Difference between revisions of "Hardware Grants"
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Free Geek has a Hardware Grants program! What does this mean? Free Geek, as you may or may not already know, receives a lot of computer junk that eventually gets turned into computer funk (the good kind, not the bad) by our awesome volunteers. However, we have and make so much stuff that we can't possibly sell it all in our thrift store or give it away to our volunteers. What could we possibly do with all these computers we are slowly burying ourselves with? Easy: give them to folks in need via our Hardware Grants program! | Free Geek has a Hardware Grants program! What does this mean? Free Geek, as you may or may not already know, receives a lot of computer junk that eventually gets turned into computer funk (the good kind, not the bad) by our awesome volunteers. However, we have and make so much stuff that we can't possibly sell it all in our thrift store or give it away to our volunteers. What could we possibly do with all these computers we are slowly burying ourselves with? Easy: give them to folks in need via our Hardware Grants program! | ||
− | + | =Who receives hardware grants?= | |
What types of organizations does Free Geek grant hardware to? From the [http://freegeek.org/grants Grants page]: | What types of organizations does Free Geek grant hardware to? From the [http://freegeek.org/grants Grants page]: | ||
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Free Geek does not give out hardware grants to individuals. Here's why: we used to give out what we call "passthrough" grants (which are essentially | Free Geek does not give out hardware grants to individuals. Here's why: we used to give out what we call "passthrough" grants (which are essentially | ||
− | grants that we give to organizations so they can in turn give them to someone else) but stopped doing so because of the technical support issues involved with providing people computers when they hadn't been adequately taught to use the operating system that we provide with them. We instead focus our grants program on providing infrastructure for organizations (computers for an office, for example, or for a public lab setting). Additionally, we feel that giving individuals the opportunity to earn their computers, rather than simply giving them computers, can provide them with a sense of empowerment and responsible ownership that is oftentimes infinitely more valuable than the physical product itself. | + | grants that we give to organizations so they can in turn give them to someone else) but stopped doing so because of the technical support issues involved with providing people computers when they hadn't been adequately does Free Geek grant hardware to? From the Grants page: taught to use the operating system that we provide with them. We instead focus our grants program on providing infrastructure for organizations (computers for an office, for example, or for a public lab setting). Additionally, we feel that giving individuals the opportunity to earn their computers, rather than simply giving them computers, can provide them with a sense of empowerment and responsible ownership that is oftentimes infinitely more valuable than the physical product itself. |
− | + | =What we grant out= | |
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− | + | ==What we grant out easily== | |
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* PCs | * PCs | ||
* Monitors | * Monitors | ||
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* Power cords | * Power cords | ||
* Network cables | * Network cables | ||
− | * | + | * PrintersEssentially, if we've got lots of it, we're willing to grant it out. We do grant out rarer things when they are available, such as: |
− | + | * Network devices | |
− | + | * Mac systems | |
− | + | * IDE Hard drives with greater than 20GB capacity | |
− | * | ||
− | * | ||
* SDRAM and RAMBUS | * SDRAM and RAMBUS | ||
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* 20 GB IDE Hard Drives | * 20 GB IDE Hard Drives | ||
+ | * Mousepads | ||
* Short to medium length networking cable | * Short to medium length networking cable | ||
+ | * Headphones | ||
− | + | ==Uncommon items== | |
− | + | These items need to be requested from area supervisors, such as in advanced testing or in Mac build. | |
− | |||
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* Network devices | * Network devices | ||
* Mac systems | * Mac systems | ||
* IDE Hard drives with greater than 20GB capacity | * IDE Hard drives with greater than 20GB capacity | ||
− | + | ==Limited Items== | |
− | + | As of 11/3/2009, the RAD committee decided to reimpose limits to LCDs and laptops. | |
− | + | * LCDs | |
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− | == | ||
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− | * | ||
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* Laptops | * Laptops | ||
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− | + | ==What we do not grant out== | |
* Projectors | * Projectors | ||
* Speakers | * Speakers | ||
* Long network cables | * Long network cables | ||
− | + | =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. | 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?= | |
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. | 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. | ||
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This is a useful link for verifying non-profit status of entities: [http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Business_registrars http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Business_registrars] | This is a useful link for verifying non-profit status of entities: [http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Business_registrars http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Business_registrars] | ||
− | + | =Can I get involved?= | |
Yes! Free Geek is always looking for reliable volunteers interested in facilitating hardware grants. You will play the role of grant shepherd. Essentially, you will: | Yes! Free Geek is always looking for reliable volunteers interested in facilitating hardware grants. You will play the role of grant shepherd. Essentially, you will: | ||
* Participate in approving or denying grants | * Participate in approving or denying grants |
Revision as of 16:02, 5 November 2009
Overview
Free Geek has a Hardware Grants program! What does this mean? Free Geek, as you may or may not already know, receives a lot of computer junk that eventually gets turned into computer funk (the good kind, not the bad) by our awesome volunteers. However, we have and make so much stuff that we can't possibly sell it all in our thrift store or give it away to our volunteers. What could we possibly do with all these computers we are slowly burying ourselves with? Easy: give them to folks in need via our Hardware Grants program!
