Difference between revisions of "Hardware Grants"

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Free Geek has a hardware grants program in which we give hardware to community service/change organizations who request it. Our emphasis is on computers, but we are able to grant out many other things as well. Hardware grants is overseen by Public Services.

The Hardware Grants Process (from request to resolution)

Please refer to Processing Hardware Grants for specific instructions on the new system for Grants.

Incoming requests

Grant request comes in to RT (or ToDo)
- Grant look too complicated? Ask the Hardware Grants Coordinator or leave it in the queue if they're not available.
Determine if grantees are eligible using the How to approve/deny grants page.
- Use the "Comment link" to input non-profit status into RT after checking Business registrars, Melissa Data or the IRS website, if appropriate.
- Determine if requester is an approved contact by checking email address, publicly-available information or personal contact with organization.
Determine if we are able to grant out the requested items by using the Hardware Grants What We Can Give Out List.
If request is simple and fulfillable, update Custom Fields inputs including GrantStatus, FG-PDX_Elegibility and Needed fields.
- If you require further information (on the items requested, status of the organization or grant contact), choose "Requested" in the GrantsStatus field and set the ticket status to Open.
Click "Reply" in the original application and use Hardware Grants Responses to generate an appropriate response.
- If conversation occurs via email (outside of RT), input any relevant details in RT.
If items are not readily available please request them using established methods for Requesting Items for Hardware Grants
- Your RT ticket should be updated when waitlisted items are available.

After clarification and approval

Monitor ticket and wait for any necessary system production and all requested items to be available before proceeding.
When items are ready, ask them to sign up for pickup at https://freegeek.youcanbook.me/. This service will automatically add their appointment to the Google calendar and send confirmation email with all necessary pickup information.
When they come in to pickup the item, follow the How To Disburse A Grant guide.
- You must:
  - Get the name of the person picking up materials;
  - Take all paper PRINTMEs on systems;
  - Provide a Using your Free Geek computer! handout if they are receiving any computers.
- Consider asking them to take a picture with their granted hardware in front of Free Geek or the painting in front of the Monkey House.
After disbursement, ensure you:
- Update the Custom Fields inputs in RT;
- Indicate what you disbursed and to whom in RT;
- Input disbursement information in the database.
  - If the contact doesn't currently exist in the system, create a new contact. Check the "organization" box and ensure you put in the correct address.
Click "Resolve" if you have successfully fulfilled the grant request.
High-five anyone nearby for a job well done (or pat yourself on the back) and continue on to the next HG request.

Pages related to hardware grants

Processing Hardware Grants
How to approve/deny grants
How To Disburse A Grant
Hardware Grants Responses: Cut-and-paste responses for requesters

http://www.freegeek.org/grants/: Hardware Grants page on website, including application

What We Can Grant Master List: Comprehensive list of what we can (and can't) grant out
Requesting Items for Hardware Grants
Build Specs

Business registrars (OR or WA): For verifying non-profit status
Federal Exempt Organizations Select Check: To check status at a federal level
Melissa Data: Another non-profit lookup

Using your Free Geek computer!: Given to requesters who get systems

Hardware Grants Summary
Hardware Grants Volunteer Intern: Job description
Training Guide for HG Internship: Checklist for beginning volunteers/interns

