Cisco Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The foundation's stated geographic priority is global, and its work centres on technology-driven solutions in crisis response, education, economic empowerment and climate regeneration, so a project of that kind is the clearest fit.
- It describes providing catalytic capital for ideation, innovation and experimentation, then helping organisations scale for measurable and sustained impact, so a request framed around a pilot or a route to scale suits its stated approach.
- The filing shows $18,581,219 paid out in the year but gives no grant range, so do not assume a figure; ask first or keep an initial request modest and specific.
- The filing does not say how to apply, and it says nothing about how competitive the process is or whether relationships matter, so check the foundation's own application route before writing.
- No exclusions or eligibility limits are stated, so the filing alone gives no reason for an organisation to rule itself out.
Overview
Cisco Foundation is a US private foundation based in San Jose, CA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Foundation works with organisations to create and scale innovative digital solutions that promote a healthy planet and advance the well-being and self-reliance of underserved communities globally. It provides catalytic capital to high-potential organisations for ideation, innovation and experimentation with technology-driven solutions, then helps scale them for measurable and sustained impact. Its stated investment areas are crisis response, education, economic empowerment and climate regeneration. The Foundation describes a partnership model drawing on Cisco’s people, technology and funding, with technology donations and capacity-building supporting solutions intended to reach communities around the world.
Themes
- Crisis Response
- Education
- Economic Empowerment
- Climate Regeneration
Geographic Focus
Priority: Globally.
Application success factors
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation backs high-potential organisations developing technology-driven solutions and supports scaling them for measurable and sustained impact.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 77% of grant dollars to organisations.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 100% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- America Online Giving Foundation · Matching Employee Gifts$610,6002023 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Brian Tippens — Trustee
- Alba San Martin — Trustee
- Agostino Santoni — Trustee
- Roger Biscay — Treasurer
- John Rivers — Trustee
- Charu Adesnik — Executive Director
- Guy Diedrich — Trustee
- Rob Johnson — Trustee
- Jacqueline Wong — Trustee
- Mary de Wysocki — Trustee / Secretary
- Saidah Grayson Dill — Trustee
- John P Morgridge — Trustee / President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $31,520,762 | $30,778,346 | $229,806,533 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $19,232,152 | $18,398,341 | $240,608,011 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $19,665,411 | $18,581,219 | $243,046,339 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Cisco Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (408) 527-3040
- San Jose, CA
- cisco.com/site/us/en/about/purpose/community-resilience/cisco-foundation/index.html
Applying to Cisco Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (408) 527-3040
- San Jose, CA
- cisco.com/site/us/en/about/purpose/community-resilience/cisco-foundation/index.html