• Cisco Foundation’s Impact Report: FY24 initiatives impacted over 170 million people across 100+ countries, with investments advancing U.N.’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Over 40% of solutions funded reach more than 1 million people annually, validating Cisco’s scalable impact model.
• Cisco’s support enabled 97% of partners to secure additional funding, demonstrating the catalytic effect of its investments.

Since its founding in 1997, the Cisco Foundation has been at the forefront of social impact, evolving from supporting local needs in the Bay Area to becoming a global force. With this year’s FY24 Annual Cisco Foundation Impact Report, the Foundation celebrates significant milestones and shares its innovative approach to impact investment.

Charu Adesnik, Executive Director, Cisco Foundation:

“This is the first impact report in 20 years that articulates Cisco Foundation’s evolution over the last couple of decades as an innovative adviser, investor, and resource for our diverse partner organizations. As our purpose is to power an inclusive future for all by partnering with community organizations that address systemic, long-term issues, we look to drive impact at scale. This is done by making early-stage investments and taking risks on ideas, driven by tech innovations. Then providing additional funding and other support to advance these early-stage, tech-delivered solutions to scale.  We are now able to demonstrate the high return on our investments, validating our strategy through this report.

Looking at our fiscal year 2024, we were able to positively impact over 170 million individuals globally working with over 100 nonprofits. More than half of our grants went to smaller nonprofits which demonstrated that small organizations can have an outsized impact. For example, 40% of our grantees delivered solutions that positively impacted over 1 million people per year. In addition, by being one of the firsts or an early investor, we’re able to help 97% of our partners secure new funding that they directly attribute to Cisco’s support due to the catalytic nature of our investments.  This applies to both our nonprofit partners as well as our climate investments.

We’re incredibly proud of the impact we’re driving in collaboration with our partners and will continue our grounded approach in not only giving cash grants and working with our parent company Cisco for technology donations, but assisting with strategy, resources, and other bespoke needs one may need for optimal impact.”

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FY24 Impact Report Highlights and Key Insights

1. Catalytic Funding and Long-Term Impact Cisco Foundation’s unique funding model provides early-stage capital, extended funding, and transition support, allowing partner organizations to scale innovative ideas into transformative solutions. In FY24, this approach led to new initiatives in AI, biodiversity, digital literacy, and financial inclusion.
   • AI-Driven Biodiversity Solutions: Cisco funded 24 organizations in AI innovation, including Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN) in Indonesia, where an AI-powered app, FishFace, supports sustainable fishing practices by enabling real-time data collection from local fishermen. FishFace achieved 80% accuracy in fish identification, transforming the way Indonesia’s fisheries are managed.Carbon Monitoring in Southeast Asia: Through its investment in Chloris Geospatial, Cisco is helping scale nature-based solutions by providing advanced satellite imagery and AI to track carbon stocks in forests across Southeast Asia. Chloris’s data supports carbon credit validation, addressing global carbon accountability.
   
   “We are intentional about investing in potential…to create technology-enabled solutions that can result in deep impact,” says Adesnik
   
2. Transforming Energy Access and Climate Solutions in Africa Cisco’s commitment to climate impact is exemplified by projects like Jaza Energy in Tanzania and Nigeria, which uses solar-powered battery systems to provide affordable energy for over 100,000 people per month. With Cisco’s early-stage investment, Jaza’s model has improved economic and health outcomes by eliminating the need for polluting kerosene lamps.
   • Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance (ASHA): Cisco’s investment in ASHA has helped protect 86 million acres of Amazon rainforest by supporting Indigenous-led conservation efforts. ASHA’s Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping platform tracks deforestation and conservation progress, enabling a sustainable bioeconomy for over 700,000 Indigenous people.
   • One Acre Fund in Kenya: Cisco’s support enabled One Acre Fund to introduce remote sensing and digital advisory services, aiding 10,600 farmers to adopt climate-resilient practices. The Fund’s climate resilience efforts are now expanding across five African countries.
     
3. Enhancing Global Education and Economic Empowerment Cisco Foundation’s focus on education in FY24 provided technology access and training for 45 million students and 7 million teachers, improving digital literacy and workforce skills globally.
   • Code.org’s Expansion in Computer Science: Cisco’s support enabled Code.org to broaden access to computer science education to 180 countries, reaching 13.3 million students, with over 45% participation from women.Trickle Up: To combat poverty, Cisco supported Trickle Up’s digital coaching platform, reaching 32,000 women entrepreneurs in remote areas. The app has reduced operational costs and enabled personalized support, with 86% of participants saving enough to cover three months of household expenses.
   
   “Thanks to our partnership with Cisco, we’re unlocking technology to equip even more women entrepreneurs with the skills and resources they need,” shared Amalia Johnsson, Deputy CEO of Hand in Hand International.
   
   
4. Fostering Innovation in Water Access, Food Security, and Disaster Resilience Cisco’s strategic funding approach enabled partners to address critical needs in water, food, and housing, positively impacting over 1.3 million people in food security partnerships and 770,000 in clean water initiatives.
   • WaterAid in Colombia: In La Guajira, where water scarcity threatens rural communities, Cisco’s support for WaterAid provided Colombia’s first mobile water quality lab, which has brought clean water access to over 500 people. Cisco’s funding will allow the program to expand to 46 additional communities.Build Change and BCtap: To enhance disaster resilience, Cisco supported Build Change’s BCtap platform, streamlining post-disaster housing programs in over 40 rebuilding efforts across 26 countries. The platform reduces deployment times by 95% and improves data consistency, helping 1.1 million people access safer housing.
   
   “The depth and sustained impact of our investments is clear,” says Brian Tippens, Cisco Foundation Trustee. “Our commitment to accountability strengthens our resolve to continue investing in communities worldwide.”
   
   
5. Accountability and Transparent Impact Metrics Cisco Foundation is committed to transparent, measurable impact. This year, the Foundation engaged PwC to audit its impact methodology, ensuring robust data and accountability across all initiatives. Metrics for positive impact range from increased educational attendance and employment to economic resilience for underserved communities.
   • Rigorous Impact Evaluation: Cisco’s metrics cover quicker access to resources in crisis areas, improved financial stability, and job creation. Additionally, 81% of Cisco’s partner organizations have local staff, ensuring solutions are grounded in community needs.
   • FY24 Impact Highlights: 135,000 individuals engaged in climate education, 20 million people accessed digital financial products, and nearly 6.8 million students demonstrated literacy improvements through Cisco’s education initiatives.

Cisco Foundation’s FY24 Impact Report exemplifies the power of combining early-stage funding with technology and strategic partnerships to foster resilient communities and a sustainable planet. As Cisco celebrates its 40th anniversary, the Foundation remains steadfast in leveraging Cisco’s global resources to drive impactful change worldwide.

Read the Full Cisco Foundation Impact Report 2024