Due to IRS considerations we are not able to provide an approximate or exact value for any of our disbursed hardware. Those who require this information should consult an accountant, tax software or look for equivalents for comparison prices.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Free Geek has a hardware grants program in which we give hardware to organizations who request it. Our emphasis is on computers, but we are able to grant out other things as well. Hardware grants is overseen by [[Production]].
+{{Migrated}}
+[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G7J_3-ElRrvvPLdOT1Naz9KGS8hRelFSH7U_Ywv6TEk/edit?usp=sharing Link]
+__NOTOC__
+Free Geek has a hardware grants program in which we give hardware to community service/change organizations who request it. Our emphasis is on computers, but we are able to grant out many other things as well. Hardware grants is overseen by Public Services.
 {|cellspacing="1px" style="background-color:#f8fcff"
@@ Line 5: / Line 10: @@
 | width="70%" style="border: 1px solid #6688AA; background-color:#FFFFFF; padding:1em;" valign="top"|
-==Who receives hardware grants?==
+==The Hardware Grants Process (from request to resolution)==
-===Eligible===
+'''Please refer to [[Processing Hardware Grants]] for specific instructions on the new system for Grants.'''
-* Non-profit organizations
+===Incoming requests===
-* Schools
+# Grant request comes in to [http://todo.freegeek.org/ RT (or ToDo)]
-* Churches
+#* Grant look too complicated? Ask the Hardware Grants Coordinator or leave it in the queue if they're not available.
-* Community centers
+# Determine if grantees are eligible using the [[How to approve/deny grants]] page.
-* Social change organizations
+#* Use the "Comment link" to input non-profit status into RT after checking [[Business registrars]], [http://www.melissadata.com/lookups/index.htm Melissa Data] or the [http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/ IRS website], if appropriate.
-* Worker collectives
+#* Determine if requester is an approved contact by checking email address, publicly-available information or personal contact with organization.
+# Determine if we are able to grant out the requested items by using the [[Hardware Grants What We Can Give Out List]].
+# If request is simple and fulfillable, update Custom Fields inputs including GrantStatus, FG-PDX_Elegibility and Needed fields.
+#* If you require further information (on the items requested, status of the organization or grant contact), choose "Requested" in the GrantsStatus field and set the ticket status to Open.
+# Click "Reply" in the original application and use [[Hardware Grants Responses]] to generate an appropriate response.
+#* If conversation occurs via email (outside of RT), input any relevant details in RT.
+# If items are not readily available please request them using established methods for [[Requesting Items for Hardware Grants]]
+#* Your RT ticket should be updated when waitlisted items are available.
+===After clarification and approval===
+# Monitor ticket and wait for any necessary system production and all requested items to be available before proceeding.
+# When items are ready, ask them to sign up for pickup at https://freegeek.youcanbook.me/. This service will automatically add their appointment to the Google calendar and send confirmation email with all necessary pickup information.
+# When they come in to pickup the item, follow the [[How To Disburse A Grant]] guide.
+#* You '''must''':
+#** Get the name of the person picking up materials;
+#** Take all paper PRINTMEs on systems;
+#** Provide a [[Using your Free Geek computer!]] handout if they are receiving any computers.
+#* Consider asking them to take a picture with their granted hardware in front of Free Geek or the painting in front of the Monkey House.
+# After disbursement, ensure you:
+#* Update the Custom Fields inputs in RT;
+#* Indicate what you disbursed and to whom in RT;
+#* [http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Data_Entry Input disbursement information] in the [http://data/ database].
+#** If the contact doesn't currently exist in the system, create a new contact.  Check the "organization" box and ensure you put in the correct address.
+# Click "Resolve" if you have successfully fulfilled the grant request.
+# High-five anyone nearby for a job well done (or pat yourself on the back) and continue on to the next HG request.
-===Ineligible===
-* For-profit organizations that are not on the above list
-* Partisan organizations ''e.g. 501(c)4, partisan''
-: Granting to partisan organizations would unduly compromise our 501(c)3 status.
-* Individuals
