Below, we have outlined some key ways these changes are likely to affect not-for-profits. We are here to answer your questions and to help you plan in response to these changes.

Changes to Previous Offers

With a few notable exceptions, on-premises products are no longer available as donations. "On-premises" refers to perpetual licenses, paid for as a one-off rather than a subscription, that are tied to a device and can be used without an Internet connection. These products are still available at a not-for-profit discount, ranging from around 60 to 75 per cent off commercial pricing. However, much of the functionality offered by these on-premises products can be attained through cloud-based offerings, many of which are still available as fully donated products.

On-Premises Donated Offerings

A limited number of on-premises donations continue to be available after the changes to the Microsoft donation program. On-premises Windows 11 Pro licenses can be accessed as a donation, presenting an option for a full operating system. Admin fees included, you can get up to 50 licenses at $16 each, with any additional ones available at the discounted rate of $52 each.

Additionally, organisations that require software for shared-access devices can access specific donation offers, such as Office Standard 2021. If your organisation qualifies for this, you can request these products, labelled "Computer Labs Only." This includes not-for-profits that operate training centres, computer labs, or public-access devices.

Please note that the Computer Lab program does not include libraries. Libraries can receive on-premises and cloud solutions for their staff and public-access computers through Microsoft's academic offers. If you're unsure which offers your organisation is eligible for, take a look at the eligibility and utilisation requirements.

Cloud-Based Solutions

In light of these changes, as well as a more general move towards cloud-based technology, we strongly recommend that organisations move towards Microsoft 365 or Office 365 cloud-based licenses. These are more affordable, flexible, and secure than on-premises licenses and are much more effective for supporting remote and distributed work. With most organisations forced to embrace a hybrid working model, and many choosing to continue doing so in some capacity, cloud licenses are the easier, more effective solution.

For most not-for-profits, the best solution is Microsoft 365 Business Premium. This is a cloud-based program that includes email, cloud file storage, web conferencing, and advanced security features. It also includes downloadable desktop applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access. You can obtain the first 10 Microsoft 365 Business Premium licenses through Connecting Up at $0 per license, and any further licenses are priced at $5 per license per month.

Microsoft 365 Business Basic continues to be available at no cost to not-for-profits, for up to 300 users. This license includes online Office applications, email, cloud file storage and sharing, web conferencing, and other services.

Microsoft continues to offer 10 donated seats for the Power Apps Per-App plan, allowing your team to build low-code and no-code custom workflows.

Organisations can also leverage up to $3,500 in Azure services each year in markets where Azure is available. You can access this directly from Microsoft.

View all Microsoft charity offers here.

Navigating the Program Changes

We understand that these changes can be confusing. We are continuing to work with Microsoft to provide offers that meet the needs of our not-for-profit members, and we will provide up-to-date information at every juncture.