Community Partners

AidMatrix develops distribution management software that enables humanitarian agencies to efficiently deliver critical resources to the most vulnerable in the community. Through Cisco's support, Aidmatrix improved its software and provided additional field deployments and training. (US & ROW)

The American Red Cross (ARC) provides food, water, shelter, and relief services to people affected by natural disasters. For more than a decade, ARC has been a Cisco strategic disaster response partner. Many of our employees volunteer for ARC, and some have been trained to volunteer at relief shelters through the Ready When the Time Comes program. (US & ROW)

Blue Planet Network builds the capacity of organizations working to eliminate unsafe drinking water worldwide. Cisco support has enhanced the capacity of BPN's network of international agencies to monitor, evaluate, and report on their investments, resulting in the largest online project data warehouse in the sector. (ROW)

Build Change provides earthquake-resistant standards; designs houses in developing countries; and trains builders, homeowners, engineers, and government officials to implement recommended standards. Cisco support has enabled Build Change to expand, reaching thousands of homeowners in disaster-prone countries like China and Haiti. (ROW)

CARE seeks to serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world. CARE is one of Cisco's strategic disaster response partners. (US & ROW)

Community Voice Mail (CVM) empowers people in crisis and transition by providing free, consistent, and personalized voicemail. Clients typically have no financial resources and this service enables them to obtain work, housing, healthcare, and social services. Cisco support has increased CVM's operational efficiency, reach, and social impact. (US & ROW)

Feeding America works through a network of 200 member food banks to deliver 3 billion pounds of food to 37 million hungry people each year. Cisco recently supported a new transportation management system that is projected to save US$1.5 million over five years, enough to provide 12 million more meals for hungry people. (US)

Habitat for Humanity seeks to eliminate poverty and homelessness by providing affordable housing to families in need. Cisco provides cash grants and, through an exclusive partnership, matches employee volunteer time with a cash contribution. Habitat is also a strategic partner in Cisco's Clinton Global Initiative commitment in Sub-Saharan Africa. (US & ROW)

NetHope is a consortium of international humanitarian organizations working to improve crisis relief efforts in the developing world through technology. Cisco has provided support to help NetHope build its organizational and informational technology capacity, enabling its members to serve more people quickly and efficiently. (ROW)

Pacific Institute conducts research and partners with stakeholders to advance economic development and social equity. Cisco support is helping Pacific Institute identify best practices in deploying SMS technology to enhance water and sanitation management and monitoring systems -- in order to increase transparency and accountability. (ROW)

Ushahidi is a nonprofit technology company that develops free and open source software for information collection, visualization, and interactive mapping. Cisco is supporting development of a mapping and content management system that enables organizations to better collaborate and coordinate disaster response and relief efforts. (US & ROW)

Water for People works to build a world where all people have access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Cisco support is helping the organization develop smart phone and web-based technology to monitor water investments, increasing the water sector's accountability and transparency. (ROW)

Water.org works with local partners to deliver innovative solutions to the global shortage of potable water and proper sanitation. A grant from Cisco is supporting development of an online giving network that enables donors to better monitor, access, and understand the impact of their investments. (ROW)

World Food Program (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger. Cisco has supported the WFP's Humanitarian Early Warning Service, which provides humanitarian responders with interactive maps and data that help them forecast potential disasters and quickly coordinate relief strategies with partner agencies. (ROW)

Digital Divide Data connects disadvantaged youth to employment by equipping them with the education and technology-based skills training they need to take on jobs in the business process outsourcing industry. Cisco investments are enabling the organization to expand its business operations to reach more disadvantaged youth in East Africa. (ROW)

Good World Solutions helps improve the economic livelihood of low-income workers in the developing world by leveraging technology solutions to provide access to critical information. Cisco's investment is supporting development and deployment of the Labor Link initiative, which gives low-income workers (particularly women) free information on wage and work-related issues, training, education, and financial literacy via mobile phones. (ROW)

