NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

TaroWorks, in collaboration with Qualcomm Wireless Reach, is excited to announce a $20,000 humanitarian technology grant is a funding opportunity for non-profit organizations dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to vulnerable populations in hard to reach environments, such as refugees and victims of conflicts or catastrophes. The TaroWorks Humanitarian Grant, offers an unprecedented opportunity for an international  aid organization to revolutionize its field operations with the aim of increasing its reach, improving efficiency and maximizing its impact with Last-Mile mobile technology.

Are you an NGO committed to delivering life-saving aid through the distribution of physical goods and products? Do you struggle with disjointed and inefficient data systems hindering your ability to track distribution and measure impact effectively?

TaroWorks invites organizations around the world to apply for this grant, which will subsidize the cost of implementing cutting-edge mobile and cloud technologies to  monitor field operations, manage supply chains, and maximize impact.  The $20,000 grant will enable the winning organization to implement two interconnected software solutions, TaroWorks Enterprise and Salesforce.

“TaroWorks understands the critical importance of streamlining last-mile distribution for humanitarian aid organizations,” said Elaine Chang, CEO at TaroWorks. “Through our work with hundreds of non-profits and social enterprises across more than 60 countries over the past decade, we have built a solution that provides organizations unprecedented visibility into the distribution of  critical goods and services to those who need it most, even in remote and offline environments. “

About TaroWorks Enterprise

TaroWorks is a pioneering provider of last-mile mobile apps that place the power of the Salesforce’s CRM software into the hands of field agents in offline locations.  The TaroWorks app empowers  field workers to input and access information and tools to keep a registry of delivered goods and services with digital forms, recipient information, photographic records, geolocation, and barcode scanning. TaroWorks was developed within and is wholly owned by the Grameen Foundation, a global non-profit that enables the poor, especially women, to create a world without poverty and hunger.

TaroWorks Enterprise is a mobile last-mile distribution management app that facilitates real-time tracking of stock levels and product movements across suppliers, warehouses, and distribution agents using Android  smartphones or tablets, even in offline settings.

“Qualcomm is proud to support TaroWorks in its mission to drive innovation in humanitarian aid distribution,” said Angela Baker, Chief Sustainability Officer at Qualcomm. “We believe that leveraging mobile and cloud technology can significantly enhance the effectiveness and reach of humanitarian efforts globally.”

Grant Application Deadline and Evaluation Criteria

Organizations interested in applying for the grant can find more information and submit their proposals at https://humanitarian-grant.taroworks.org/

Applications will open on May 6, 2024 and the application deadline is June 7th, with the winner being announced by July 1st.

Who can apply?

All Humanitarian Aid Organizations that distribute physical goods and products to vulnerable populations in last-mile locations are encouraged to apply. TaroWorks is seeking organizations that are already implementing distribution and inventory management processes, but that require a powerful digitization tool to take their impact to the next level.  Preference will be given to organizations supporting refugees, displaced communities, or victims of conflict/crisis and natural disasters.

TaroWorks will evaluate applications based on organization needs, the potential for long-term success with the system, estimated long-term impact, and financial need.

Additional Eligibility Criteria:

• Organizations should demonstrate a clear strategy and process requirements for last-mile distribution operations
• Organizations must have or plan to hire a technical resource (e.g., database manager, CRM systems manager)  that will be able to manage the TaroWorks + Salesforce system

If you have further questions, TaroWorks will be hosting two informational webinars during the month of May.  Applicants can also get in touch directly through the grant website.