by Shruti Ramaswami, Microsoft Program Director, TechSoup
We're sharing important news regarding planned changes to the Microsoft program on TechSoup that may influence your organization's IT budgeting and planning.
We call your attention the recent blog post from Microsoft's Tech for Social Impact group which explains their continued focus on a Microsoft Cloud first strategy for nonprofits. The changes announced will take effect April 4, 2022 and are propelled by Microsoft’s goal of better aligning their philanthropic offers to the comprehensive capabilities and security that the Microsoft Cloud can provide nonprofits. TechSoup’s partnership with Microsoft has enabled more than 394K organizations globally to access world-class technology solutions, both on-premises and cloud, to better achieve their missions and will continue to prioritize supporting the needs of nonprofits so that they access and utilize the tools they need.
We’ve summarized below the changes that will impact Microsoft's longstanding software donation program on TechSoup. We recognize that the planned changes may influence your IT budgeting and your TechSoup experience. We are here to answer your questions and to help you understand options and resources to help you set or re-set plans. Feel free to ask questions here.
How will the current Microsoft offers on TechSoup change?
- With a few exceptions noted below, on-premises products will no longer be available to nonprofits as a donation beginning April 4, 2022. Much of the functionality of on-premises solutions is available through donated cloud offers, including downloadable desktop applications.
- The term on-premises software refers to stand-alone, perpetual licenses that users install on specific computers and that can be used without an internet connection (e.g., Office Standard). On-premises products can still be requested through TechSoup until April 4, 2022, but after that date these products will be available as discounts which typically range from 60-75% of commercial pricing. This may mean your cost for on-premises products will be 3-5 times higher than the current donation program administrative fees.
- The on-premises Microsoft software that will continue to be part of TechSoup’s catalog after April 4, 2022 will include:
- On-premises Windows Pro licenses as a donation
- Windows Server and SQL Server as a donation in those limited countries where Azure is unavailable (Current Azure availability can be found here)
- On-premises product donations will be available for those organizations that require software for shared-access devices. We understand that many organizations still need device-based access and are delighted to work with Microsoft to offer this new program to the nonprofits we serve. Organizations, such as those operating computer labs, training centers, or providing public-access computers will be able to access specific donation offers to support these scenarios.
- Some donation offers include the downloadable applications found in on-premises offers, often with more robust, secure, and resilient features. Cloud donation offers are subject to eligibility and utilization requirements*. The cloud donations available are:
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium will continue to be free for up to 10 users and includes email, downloadable desktop applications (e.g.., Office 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive), cloud file-storage and sharing, web conferencing with messaging, audio, and high-definition video, and simple device management and advanced security features.
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic licenses will continue to be free for up to 300 users and include email, cloud file storage and sharing, web conferencing with messaging, audio, and high-definition video, and other services.
- Power Apps Per App plan to build low code and no code custom workflows are available for free for up to 10 seats.
- Organizations can also leverage up to $3,500 in Azure services yearly directly from Microsoft, in those markets where Azure is available.
*Please note: Microsoft refers to donated offers as granted offers. Eligibility and restrictions can be found here.
What can TechSoup do to help you?
We’ve been through many program changes as software delivery models have changed – from distributing floppy disks and CDs to supporting organizations as they transitioned to the cloud - and TechSoup will continue to focus on supporting. As you identify new needs and advance your adoption of digital tools, we’ll adapt our services. For now, we want you to know that we are here to:
- Answer your questions and understand your feedback. Reach out to us for help and send us your thoughts on how we can best support you.
- Host webinars to answer your questions. We will host two webinars this month to answer any questions you may have. Register for these events here.
- Support you as you adopt your hybrid solutions. We understand that these changes may impact your budget and planning, and we want to support you in making the right decisions for your IT needs. If you need more on-premises licensing, consider also adding a donation cloud offer to ensure your team can start saving documents to the cloud and get familiar with using Teams for collaboration. We also have hundreds of other product offers and solutions available to ensure your organization can be digitally resilient. The following resources can help in understanding what is available and how we can help.
- Help build up your team's skills. The TechSoup Microsoft Digital Skills Center, a part of our TechSoup Courses offerings, has already supported over 40,000 nonprofit learners worldwide with access to training and skills to help adopt new solutions and maximize the value of the existing solutions you have.
No matter where you are in your tech journey, we are here to support you.
