Cisco Foundation was established in 1997 to provide support, cash, products, and volunteers to nonprofit organizations with sustainable solutions that use Internet and network technology to benefit individuals and communities around the world. Cisco provides grants and networking technology and equipment to qualified nonprofit organizations to help them achieve best results in productivity, scalability, and cost-efficiency. Thus, Cisco Foundation uses SMART (specific; measurable; achievable; realistic; timely) metrics to measure the nonprofit’s impact.

Cisco Foundation’s charitable giving is divided into:

• Technology Grants – they’re provided under The Cisco Product Grant Program for small nonprofits applying for funding up to $15K;
• Cash Grants – cash grants are provided to nonprofits with an innovative approach to a significant social problem in one of the areas: education, economic empowerment, and critical human needs.

The requirements for the nonprofits to apply for grants include:

501c3 tax-exemption;

Organizations must serve the community at large;

Organizations’ charitable activities must focus on at least one of the following areas: access to education, economic empowerment, or critical human needs;

Organizations’ overhead is not to exceed 25%.

Each organization that receives a grant is required to sign a donation agreement before donations can be delivered. For the successful implementation of the project activities, grantee organizations are required to use Cisco’s online grant platform to measure their progress, as this is a requirement for continued funding eligibility.

Each year Cisco’s employees devote their time, professionalism and efforts to support charitable projects. Furthermore Cisco’s Foundation is matches employee donations worldwide for hunger relief.

More information about deadlines for applying and specifics is available at: http://csr.cisco.com/

Thus far, we’ve highlighted some of the national corporate foundations in our previous articles.

Another funding option available to 501c3 and nonprofit organizations are community foundations. Community foundations are public charities set up to provide funds to other charitable organizations, generally 501c3 organizations. There are approximately 800 community foundations in the US.

Community Foundations:

Serve a specific geographic region, which may be a city, state, zip code, etc.

Get their funds from public and private donors.

Are managed by a local board from the community.

Have a specific mission to support a certain charitable cause or causes

Charitable foundations are set up by individuals, families, businesses and nonprofit organizations. The individuals who set up the foundations can make recommendations on how the grants are given out.

In terms of size, many of the community foundations are small in size. However, there are also many larger size community foundations, with assets of more than a $1 billion. Several of the larger community foundations give grants totaling more than $100 million annually.

With approximately 800 community foundations in the US, there is likely to be several of these foundations that serve your geographic region and that support charitable activities similar to the ones offered by your organization. It will serve most 501c3 organizations very well to network with these individuals and seek out the foundation leaders who have an interest in supporting causes in common with your organization’s activities.

Over the next several weeks, we will be provide specific information on many community foundations throughout the US. We will provide information on geographic regions served, charitable causes supported, contact and the process of applying for these community foundation grants.

 

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation gave $1.3 billion in grants and contributions in the year 2013. Walmart gives both cash and in-kind donations and funds nonprofit organizations and programs around the world.

Walmart’s giving is focused in 5 main areas, including:

Hunger Relief and healthy Eating. Walmart works with nonprofits and food producer to ensure that more individuals have access to food.

Sustainability. Programs that help to preserve the environment.

Women’s Economic Empowerment. This areas supports programs that provides training, market access and career opportunities to women.

Career Opportunity. Job training and placement, career advice and resources that help individuals to become self-sufficient.

Special interests. This area includes veterans and military families and disaster relief.

Walmart has programs for nonprofits of all sizes and for organizations throughout the US. Walmart has the following program types:

National Giving Program

State Giving Program

Community Grant Program

Northwest Arkansas Giving Program

Legal Department Strategic Partners Sponsorship Program

Grants are awarded in amounts as small as $250. Larger grants may be in excess of $250,000.

More information on Walmart grants can be found on the website of Walmart.

The national Moving Ahead Financial Empowerment Grant Program is a competitive grant that supports innovative programs at state domestic violence coalitions to respond to the economic needs of survivors as they partner with local service providers. In partnership with the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), the Allstate Foundation’s Moving Ahead Financial Empowerment Grant Program provides state coalitions and their local programs the opportunity to develop new projects or enhance existing projects that address the economic needs and challenges that survivors face.

While there are many types of programs that can build a survivor’s financial empowerment, this grant program funds projects in four areas: financial literacy (using some or all of Allstate’s Moving Ahead through Financial Management curriculum); microloans and Individual Development Accounts; job readiness and job training; and microenterprise.

In 2013, the Foundation awarded $1,000,000 to state domestic violence coalitions through grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 to continue or develop best practices in economic justice for domestic violence survivors. To date, the foundation’s work has allowed more than 384,000 women to take steps toward stronger, happier, violence-free lives. The Allstate Foundation is on track to financially empower 500,000 survivors by the end of 2015.

Who can apply: State domestic violence coalitions in collaboration with local service providers

When to apply: August

Where to apply: http://www.allstatefoundation.org/domestic_violence.html

 

Financial contributions, in-kind charitable shipping services and volunteer services by team members are the ways that FedEx contributes back to the communities that it serves.

Three core focus areas make up FedEx’s charitable giving. Those areas are:

Disaster Readiness, Relief and Recovery: For those organizations that assist during natural disasters or which bring relief to victims of emergencies, FedEx will assist with quick and efficient transportation of aid.

Child Pedestrian Safety: The goal of this program is to assist in creating safe child pedestrian behaviors.

Sustainability: FedEx supports a broad range of environmental initiatives, including reducing emissions and congestions, conservation and restoration of parks and green space, rehabilitation of natural habitats and environmental education.

Organizations applying for funding from FedEx must have activities that are within the 3 core areas above. Also, the applying organization must show competent management, low overhead and programs that benefits broad segments of the community. FedEx accepts funding requests only from 501(c)(3) organizations. Requests for seed monies are accepted and FedEx has a greater interest in supporting specific program needs.

All applicants for FedEx grants must apply using the online application process. More information about the FedEx grants can be found on the website of FedEx.