Cisco Foundation Global Impact Cash Grants
Verified by the editorial team 29 September 2026
Updated Added the over-65% economically underserved audience rule, the not-funded list and crisis response details; apostrophe fixed.
Summary
Up to USD 100,000 for non-profit organisations outside the United States working in four areas: crisis response, education, economic opportunity and climate resilience. Applications are accepted year-round, starting with an eligibility quiz and a Letter of Inquiry.
About the call
The Cisco Foundation funds organisations addressing significant social problems in four priority areas: crisis response (food, housing, connectivity, disaster relief), education, economic opportunity and climate resilience. For first-time grantees the cap is USD 100,000. More than 65 percent of the audience served must be economically underserved.
Applicants outside the United States must provide documents allowing Cisco to determine equivalency to a U.S. public charity. Overhead must not exceed 25 percent, with case-by-case exemptions. Not funded: general operating expenses, research, religious and political organisations, hospitals and healthcare, private schools, scholarships, events, capital building and grantmaking entities.
The process has three steps: an eligibility quiz in the grants portal, a Letter of Inquiry reviewed within up to three months, and a full proposal for invited organisations with a decision within one quarter.
Who can apply
- Non-profit organisations and NGOs outside the United States, including Ukrainian ones
- Organisations able to establish equivalency to a U.S. public charity
- Organisations with overhead of no more than 25 percent
- Projects where over 65 percent of the audience is economically underserved
Who cannot apply
- Religious and political organisations
- Hospitals and healthcare providers
- Private schools
- Grantmaking entities
What the funds are for
- Crisis response: food, housing, connectivity, disaster relief
- Education programmes
- Economic opportunity and employment
- Climate resilience
What is not funded
- General operating expenses
- Research
- Scholarships and events
- Capital building
- Computer hardware and software (except strategic cases)
Documents required
Forms and templates are on the call page
How to apply
- 1Complete the eligibility quiz in the Cisco grants portal
- 2Submit a Letter of Inquiry - reviewed within up to 3 months
- 3If invited, submit the full proposal - decision within one quarter
Questions and answers
- What overhead does the Cisco Foundation allow?
- Overhead must not exceed 25 percent. Exemptions are considered case by case.
- How long does the review of a Global Impact Cash Grants application take?
- The Letter of Inquiry is reviewed within up to three months. Invited organisations submit a full proposal and get a decision within one quarter.
Change history
- Updated: Added the over-65% economically underserved audience rule, the not-funded list and crisis response details; apostrophe fixed.
