Cisco Foundation

Social innovators multiply our impact The Cisco Foundation was established in 1997 by a gift from Cisco. Cisco and the Cisco Foundation partner with nonprofits, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community-based organizations to carry out many of our Corporate Social Responsibility programs. Vision and mission The Cisco Foundation collaborates with nonprofit and non-governmental organizations around the world to develop technology-based solutions in our investment areas. We focus this work on underserved communities and look for solutions that harness the power of the Internet and communications technology. - Investment areas: We focus our support where we can make the biggest impact—crisis response, education, and economic empowerment. - Support for nonprofits: We make strategic grants to programs with long-lasting impact on a local, national, and global scale. - Engaged employees: We empower employees to give more by matching their donations and making cash donations when they volunteer. Strategy for social investment A distinct legal entity, the Cisco Foundation makes cash grants by invitation to nonprofit and non-governmental organizations according to criteria and guidelines aligned with Cisco Foundation's strategic priorities. - Global Impact Cash Grants: Designed to multiply the impact of eligible organizations around the globe with national or multinational operations. - Bay Area Community Impact Grants: Support Bay Area programs within a 50-mile radius of our San Jose, California, headquarters. Innovation and change At Cisco, we truly partner with our grantees. We work with you to build capacity around measuring outcomes. Measuring the impact of a program or partner is essential to sustaining and improving programs. We have helped small nonprofits become global providers of innovative social services, and we provide our expertise to help them manage the investment.