Hardware Grants

One motherboard, coming right up

The Hardware Grants Program connects qualifying non-profits with needed and available refurbished computer equipment. Since our inception in February 2000, we have granted out more than 2,800 PCs to various organizations. Read on for more details or check out a brief list of past recipients.

Who is eligible

Hardware grants are made to non-profits (schools, religious organizations, community centers, etc.) that can arrange to pick up requested equipment from our Portland location. Individuals are not eligible for grants – please see our volunteer programs if you are an individual looking for a computer.


The systems we grant out are excellent for typical office tasks, such as word processing and browsing the web. They are not recommended for processes that use a lot of resources, such as video editing.


Because of the difficulty involved in verifying legitimacy, tracking what happens after computers become obsolete, and the difficulty in shipping or preparation to ship we have decided that it will be extremely unlikely that international grant requests will be approved, even if you have a local contact. Here are some other ways to get free hardware:

  • Contact big computer manufacturers. They like the publicity and enjoy donating!
  • Check out the World Computer Exchange. They are far more equipped for international donating than we are

What is available

We specialize in granting out complete PC systems (which come installed with Ubuntu Linux). All systems come with monitor, mouse, keyboard and power cables. We may be able to meet other hardware needs – just be specific in your request.

If you need to apply for laptops, we can only grant out a maximum of 3 within a 90 day period. If your organization needs more than 3, please re-apply after receiving the first 3. You also must specify why exactly your organization needs laptops instead of PCs.

Application

Please follow these steps to apply for a hardware grant:

1. Determine your organization’s specific hardware need in order to articulate this through the application.
2. Fill out the hardware grants application thoroughly.
3. A grant shepherd will contact you within two weeks. Please note: We may only be able to partially fill a grant. For instance, if ten computers are requested, we may only be able to grant six.
4. Show up to pick up your hardware only at the time you agreed to with your grant shepherd.

Now that you know how our Hardware Grants Program works, continue on to the hardware grant application.