with applicable law regarding limits on their lobbying activity and that they do not engage in prohibited electioneering activity. Finally, Cisco does not permit its grant funds to be applied to any individual program of a grantee that involves any type of lobbying or other political activity.

Note: "Lobbying" is defined in Section 4945(e) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code to mean attempts to influence legislation through grassroots lobbying of the public or direct lobbying of government officials. Certain exceptions exist (e.g., for nonpartisan analysis or invited testimony). "Legislation" includes all matters that may be voted upon by the U.S. Senate or House of Representations, a state legislature, a local city or county council, an Indian tribal body, or a legislative body in a foreign nation, including votes taken by a committee of such body. Such matters may include votes to approve executive or judicial appointments of public officials as well as new laws or repeal of existing laws. "Legislation" also includes laws voted upon by the people in an initiative, referendum or other vote taken within a national, state, or local area.

"Political" refers to any payment made or action taken, directly or indirectly, to influence the outcome of any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective public office, including oral or written statements. Such activity is prohibited for tax-exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.

Cisco cannot accept legacy paper forms. Application guidelines and requirements are subject to change without notice, and become effective immediately upon posting to this web site. The interpretation and application of these policies is wholly within the discretion of Cisco and the Cisco Foundation. Furthermore, all grants are made at the discretion of Cisco and the Cisco Foundation. Qualification under the policies listed above does not entitle an organization to receive a grant. Cisco reserves the right to decline any grant requested.