Cisco Meraki Nonprofit Discount FAQ

Cisco Meraki offers discounted pricing on hardware and licenses for eligible nonprofits and NGOs through authorized resellers. Through Telecom4Good, all eligible U.S.-based nonprofits receive a minimum 50% discount on Cisco Meraki equipment and licenses compared to standard commercial pricing. International nonprofits and NGOs may also qualify for significant discounts depending on their location and eligibility. Telecom4Good is a 501(c)(3) and one of the few nonprofit organizations that resell Cisco Meraki specifically for nonprofits. Our team works directly with your staff to explain how these discounts apply to specific models and license types and to plan a cost-effective rollout.

In general, the Cisco Meraki nonprofit program is available to registered nonprofits, NGOs, and charitable organizations that can provide documentation of their status, such as 501(c)(3) recognition in the United States or an international equivalent. Eligibility is reviewed as part of the quoting process. Telecom4Good can help your team confirm eligibility and fit with the program guidelines before you invest time in a full proposal.

All Cisco Meraki hardware families, including MX security and SD-WAN appliances, MS switches, MR wireless access points, MV smart cameras, MT sensors, MG cellular gateways, and SM mobile device management, are eligible for nonprofit discounts, along with their cloud licenses and accessories. For eligible U.S.-based nonprofits working with Telecom4Good, all Cisco Meraki equipment, licenses, and accessories qualify for a minimum 50% discount off standard commercial pricing. In addition, select Cisco Catalyst switches and access points that can be managed in the Meraki cloud dashboard, including Catalyst 9300 Series and CW91xx models, may also qualify for nonprofit pricing, while traditional non-Meraki Cisco equipment does not receive the same level of discount.

Cisco Meraki MX security appliances are licensed in tiers that unlock different feature sets. Enterprise licenses focus on core routing, firewall, VPN, and site-to-site connectivity. Advanced Security licenses add intrusion detection and prevention, content filtering, advanced malware protection, and other security tools. The Secure SD-WAN license for MX builds on Advanced Security by adding advanced analytics, smart SaaS and application optimization, and enhanced SD-WAN capabilities such as dynamic path selection across multiple uplinks. For MR access points, the standard Enterprise license covers core cloud-managed Wi-Fi, while the MR Advanced license adds integrated security and policy capabilities for environments that need stronger protection. For MV smart cameras, the base license covers cloud management and on-camera storage; the MV Cloud Archive license adds continuous 24/7 off-site video backup for longer retention, and the MV Sense license enables advanced analytics such as people counting, occupancy insights, and custom computer vision use cases. Nonprofits choose among these options based on security requirements, compliance needs, and budget. Telecom4Good helps nonprofits compare these options in plain language for each site so both IT and non-technical leaders can make informed decisions.

Typically, nonprofits begin by sharing information about their locations, user counts, and high-level security needs with Telecom4Good, an authorized Cisco Meraki nonprofit reseller. We then prepare one or more nonprofit-eligible quotes that outline hardware, license terms, and estimated savings compared to standard pricing. Because Telecom4Good is a 501(c)(3), our role is to help nonprofits compare options, understand total cost of ownership, and decide which quote best fits their mission, budget, and long-term plans.

Deployment timelines vary based on the number of sites, available staff, and how much existing equipment needs to be replaced. For a single office, many nonprofits can deploy Cisco Meraki in days once hardware arrives, especially if they work with an experienced installer. Multi-country rollouts take longer and are usually done in phases. The key is to plan for site surveys, configuration, shipping lead times, and a realistic cutover schedule so staff experience as little disruption as possible.

Nonprofits do not always need to replace their entire network to benefit from Cisco Meraki. Many organizations introduce Meraki gradually, for example by starting with wireless access points or edge security appliances while keeping existing switches or core equipment. Over time, they can standardize on Meraki if it makes sense. A phased approach lets nonprofits spread costs over multiple budget cycles and learn the Meraki dashboard before committing to a full refresh.

Good Wi-Fi planning starts with understanding how staff, volunteers, and visitors use your space. Nonprofits should consider the number of concurrent users, types of devices, and high-density areas such as training rooms, auditoriums, or clinics. With Cisco Meraki, access point placement, channel planning, and power levels can be tuned from the cloud dashboard. Site surveys, floor plans, and simple walk-tests are valuable tools to confirm coverage and performance before you finalize your design.

A common best practice is to separate staff and guest traffic into different SSIDs and VLANs. Staff networks typically use strong authentication and access to internal resources, while guest networks are isolated and restricted to the internet. Cisco Meraki allows nonprofits to enforce content filtering, bandwidth limits, and time-based access on guest networks. This helps protect sensitive data on internal systems while still providing convenient connectivity to visitors, volunteers, and community members.

Cisco Meraki licensing is subscription-based, so nonprofits should treat license renewals as part of their annual operating budget. Many organizations choose three- or five-year terms for better pricing and fewer renewal events. It helps to maintain a clear inventory of devices and license expiry dates, and to review usage annually to right-size coverage. Some nonprofits align renewal cycles with grant periods or multi-year funding so network costs are predictable and easy to explain to boards and donors.