Deadline: 24-Oct-22

Are you a registered charity or NGO that trains, reskills, or upskills high potential adults to solve problems using innovative, emerging technology? The Lenovo Foundation wants to hear from you!

The Lenovo Foundation is looking for organizations that are equipping today’s workforce with the skills individuals need to transform their careers, lives, and communities.

Charitable Giving Focus Areas

Lenovo Foundation invests in advancing STEM Education programs, increasing access to opportunity for diverse populations, and empowering employees to improve global communities.

Lenovo corporate giving aligns to the Lenovo Foundation’s mission by providing gifts of funds, product, and employee time and talent in the following focus areas:

• Empowering diverse, under privileged and minority populations
• Increasing access to science, technology, engineering and math education
• Global natural disaster response and recovery

What are they looking for?

• Organizations that are developing skills for individuals in the fields of computer programming, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, IT support, internet of things, analytics, automation, and other emerging technologies.
• Focus on benefitting individuals with the following demographics:
  • Focus on communities:
    • Experiencing economic hardship
    • Facing historical or systemic boundaries to opportunity
    • Facing geographic boundaries to opportunity
  • Targeting populations:
    • Age 18-65+
    • From underrepresented backgrounds in the industry, including women and individuals from minority racial/ ethnic backgrounds.
• Programs that can demonstrate:
  • High rates of participant engagement and retention
  • Ability to enable transformational outcomes for individuals on a 24-month timeline (or less)
  • At least two years of program existence preferred
  • Thoughtful, well executed financial planning for program support in the USD $25k – $250k range.
    • Grant round is for cash only programmatic support.
  • Detailed understanding of the programmatic cost of successful completion of the program (I.e. how much money is needed for one individual to successfully complete the program, and how do you define successful completion)
  • Thoughtful approaches to removing barriers to success for target populations, i.e. living stipends for impoverished populations, free child care to enable success for parents
• Organizations that are responsible and prompt in their communications and are looking to grow a partnership with Lenovo.

Guidelines for Support

Lenovo Foundation and Lenovo corporate philanthropy do not support:

• Organizations that are not 501(c)(3) organizations as classified by the United States Internal Revenue Service, or international organizations that are not determined the equivalent of a U.S. 501(c)(3).
• Organizations that discriminate between recipients of services, employees, or partner organizations based on gender, race, age, marital status, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, or political affiliation.
• Social, labor union, alumni, trade associations, fraternal organizations, or professional organizations.
• Religious or faith based organizations that restrict services to a particular group or engage in proselytization.
• Community, college, or professional sports leagues or organizations
• Unsolicited requests for sponsorship of events such as galas, conferences, dinners, or seminars.
• Organizations that benefit a sole individual.

All organizations considered for support:

• Must complete and adhere to the Lenovo Compliance Form.
• Must provide reporting on how gift of funds or product were used.
• Must operate within parameters of all applicable laws, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the U.S. Patriot Act and all applicable laws and regulations in countries where program support is provided.
• Organizations based in the United States must be verifiable through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Exempt Organizations Select Check online tool. For non U.S. organizations, Lenovo utilizes the IRS’s Reliance Standards for Making Good Faith Determinations or Expenditure Responsibility rules and regulations in determining eligible charitable organizations.

Product Donations – Restrictions:

• Items donated to an organization may not be marketed or resold without the written permission of Lenovo, with the exception of charitable fundraising auctions.
• Organization must immediately report to Lenovo if donated items are stolen, intercepted, or used for purposes outside of agreed intent at time of gift.

Requirements

• Timely application by stated deadline.
• Compliance affirmation and paperwork (questions #8-11)
• Banking and payment details
• Two photos, approved by organization for Lenovo’s use on social media

Application Structure 

Please have the following information prepared for submission:

• Contact information
• Compliance affirmation
• Materials needed: photo, budget
• Grant Application Questions
• Relationship Disclosure

Video Details

They welcome the chance to get to know you through a video introduction. This video does not have to be a high production quality. You can simply record and introduction on your phone, table or other device. They’re looking for a basic introduction of your organization and skilling program. Consider including the following:

• State name of organization and speaker
• Share where you are based and the community you serve
• How is your program skilling individuals for the future
• What does Lenovo’s vision of “providing smarter technology for all” mean to you?
• Any other information that can fit within a three minute video!

For more information, visit https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/about/foundation