Grameen Foundation helps the world's poorest, especially women, escape poverty via access to financial products and services and innovative technology. Cisco has supported development of several solutions, such as Mifos, an open-source software platform that enables microfinance institutions (MFIs) to expand the scale, efficiency, and social impact of their work in underserved communities. Cisco is also supporting the Progress Out of Poverty Index™(PPI), used by MFIs and anti-poverty organizations to measure their effectiveness in moving clients out of poverty. (ROW)

ImagineNations is a global alliance of social entrepreneurs, thought leaders, investors, and others working to create development and employment opportunities for young people ages 15 to 29. Cisco supported the ImagineNations Network portal, which promotes youth-led entrepreneurship and economic development, especially among adolescent girls and young women. (US & ROW)

Inveneo helps put the tools of information and communications technology in the hands of people and organizations in rural, highly underserved communities in the developing world. Cisco has supported expansion of Inveneo's Certified ICT Partner Program in Africa, and works with the nonprofit to establish Community Knowledge Centers in sub-Saharan Africa as part of a Clinton Global Initiative commitment. (ROW)

Kiva helps alleviate poverty by empowering individuals to lend directly to an entrepreneur in the developing world via the Internet. Cisco support helped Kiva address demand and supply-side constraints so microfinance institutions can scale operations to serve more clients. (US & ROW)

Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) provides objective, qualified, and relevant microfinance performance data and analysis to promote transparency in the sector. Cisco support is helping MIX use technology to increase visibility of the social performance management of microfinance institutions. (ROW)

One Economy increases access to resources and technology to help low-income people access the information, skills, and resources to make informed decisions and improve their lives. Cisco has supported the development of several initiatives, including The Beehive, a multilingual portal that helps people find localized information about health, education, business, and more, and the Digi-Staffing portal, which provides opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship, and community service to graduates of One Economy's Digital Connectors program. (US & ROW)

OneWorld International Foundation pioneers Internet and mobile phone applications that the world's poorest people can use to improve their life opportunities. Cisco supported OneWorld's Lifelines program, which provides better quality of life for poor Indian farmers through an ICT-enabled knowledge service. (ROW)

Samasource brings dignified, computer-based work to women, youth, and refugees living in poverty, while providing content moderation, data entry, and other outsourcing services to clients. Cisco investments are helping Samasource expand a custom-built technology platform to increase the efficiency of its business operations, improve the productivity of its workers, scale the program to reach more workers, and ultimately, help workers become economically self-sufficient. (ROW)

Women's World Banking works to expand the economic assets, participation, and power of low-income women and their households by helping them access financial services, knowledge, and markets. Cisco is supporting the Center for Microfinance Leadership, which provides training and coaching for executives of microfinance institutions (MFIs) that, in turn, helps them scale, become more efficient, recruit and retain talent, and introduce new products and services. (ROW)

Citizen Schools partners with middle schools to expand the learning day for children in low-income communities so students are prepared to graduate from high school and attend college. Cisco has made financial and in-kind contributions, and Cisco volunteers lead student apprenticeships on topics ranging from robotics to investing to computer programming. (US)

City Year leverages the talent, energy, and idealism of corps members who serve as tutors, mentors, and role models to help keep students in third through ninth grade in school, since students who reach the tenth grade on time are three times more likely to graduate. Cisco supported the development of City Year's school-based service "Whole School, Whole Child," devoted to making schools more conducive to third- through ninth-grade student success. (US)

Communities In Schools, North Carolina (CISNC) helps K-12 students graduate on time, prepared for college, career, and life, by bringing resources into schools that help meet students' academic and personal needs. With Cisco support, CISNC is developing a program for at-risk youth to help them identify a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) career path and design an educational track to success. (US)

DonorsChoose empowers K-12 teachers to submit project proposals for materials or experiences to support student learning. These projects are funded by individual donors. Cisco support has helped Donors Choose develop and implement Internet-based programs to facilitate its expansion. (US)

