Deadline: August 15, 2024
Applications for the Zendesk Foundation Tech for Good Impact Award 2024 are now open. The awards provide free software and multiple grants to global nonprofit organizations.
They’re looking for organizations or projects that seek to make a tangible difference in one of the Zendesk Foundation’s impact areas:
- Foster community – enable connections that offer support and allow people to thrive;
- Promote resilience in a time of crisis – safeguard against disaster and reduce human suffering;
- Create career pathways into tech – close the economic opportunity gap and reduce unemployment
Award
- The impact awards will provide multiple awards between $5k to $50k per organization. Zendesk tech for good will also provide free product donations.
Eligibility
- Open to nonprofit organizations that would like to use Zendesk software to directly serve beneficiary communities.
- Organizations should display some ability to adopt new technology in order to receive Zendesk software, meaning your organization previously has or is currently willing to invest in technology platform solutions to improve services to beneficiary communities.
- Most organizations will need to be prepared to self-install and configure their free software using the online help which typically requires a dedicated IT staff member.
- Organizations and their proposed projects should fit within the Foundation’s core focus areas of fostering community, promoting resilience in times of crisis, and creating career pathways in tech.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be evaluated by the Zendesk Social Impact review committee against the following criteria:
- Programmatic Fit: Applicants must demonstrate how new technology and grant funding will support beneficiary communities and program goals. Applicants must also demonstrate a fit with the Zendesk Foundation focus areas of fostering community, promoting resilience, and creating career pathways in tech.
- Unfortunately, projects or organizations looking to use Zendesk for internal purposes will not qualify for this program at this time (including HR, staff, or volunteer management). Successful applicants will demonstrate how Zendesk’s software will help their external program goals.
- Applicants submitting for the Agents of Change program must demonstrate an interest in adding a CX agent training program to a current workforce training program list or a desire to launch a CX agent training program. These groups may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Communities historically denied equal access to technology training programs due to their financial status, ethnicity, race, religion, age, cognitive or physical abilities, gender, or sexuality;
- Refugees or displaced persons;
- Formerly incarcerated or returning citizens;
- Other communities experiencing long-term unemployment.
- Impact: Strong applications will focus on the desired outcomes of the project and should describe any potential long-term benefits to the program. Applicants should focus on how projects will ultimately generate positive results for beneficiary communities and program participants.
- Scale: Applicants should display an understanding of how technology and grant investments will support program growth. Applicants should discuss any potential challenges and planned activities to address them including requesting support from Zendesk Foundation to achieve these goals.
- Tech Readiness: Applicants should demonstrate their organization’s ability to invest time in ensuring new software is implemented and effectively used by relevant project stakeholders. Zendesk will provide expert support as needed but applicants should describe what team members will be responsible for managing the platform, how staff buy-in will be encouraged, or overall plans on how to ensure the usage of the software for maximum project impact.
Application
For more information, visit Zendesk Tech for Good.
