Cisco puts $75,000 on the table for nonprofits using tech to tackle global challenges

When urgent social crises collide with under-resourced systems, emerging tech-enabled models can be powerful catalysts if they have the funding and support to scale. The Cisco Global Impact Cash Grant programme is designed to fill that gap. This rolling initiative seeks nonprofits building technology-driven solutions to have a transformational effect globally.

Globally, over 2 billion people still lack reliable access to the internet, thwarting opportunities across education, healthcare, and resilience-building. On the African continent, nearly 90% of primary school children attend schools without electricity, according to UNESCO, while the World Bank notes that in some regions, up to 60% of firms cite skills shortages as a major operational constraint. Furthermore, the World Economic Forum projects that over 50% of the global workforce will need reskilling or upskilling by 2030. Cisco’s funding window is timely and targeted at the intersection of these critical gaps—providing a strategic lifeline for organisations with innovative technology-driven solutions.

Nonprofits grounded in local contexts often understand problems deeply but lack the digital tools or networks to scale their impact. Cisco Global Impact Cash Grant, by contrast, offers tech expertise and global infrastructure. This pairing of local innovation with global support—through funding, training, and visibility—creates an accelerant for impact that is truly transformative.

What Cisco is targeting

The Cisco Global Impact Cash Grant prioritises organisations tackling urgent social problems through scalable, tech-enabled solutions. It is designed to find and fund bold ideas that can deliver measurable social outcomes. The focus is on four key areas:

• Crisis Response: projects that enable secure connectivity in disaster zones, ensure food or housing delivery in emergencies, or provide citizen-centric platforms for rapid relief. Think mobile-first disaster early warning systems, mapping tools for resilience, or digital platforms for coordinating aid deliveries.
• Education: edtech models that bridge learning gaps through low-bandwidth platforms, offering skills- or mastery-based learning for underserved communities. Remote teacher training, peer learning networks, and digital literacy tools that work on basic mobile phones fall neatly here.
• Economic Empowerment: solutions that unlock entrepreneurship, enable financial inclusion through mobile wallets or micro-credit platforms, or digitise informal markets. These are critical areas, as up to 70% of Africa’s GDP is generated in the informal sector.
• Climate Regeneration: tech-driven conservation initiatives, clean energy rollout (e.g., solar mini-grids in off-grid communities), or regenerative agriculture powered by remote sensing to improve yields while restoring ecosystems.

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Benefits of Cisco Global Impact Cash Grant

Organisations selected for the Cisco Global Impact Cash Grants programme can expect:

• Funding support: Up to USD 75,000 for first-time grantees, with potential for larger grants later

• Global visibility: Cisco highlights its grantees through communications and events, helping them reach partners and investors

• Networking and ecosystem access: Exposure to Cisco’s network of social impact partners, industry leaders, and peers

• Scale potential: Support to expand, replicate, and sustain tech-enabled solutions across new markets

• Trust signals: Being backed by Cisco can strengthen credibility with donors, funders, and governments

Eligibility and selection criteria

• Registered nonprofit/NGO (U.S. 501(c)(3) or international equivalent).

• Serves communities where ≥65% of beneficiaries are economically underserved.

• Overhead costs ≤25%.

• Project leverages technology for measurable social outcomes.

• Aligned to at least one focus area:

  • Crisis response (secure connectivity, food, housing, disaster relief)

  • Education (digital skills, engagement, mastery tools)

  • Economic empowerment (entrepreneurship, jobs, financial access)

  • Climate regeneration (clean energy, conservation, regenerative agriculture)

• Reviewed for innovation, local relevance, scalability/replication, commercial viability, job-creation potential, sustainability, and fiscal responsibility.

How to apply

The application process is open year-round, with no fixed deadline. It begins with a Letter of Inquiry (LOI), a succinct online form that outlines the social problem your organization addresses, the technology you use, and your expected outcomes.

If Cisco sees strong alignment with its goals, your organization will be invited to submit a full proposal. This detailed document requires a comprehensive plan with budget breakdowns, deployment strategies, and impact measurement methodologies.

If your organisation fits the Cisco Global Impact Cash Grant programme bill — tech-enabled, impact-oriented, and cost-effective — this grant could be the difference between a successful pilot and large-scale delivery. Begin with a strong, focused LOI via Cisco’s official grants portal, clearly articulating how your solution addresses one of the target areas. The path to final selection can lead to pilot funding, ecosystem introductions, and high-level exposure. Apply now via the official website.