-: Free Geek prefers that individuals volunteer to earn a computer so we can have them involved in our community and so they can learn how to use their computer through the [[Build | build program]] or adoption class. We de-prioritized pass-through grants (where an organization requests computers to give to clients) because of the technical support issues involved with providing people computers without training.
 |width="30%" align="left" style="border: 1px solid #6688AA; background-color:#efefef;padding:1em;" valign="top" |
 ==Pages related to hardware grants==
+;[[Processing Hardware Grants]]
+;[[How to approve/deny grants]]
+;[[How To Disburse A Grant]]
+;[[Hardware Grants Responses]]
+:Cut-and-paste responses for requesters
 ;[http://www.freegeek.org/grants/ http://www.freegeek.org/grants/]
-:Hardware Grants page on the website, including the application
+:Hardware Grants page on website, including application
-;[[Hardware Grants Volunteer Intern]]
-:Job description for volunteers and interns in hardware grants
-;[[Template:Training Guide for Hardware Grants Internship]]
-:Checklist for beginning volunteers and interns in hardware grants
-;[[Using RT for Hardware Grants]]
-;[[Hardware Grants Manual]]
-:How to approve/deny grants
-;[[Business registrars]]
-:For verifying non-profit status
-;[[Hardware Grants Responses]]
-:How to respond to requesters
-;[[Policies]]
-;[[Resource Packet For Grants]]
-:Given to requesters who get systems
-;[[Ubuntu new user FAQ]]
-:Given to requesters who get systems
-;[[Dead Trees]]
-:Print outs
-|}
-{|cellspacing="1px" style="background-color:#f8fcff"
-| width="100%" style="border: 1px solid #6688AA; background-color:#FFFFFF; padding:1em;" valign="top"|
+;[[Hardware Grants What We Can Give Out List|What We Can Grant Master List]]
+:Comprehensive list of what we can (and can't) grant out
+;[[Requesting Items for Hardware Grants]]
+;[[Build Specs]]
-==What we grant out==
+;[[Business registrars]] ([http://egov.sos.state.or.us/br/pkg_web_name_srch_inq.login OR] or  [http://www.secstate.wa.gov/corps/search.aspx WA])
-The items we are able to grant out depend on our supply, which changes from time to time.
+:For verifying non-profit status
+;[http://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/ Federal Exempt Organizations Select Check]
+:To check status at a federal level
+;[http://www.melissadata.com/lookups/np.asp Melissa Data]
+:Another non-profit lookup
-===What we grant out easily===
-* PCs
-* Monitors
-* Keyboards
-* Mice
-* Power cords
-* Network cables
-* Printers
-* Mousepads
-* Short to medium length networking cable
-* Headphones
-===Uncommon items===
+;[[Using your Free Geek computer!]]
-These items need to be requested from area supervisors, such as in advanced testing or in Mac build.
+:Given to requesters who get systems
-* Network devices
-* Mac systems
-* IDE Hard drives with greater than 20GB capacity
-* SDRAM and RAMBUS
-===Limited Items===
-As of 11/3/2009, the RAD committee decided to reimpose limits to LCDs and laptops. See [[http://lists.freegeek.org/pipermail/rad/2009-November/000425.html http://lists.freegeek.org/pipermail/rad/2009-November/000425.html]]
-* LCDs
-* Laptops
-===What we do not grant out===
+;[[Hardware Grants Summary]]
-We do not get enough of these items to grant out.
+;[[Hardware Grants Volunteer Intern]]
-* Projectors
+:Job description
-* Speakers
+;[[Template:Training Guide for Hardware Grants Internship|Training Guide for HG Internship]]
-* Long network cables
+:Checklist for beginning volunteers/interns
-==Does the organization's location matter?==
-Yes and no.  We simply don't have the means to ship the types of hardware typically requested in grants, so we are limited to providing hardware grants to organizations that are able to pick up grants from us. However, we are more than willing to provide hardware to organizations in any location of the world as long as they can provide a local contact that can pick up hardware from us and handle the rest.
-==How are grants approved/denied?==
+''Due to IRS considerations we are not able to provide an approximate or exact value for any of our disbursed hardware. Those who require this information should consult an accountant, tax software or look for equivalents for comparison prices.''
-In general, if an organization does not fit into one of the types listed above (e.g. an average for-profit business), its grant request will be denied. However, sometimes we receive grant requests from qualifying organizations that ask for more than we can provide in a given month, or have a need on an ongoing basis. In that case, it is necessary to contact the requester to discuss the details of the request and bring down the amount of requested hardware to a reasonable level.
+|}
+{|cellspacing="1px" style="background-color:#f8fcff"
-Hardware grants volunteers, interns, and Free Geek staff members work together to approve and deny grants. One "grant shepherd" is responsible for contacting and disbursing equipment to each organization.
 |}