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Cisco eligibility criteria and guidelines

To qualify for participation, an organisation must:

  • Be pre-approved by DonorTec.
  • Have an annual budget of less than AU$7 million.
  • must be able to demonstrate that it has a technology line item in its budget and must be able to state the amount of that budget line item.
  • Must predominantly serve the economically disadvantaged
  • Have a legal charity designation.
  • If it is a federation, have no more than 20 affiliate organisations.
  • sign and return a Cisco donation agreement that will be sent to an organisation via email shortly after a donation request has been placed
Cisco Restrictions
  • Cisco donations are currently available to self assessed nonprofit organisations and those with formally recognised tax exemptions by the Australian Taxation Office
  • This program distributes products only to qualifying organisations, not individuals.
  • An organisation must have an annual budget of less than AU$7 million.
  • During one fiscal year (July 1 – June 30), a single organisation may request one order of Cisco products in any combination. The combined administrative fees for Cisco equipment received by a single organisation may total no more than $1,900 per fiscal year (1July - 30 June). Please note these figures are excluding GST.
  • An organisation must demonstrate that it has a technology line item in its budget and must be able to state the amount of that budget line item.
  • An organisation must demonstrate that the executive director or CEO of the organisation has requested the equipment.
  • Recipient organisations are required to sign an Equipment Donation Agreement.
  • Cisco reserves the right to take appropriate action to determine whether an organisation falls within the scope of Cisco's corporate giving focus areas.
  • Cisco may, at its sole discretion, provide "functionally equivalent" substitute product(s) for any request or order.
  • Cisco products may not be transferred or resold.

Please note: if you know you have been notified of your eligibility to place an order via Cisco but find yourself unable to do so, please contact us so we may clarify your organisation’s eligibility status.

The eligible and non eligible categories listed below are to be used as a guide only. All registered organisations must meet all specific donor criteria that may not be listed on this page.

The following organisations are not eligible to receive Cisco donations:

  • Affiliates of a national organisation that has more than twenty locations (even if those affiliates are considered separate entities and are not funded by the national organisation)
  • Religious organisations without a secular community designation — A secular designation is defined as an organisation separate from the church or religious organisation that provides services to people regardless of their religious beliefs and does not propagate a belief in a specific faith. Example: A food bank that is run by a church, but is a separate and unique organisation that provides food and meals to anyone who qualifies for services, regardless of religious beliefs.
  • Legislative and political advocacy groups
  • Youth services organisations other than those listed in the eligible category type list for education, job training, and literacy support to economically disadvantaged populations
  • Radio, television, media, publishing programs, or training
  • Foundations, lending, grant-making organisations, or organisations that provide funding or loans
  • Schools & scholarships: Public schools or school systems, Private schools, Charter schools, School foundations, Booster clubs or other fundraising organisations affiliated with particular school(s), Colleges/universities, Scholarships/stipend programs of any kind
  • Charities that offer Cisco Networking Academy training programs; even if they were previously accepted for Cisco grants and those who instruct Networking Academy curriculum as a single or seperate component of their overall mission and/or services
  • Referral services
  • Animal care services and facilities
  • Scientific research activities
  • Day care centres
  • Legal aid, credit counselling, and civil rights activities
  • Museums
  • Art, cultural, and environmental education organisations
  • Camps and Zoos
  • Sporting organisations
  • Rescue and emergency services — fire departments (including volunteer) and ambulance and helicopter services
  • Organisations that advocate, support, or practice discrimination based on age, ethnicity, gender, national origin, disability, race, size, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.
To see a list of eligible category types for the Cisco donation program please click here
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