MIND Research Institute helps underserved elementary and secondary students develop critical thinking, reasoning, and mathematical abilities. Cisco has supported a variety of MIND's programs, including expansion of its Math + Music program, an online professional development program for teachers, and conversion of its K-5 ST Math education program to an online format. (US)

The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) helps people with learning disabilities succeed by developing tools and services for early, effective response. Cisco has supported several of NCLD's programs that help bridge the achievement gap in public schools between struggling K-12 learners and their peers through the Response to Intervention (RTI) model. (US)

New Leaders ensures high academic achievement for every student by recruiting, training, and supporting outstanding principals who transform urban schools with innovative, instructional, data-driven leadership and close the achievement gap. Cisco supports the use of its communications products at the organization's central and regional sites. (US)

New Teacher Center is a nationally recognized nonprofit that works with school districts, state policymakers, and educators to create "induction programs" that accelerate new teacher effectiveness. Cisco supports NTC's Teacher Assessment Tool project and its online mentoring solution. (US)

Roadtrip Nation empowers underserved youth to define their own path in life through innovative curriculum, multimedia resources, live campus events, and the annual Roadtrip Nation documentary series on public television. Cisco has funded initial development of a customized, online career exploration curriculum. (US)

Save the Children aims to create real and lasting change for children in need. Cisco's support has focused on the organization's literacy initiatives for underserved, rural communities. Save the Children is also a strategic partner in Cisco's disaster/humanitarian relief response activities. (US & ROW)

The Silicon Valley Education Foundation (SVEF) leverages partnerships and resources for public education so all students can realize their full potential. Cisco has supported SVEF's efforts to transform education in Silicon Valley via the effective use of technology, including the Lessonopoly program, partnerships, and content creation. (US)

Teach for All is a global network of independent social enterprises working to expand educational opportunity in 23 countries. Cisco is helping Teach for All lay the foundation for a global telecommunications platform that will facilitate resource sharing and collaboration among its network organizations and staff. (ROW)

Teach for America eliminates educational inequity by enlisting the nation's most promising future leaders in the effort. With Cisco technology, such as videoconferencing solutions, Teach for America has expanded its infrastructure, increased its efficiency to support 2000 more teachers, and generated rich impact data. (US)

Teachers Without Borders (TWB) aims to close the global education divide. Cisco has supported several of TWB's initiatives, including its Certificate of Teaching Mastery (CTM) program, TWB Toolset, and Community Evaluation tool. (US & ROW)

Network for Good provides a range of services to help nonprofits raise funds, communicate, and strategize. Cisco is a funding partner and has supported the development of Internet-based resources to expand Network for Good's capabilities. (US)

The Peres Center for Peace is an independent, nonprofit, non-governmental organization founded in 1996 by Nobel Peace Laureate and former Israeli Prime Minister and President Shimon Peres. Cisco has provided support for several of its programs, including enabling doctors in the Palestinian Territories to provide better care for patients by through telehealth online consultations with Israeli doctors. (ROW)

The Planetary Skin Institute (PSI) began as a bilateral research and development partnership between Cisco and NASA. Today, PSI works to enhance the decision-making capabilities of public, private, and academic organizations charged with addressing food, water, and energy security, and managing risks associated with the increasing impact and frequency of weather extremes. (While PSI's mission does not fall under Cisco's primary social investment areas of critical human needs, economic empowerment, education, or healthcare, we have invested in PSI to support its contributions to the global public benefits it is advancing in this critical area.) (US & ROW)

The South African Education Trust fulfills Cisco's commitment to support education for least-served students in South Africa. For example, one program supported by the trust, Cisco Scholars, provides scholarships for high-potential, disadvantaged Black South African students to attend the African Leadership Academy. Another, Innovation Hub/Coachlab, provides real-world entrepreneurial opportunities for college graduates in technology fields. (ROW)

TechSoup Global (TSG) connects nonprofits and public libraries with donated and discounted technology products. Cisco and TSG have worked together to extend the benefits of information and communication technologies to social benefit organizations across the globe. (US & ROW)