Cisco Foundation - Cisco Skip to main content Skip to search Skip to footer Products and Services Close Solutions Close Support Close Learn Close Why Cisco Close Partners Close Trials and demos How to buy Partners EN US Profile Log in Trials and demos MENU CLOSE How to buy Partners Profile Log in EN US Close Close Close Close Close About Purpose Community Resilience Community Resilience Cisco Foundation Tech-enabled solutions for a healthy planet and thriving communities View FY25 Impact Report About Us The Cisco Foundation was established in 1997 by a gift from Cisco Systems, Inc. Together with Cisco Social Impact Investments, the Foundation aims to catalyze a vibrant ecosystem of changemakers working to positively impact people and communities around the world. Vision and Mission We envision a world of equitable, resilient, and empowered communities where everyone can reach their full potential and thrive. Our mission is to partner with organizations to create and scale innovative digital solutions that promote a healthy planet and advance the well-being and self-reliance of underserved communities globally. We accomplish this by harnessing the breadth of Cisco’s offerings of strategic guidance, catalytic funding, technology donations, and support from the Cisco community. Cisco Foundation’s FY25 Impact Report Explore the Cisco Foundation’s vision, mission, and distinctive approach to social impact. See how our partnerships and support helped organizations worldwide reimagine what’s possible, drive meaningful change in their communities, and amplify impact through creativity, resilience, and collaboration. View FY25 Impact Report Theory of change Our Theory of Change illustrates our guiding principles, our offerings, and how these offerings drive measurable outcomes and impact toward our vision and mission. Download the PDF Our priority social impact sectors We focus on investing in innovative, tech-enabled solutions to the challenges and opportunities that matter most to communities in need, prioritizing four social impact sectors: Cisco Crisis Response Mobilizing to provide essentials to communities in need and those in crisis, including food, housing, secure connectivity, and disaster relief Learn more Education Supporting students, teachers, and schools by increasing engagement, building skills, promoting subject mastery, and expanding their capacity to thrive Learn more Economic Empowerment Transforming communities through skill development, long-term career opportunities, entrepreneurship, and access to financial products and services Learn more Climate Resilience Building an inclusive, regenerative, and resilient climate future through education, regenerative agriculture, conservation/protection, and clean energy solutions Learn more Types of support We bring the best of Cisco and Splunk to our partners through a mix of funding, technology donations, strategic guidance, and employee volunteerism. Funding Our unique investment model is designed to fill a critical gap in funding for high-potential organizations – identifying those with early-stage, tech-enabled solutions that we believe have the potential to scale exponentially and deliver extraordinary impact across our priority social impact sectors. Funding is provided both by Cisco Inc., via Social Impact Investments; and by the Cisco Foundation. Funding source(s) for each specific program are noted below. Our specific funding programs: Global Impact Cash Grants: Funding to non-profits leveraging technology to deliver programs and opportunities that can be replicated and scaled at a country, regional, and/or global level. Funded by Cisco Inc. and the Cisco Foundation. (Open to concept notes, which can lead to an invitation to apply.) Regional Solution Cash Grants: Cisco employees identify and nominate standout local solutions for grant support. Funded by the Cisco Foundation. (By invitation only.) Splunk Cash Grants: Unrestricted funding and strategic partnerships to empower nonprofits across all sectors with the ability to discover and use their data to generate positive, lasting change. Funded by Cisco Inc. (By invitation only.) India Cash Grants: Collaborating on innovative solutions that empower underserved communities in India. Funded by Cisco Inc. in support of Cisco’s compliance with the India Companies Act. (Open to concept notes, which can lead to an invitation to apply.) Habitat for Humanity Cash Grants: Providing support to local Habitat affiliates that are building homes for families in need around the world. Funded by Cisco Inc. and the Cisco Foundation. (By invitation only.) Regenerative Future Fund Investments: Funding impact investments in early-stage climate companies, from Pre-Seed to Series A, in support of our $100M climate commitment. Funded by the Cisco Foundation. (Open to inquiries.) Technology grants We also find that the same Cisco technologies that deliver maximum impact for our business customers work equally well for our partner organizations. Our specific technology grant programs: Cisco Technology Grant Program: Awarding Cisco’s best-in-class technology to qualifying nonprofits. Funded by Cisco Inc. (Two open application pathways online.) Splunk Product and Training Donation Program: Free software licenses and training to help nonprofit, academic, and research organizations secure data infrastructure, increase efficiency, and innovate new solutions to deliver more good. Funded by Cisco Inc. (Open application.) Strategic and technical advisory services We also connect our partners to strategic and technical advisory services from Cisco’s global employee community. These pro-bono consulting services support our partners across a range of areas, from solution design and testing, to security, governance, strategy, organization structure, marketing, and more. Advisory services are provided via both 1:1 consulting and by teams. Employee volunteerism Employees may also volunteer their time for individual and group volunteering as needed. Grant giving policies All supported organizations must adhere to Cisco policies related to nondiscrimination, religious proselytizing, nonsupport of violence and terrorism, advocacy, lobbying, and other political activities and other areas listed in our grant giving policies. Foundation Leadership Charu Adesnik, Executive Director, Cisco Foundation; Director, Social Impact Investments, Cisco Mary de Wysocki, Senior Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer, Cisco Guy Diedrich, Senior Vice President, Digital Inclusion Office, Cisco Saidah Grayson Dill, Vice President, Legal and Deputy General Counsel, Cisco Rob Johnson, Senior Vice President, Global Tax and Customs Administration, Cisco John Morgridge, Chairman Emeritus, Cisco John Rivers, Vice President, Global Services Sales, Cisco Alba San Martin, Senior Director, Latin America Partner Organization, Cisco Agostino Santoni, Vice President, EMEAR South Sales, Cisco Brian Tippens, Chairperson Cisco Foundation; Senior Vice President and Chief Social Impact and Inclusion Officer, Cisco Jacqueline Wong, Senior Director, Commerce Lifecyle Operations Asia Pacific, Cisco Additional resources 2025 Impact Report (PDF) Other social impact offerings Grant Giving Policies Blogs and case studies Subscribe to our newsletter One billion lives positively impacted Financial disclosures Review Cisco Foundation U.S. IRS 990PF reports: FY2024 FY2022 FY2023 FY2021 Power an Inclusive Future for All We combine our technology, people, and broader networks to address society's greatest challenges. Learn more about our Purpose Quick Links About Cisco Contact Us Careers Connect with a partner Resources and Legal Feedback Help Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies / Do not sell or share my personal data Accessibility Trademarks Supply Chain Transparency Newsroom Sitemap © Cisco Systems, Inc.