Who receives hardware grants?
What types of organizations does Free Geek grant hardware to? From the Grants page:
- Grants are made to organizations, specifically not-for-profit organizations, and not to individuals. We grant hardware to non-profit and social change organizations local to Portland, Oregon; we cannot provide for any kind of shipping to other locations. You must be able to come to Free Geek and pick up the granted hardware.
To be more specific, Free Geek grants hardware to:
- Non-profit organizations
- Schools
- Churches
- Community centers
- Social change organizations
- Worker collectives
Free Geek does not give out hardware grants to individuals. Here's why: we used to give out what we call "passthrough" grants (which are essentially grants that we give to organizations so they can in turn give them to someone else) but stopped doing so because of the technical support issues involved with providing people computers when they hadn't been adequately does Free Geek grant hardware to? From the Grants page: taught to use the operating system that we provide with them. We instead focus our grants program on providing infrastructure for organizations (computers for an office, for example, or for a public lab setting). Additionally, we feel that giving individuals the opportunity to earn their computers, rather than simply giving them computers, can provide them with a sense of empowerment and responsible ownership that is oftentimes infinitely more valuable than the physical product itself.
What we grant out
What we grant out easily
- PCs
- Monitors
- Keyboards
- Mice
- Power cords
- Network cables
- PrintersEssentially, if we've got lots of it, we're willing to grant it out. We do grant out rarer things when they are available, such as:
- Network devices
- Mac systems
- IDE Hard drives with greater than 20GB capacity
- SDRAM and RAMBUS
- 20 GB IDE Hard Drives
- Mousepads
- Short to medium length networking cable
- Headphones
Uncommon items
These items need to be requested from area supervisors, such as in advanced testing or in Mac build.
- Network devices
- Mac systems
- IDE Hard drives with greater than 20GB capacity
Limited Items
As of 11/3/2009, the RAD committee decided to reimpose limits to LCDs and laptops.
- LCDs
- Laptops
What we do not grant out
- Projectors
- Speakers
- Long network cables
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?
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.
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.
This is a useful link for verifying non-profit status of entities: http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Business_registrars
Can I get involved?
Yes! Free Geek is always looking for reliable volunteers interested in facilitating hardware grants. You will play the role of grant shepherd. Essentially, you will:
- Participate in approving or denying grants
- Determine if we have all the information we need to proceed with the grant, and ask for more if we need it
- Update the status of the grant via RT
- Arrange appointments with requesters to have them come in and pick up equipment
- Give requesters the equipment approved for the grant
- Give the grantee outreach documents (located near the finished grantboxen). These will most likely include: brochures, tear-off sheets, FAQs, and contact sheets for how to contact us if the organization's staff would like a 10-minute talk on how Free Geek can help them and their clients.
- Fill out paperwork appropriately for data entry (or disburse the equipment yourself in the database, if you have access to it)
If you are a volunteer or intern starting hardware grants, use the training template to get started.