Nonprofits are serving more people with fewer dollars while cyber risks rise and digital expectations keep climbing. Being scrappy with funding and technology choices is no longer optional. Microsoft offers significant discounts, grants, and ready-to-use solutions that can stretch your budget and strengthen security.
This page brings together the most valuable Microsoft resources for nonprofits and shows you where to begin. It’s based on a workshop session that breaks down the details, explores your options, and highlights common pitfalls to avoid. You’ll find the full recording embedded below, complete with examples and step-by-step recommendations in action.
Use the sections that follow as a quick reference guide, and dive into the session recording for deeper insights, activation tips, and real-world scenarios.
Jump to section:
- Microsoft Elevate at a Glance
- How Nonprofits Can Save on Microsoft Licensing
- Microsoft Copilot for Nonprofits
- $2,000 in Microsoft Azure Credits: What’s Included and How it Works
- Big Discounts Beyond Microsoft 365
- Prebuilt Nonprofit Solutions on Microsoft Platforms
- Free Training: Microsoft Learn for Nonprofits
- Fast Start Activation Checklist for Nonprofits
- FAQ
Microsoft Elevate at a Glance
What is Microsoft Elevate and who qualifies?
Microsoft Elevate is the umbrella for Microsoft’s nonprofit and philanthropy benefits. Microsoft has made a multi-year, multi-billion commitment to nonprofits with a strong emphasis on practical AI that augments people rather than replaces them.
Eligible 501(c) organizations and similar international equivalents can access discounted licensing, Azure credits, training, and solution templates.
Is Microsoft Tech for Social Impact still an active program?
Elevate consolidates the former Tech for Social Impact (TSI) program. If you have engaged with TSI in the past, Elevate is the current home for those benefits.
How Nonprofits Can Save on Microsoft Licensing
Microsoft 365 Nonprofit Pricing Snapshot
Nonprofits can reduce licensing costs significantly. A common path is:
- Business Basic for up to 300 users at no cost. Includes email, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams.
- Business Standard at low nonprofit pricing. Adds desktop apps like Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
- Business Premium is often the best value. Adds Intune device management, Entra ID P1 for modern identity, and Microsoft Defender security.
- Enterprise E3 and E5 are available for larger organizations with substantial discounts.
Add-ons and standalone discounts
- Visio, Project, and Teams Rooms Pro receive sizable nonprofit discounts.
- E5 Security and E5 Compliance are discounted and help you meet donor, grant, and cyber insurance expectations.
Microsoft Copilot for Nonprofits: Two Options
Microsoft Copilot Chat (included)
Most nonprofit Microsoft 365 tenants already have access to Copilot Chat. It is grounded in web data. You can upload files for analysis, summarize content, and draft first passes quickly.
Microsoft 365 Copilot (paid, discounted)
Microsoft 365 Copilot connects to your tenant data, including Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams. Start small with pilots such as meeting notes, content drafting, and data analysis. Put governance, data protections, and clear usage policy in place before broad rollout.
$2,000 in Azure Credits: What’s Included and How It Works
Eligible nonprofits can receive $2,000 in Microsoft Azure credits per year. When your usage exceeds the credit, the subscription switches to pay as you go. At the next annual cycle you can request the credit again through a quick support ticket.
Practical uses
- Simple dashboards and reports that give leaders a clearer picture of outcomes
- Basic data unification to cut manual work
- Low-risk AI experiments such as chatbots and predictive reporting
The session recording explains common cost traps and how to keep Azure spending predictable.
Big Discounts Beyond Microsoft 365
Microsoft extends nonprofit pricing well beyond the core Microsoft 365 suite. Organizations can tap into savings across business applications, collaboration technology, and even traditional server software. These discounts create opportunities to modernize operations, replace manual processes, and expand hybrid work capabilities at a fraction of the commercial cost.
- Dynamics 365 Sales and Customer Service have nonprofit pricing for donor, case, and engagement scenarios.
- Power Apps can help replace spreadsheets and paper forms with low-code apps.
- Teams Rooms Basic can be free for up to 25 rooms.
- On-premises software through authorized nonprofit channels offers large discounts for Windows Server, SQL Server, and Windows 11 Pro. The workshop recording shows sample savings and how to buy correctly.
Prebuilt Nonprofit Solutions on Microsoft Platforms
Microsoft publishes ready-to-use solution templates for fundraising, grant management, volunteer management, and more. These are open-source on GitHub, so you can deploy as is or use them as a starting point for pilots.
Free Training: Microsoft Learn for Nonprofits
Microsoft Learn hosts on-demand paths designed for nonprofit leaders and staff.
Examples include AI skills for nonprofits and Copilot for volunteer, funding, and program workflows. Virtual modules help you scale training and track progress across teams.
Explore training opportunities at learn.microsoft.com/nonprofit-training
Fast-Start Activation Checklist for Nonprofits
Getting the most out of Microsoft’s nonprofit benefits starts with a few simple but essential steps. This checklist helps ensure your organization activates the right tools, secures funding credits, and sets a strong foundation for productivity and security.
- Confirm eligibility and enroll at nonprofit.microsoft.com.
- Choose a baseline license: Business Premium for most small to midsize orgs, or E3/E5 for larger needs.
- Request and activate your Azure credits to unlock annual cloud resources.
- Set governance and enable DLP/Information Protection to safeguard data.
- Pilot Copilot with small, scoped use cases before scaling up.
- Review prebuilt solutions for quick wins in fundraising, grants, or volunteer management.
- Enroll staff in Microsoft Learn paths to build digital skills and confidence at learn.microsoft.com/nonprofit-training.
Watch other sessions from the Nonprofit Technology Workshop:
Opening and Nonprofit Technology Fireside Chat
Hear directly from nonprofit and technology leaders on today’s biggest IT challenges, opportunities, and risks, and how peers are navigating them.
The AI-Powered Organization
See how AI and Microsoft Copilot can streamline daily work and program delivery, plus what foundations you need for safe, effective adoption.
Microsoft for Nonprofits Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
It is Microsoft’s program that consolidates discounts, grants, and resources for eligible nonprofits. It replaced Tech for Social Impact.
Yes, for up to 300 users if you qualify. It includes Exchange email, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams.
Copilot Chat is included in your Microsoft 365 subscription and uses web data with optional file uploads. Microsoft 365 Copilot is a paid add-on and uses your tenant data in Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams.
You receive $2,000 in credits annually. If you exceed it, billing switches to pay as you go. At renewal you can request the credit again through a short support step.
Yes. Business Premium often delivers the best value by bundling device management, identity, and Defender security for up to 300 users.
Microsoft publishes open-source templates on GitHub for fundraising, grant management, volunteers, outcomes, and more.
Yes. Dial-in numbers for Teams meetings are free, which improves accessibility for your community.
Want to dive deeper? Explore the recorded sessions above, or contact us to start a conversation about your organization’s next steps.
