Deadline: 29-Jan-24
Salesforce is pleased to invite you to submit this application for participation in the Salesforce Accelerator – AI for Climate.
Climate change is the most urgent issue facing humanity today, and one that disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable populations. This accelerator provides flexible funding, pro bono expertise, and Salesforce technology to nonprofit organizations seeking to harness the power of AI for climate action. In the midst of an AI revolution and climate crisis, Salesforce is committed to ensuring that no person or organization is left behind.
The Salesforce Accelerator – AI for Climate is designed to provide funding, technology, and pro bono expertise for nonprofit organizations aiming to experiment and scale their impact with AI and Salesforce technology.
Focus Areas
- The accelerator will support a range of solutions and organizations who focus on at least one of the following areas:
- Climate Mitigation
- Efforts aimed at reducing or preventing the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere and in reducing the current concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) by enhancing sinks. For example, renewable energy, electric vehicles, reforestation and conservation.
- Climate Adaptation & Resilience
- Solutions and strategies that prepare and adjust for the impacts of climate change and the vulnerability it presents to communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure. For example, precision agriculture, coastal restoration, water conservation, early warning systems and flood and wildfire resilience.
- Climate Finance
- Tools and resources connecting communities with public, private and alternative sources of financing that seeks to support mitigation and adaptation actions. For example, connecting communities and climate entrepreneurs with capital and investor networks to move from idea to action.
- Climate Mitigation
What does the Accelerator Offer?
- Flexible funding from $2 million pool across a cohort of up to 6 organizations.
- A 24-month contract for donated Salesforce products that support the project.
- 1 year of pro bono consulting from Salesforce employee volunteers with technical expertise, plus access to additional experts as needed.
- A 5-month Strategy and Planning Consulting Program, including one-on-one and group coaching from Salesforce experts on a range of topics. During this period, selected organizations will be matched with a team of pro bono volunteers to further refine the solution vision.
Expected Outcomes
- Deeper understanding of the viability of your idea. They hope that your solution proves successful – they will work with you over the course of the Accelerator to further shape, test and de risk ideas. This program is designed to let you take that risk and contribute insights to the sector in the process.
- Lessons learned and shared for the benefit of the larger nonprofit community. They are confident that your experience will yield valuable insights and learning both for your organization and others. They’re invested in helping to identify and share those learnings.
- Improved organizational digital maturity. While their engagement will focus on enabling you to deliver on your proposed project, they believe that the close partnership you’ll build with your Salesforce employee volunteer partners will also help you build tech skills and capacity within your organization.
Eligibility Criteria
- They are seeking organizations that:
- Have a vision for how AI and Salesforce technology can accelerate their impact with demonstrated data readiness and digital maturity for AI solutions
- Have the capacity to participate in the Accelerator program from May 2024 – September 2024
- Meet the Salesforce.org Power of Us license eligibility criteria
- Are US 501(c)(3) organizations, fiscally sponsored, or international equivalent globally
- Have the readiness, staffing, leadership support, and knowledge to implement and manage a tech solution
- Have the potential to leverage Salesforce staff expertise, Salesforce technology and AI to amplify their impact (They will help you realize this potential through the Accelerator).
- Have general understanding of Salesforce technology and products
- To be eligible you must be recognized as a charitable, nonprofit, educational, or social change organization in the country where you are located. This includes public or private nonprofit primary, secondary, and higher education organizations and institutions. Further, your organization must be in compliance with Salesforce’s Acceptable Use Policy and External-Facing Services policy.
- Your organization must provide legal documentation showing that you meet the above criteria. See below for specific eligibility requirements. Final determination of eligibility will be made at their sole discretion. Further, a customer must provide documentation to validate its status upon request from Salesforce.org.
- If countries do not have an official registry for these types of entities, then the organization’s legal documentation (see below) must specify that the entity is established for these purposes:
- Articles of Association
- Memorandum of Association
- Similar legal documentation with financial statements declaring their mission and primary operating purpose as a nonprofit, charitable organization, or public educational institution.
- The following types of nonprofit organizations will be considered for Power of Us eligibility:
- Nonprofit organizations:
- Religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational
- Socially benefiting or social welfare
- Arts, culture and/or heritage
- Humanitarian
- Nonprofit providers of the following Social Services:
- Retirement Care
- Hospice
- Mental Health Treatment
- Community Health Services (Outpatient Only)
- Substance Abuse Treatment
- Blood & Organ Transplant Banks
- Developmental Services
- Disability Services
- Reproductive Health Services
- Nonprofit foundations or fundraising organizations, including hospital foundations.
- Community Development Financial Institutions registered as a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4)
- In the United States, organizations with tax exempt status under the following U.S. Internal Revenue Codes:
- 501(c)(3) Charitable Organizations
- 501(c)(4) Social Welfare Organizations
- Outside the United States, refer to the checklist below for country specific requirements
- Higher education institutions:
- Public or Private nonprofit higher education institutions
- Primary and secondary education institutions:
- Standalone K-12 public, charter, and private (nonprofit) schools – as well as K-12 public school districts, charter management organizations (CMO), and private (nonprofit) school networks.
- Fiscally sponsored organizations:
- Organizations that are fiscally sponsored by an organization that meets the current eligibility criteria
- Fiscal sponsorship is a financial and legal structure by which a legally recognized tax exempt organization or public charity provides specific financial and legal oversight to an entity that does not itself qualify to be tax exempt or a public charity.
- Eligibility is determined on a case by case basis. In addition, Salesforce.org will determine whether entities with the following characteristics are eligible for the Power of Us program benefits.
- Those with comprehensive and transparent social and/or environmental standards
- Microfinance organizations
- Emerging social business organizations
- Organizations that are fiscally sponsored by an organization that meets the current eligibility criteria
- Nonprofit organizations:
Ineligible
- Salesforce.org does not donate or provide discounts to organizations in the following countries: Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea, China (including mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau), and the region of Crimea.
- Salesforce.org provides a discount, but no donation, to the following:
- Social enterprises, social businesses, Community Interest Companies, B-Corps, Cooperatives (non retail)
- Salesforce.org provides a donation, but no discount to the following:
- Organizations in Russia
For more information, visit Salesforce.