Frequently asked questions

Microsoft provides grants and discounts for eligible nonprofit organizations, including cloud services like Microsoft 365, Azure and Power Platform, Surface hardware, on-premises software, and digital skilling. Please note that not every program may be available in every country.

How do I apply for the nonprofit programs available to my organization?

First, review our eligibility guidelines and then get started by applying for a product grant or discount.

Who is TechSoup?

TechSoup and its international network of 65 other partner organizations help Microsoft in facilitating software grants for nonprofits, charities, and NGOs in 236 countries and territories. This includes quickly and reliably verifying an organization's nonprofit status. Serving as a dynamic bridge between civil society and corporate donor partners like Microsoft, TechSoup provides transformative technology products, knowledge, and services that enable people to work together toward a more equitable world. Learn more about TechSoup.

How do I get help installing and using my Microsoft products?

Microsoft encourages you to work with a partner in your country whose mission is to serve other nonprofits in building organization and technology capacity, such as nonprofit partners TechSoup and Tech Impact.

What training is available to learn how to use Microsoft products that I have received through a grant, downloaded online, or already have installed on my PC?

Microsoft has partnered with TechSoup to create the Digital Skills Center for Nonprofits, which is a collection of training courses designed to help nonprofits make the most out of the Microsoft products they already have.

Does Microsoft have a hardware grant program?

What Microsoft products and services are available in my country?

Microsoft provides nonprofit grants and discounts in over 200 countries worldwide. Product availability for nonprofits aligns with Microsoft commercial product availability with the exception of new Surface hardware offers which are only available in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States. Refurbished Surface devices are only available in the United States and Canada. Our goal is to deliver purchasing experiences that offer customers the flexibility to access nonprofits offers whether they choose to buy on their own, through Microsoft, or through our certified partners—flexible options include Enterprise Agreement, Cloud Solution Providers, and Open Value Licensing. To learn more about the specific products, services, and purchasing options available in your country, complete the verification process via our nonprofit portal.

What determines the pricing for nonprofit products and services from Microsoft?

Microsoft realizes that predictable pricing is critical to strategic IT planning. To provide nonprofits transparency and help with IT planning, our approach is to provide up to a 75% discount on core products for cloud and on-premises products, and up to a 60% discount on premium products. Exact pricing may vary by purchase channel due to value added partner services and additional support levels offered to nonprofits.

What can I expect when I buy through a Microsoft partner?

If purchasing through a Microsoft Partner, you will be offered value added services, which can include consulting services, deployment and migration services, management services, and providing training and support for your staff. Visit the Find a Partner page to learn more.

How can my nonprofit license computer labs or other shared device scenarios?

Because many nonprofits provide computer training labs and other public access computing opportunities, we offer software grants that cover standard public access lab licensing options for Office Standard, Windows Professional, Project, Publisher, Visio and Visual Studio. Nonprofits will be able to take advantage of this program through TechSoup or can work with their existing licensing partner to purchase discounted on premises software for device-based licensing.

Program eligibility

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What are the eligibility requirements for the Microsoft nonprofit programs?

Please visit the eligibility page for more details.

Which persons affiliated with the nonprofit organization are eligible to use nonprofit licenses?

Nonprofit grants are permitted only for paid nonprofit employees, and unpaid executive staff who act as leadership for the nonprofit. Nonprofit discounts are permitted for all nonprofit staff and volunteers. Nonprofit program participants, members and donors are NOT eligible for nonprofit licenses and subscriptions. Please visit the eligibility page for more details.

How can I license volunteers in my nonprofit?

If your nonprofit has volunteers that you would like to invite to collaborate with your staff and employees as external guests, you can invite these external users to sign into your site and resources using a personal Microsoft account.
Alternatively, discounted offers are available if you want to provide full Microsoft 365 capabilities, including an organization email address, to your volunteers.

Are there any restrictions for volunteer licenses?

Organizations cannot share, transfer, rent, or resell nonprofit licenses or subscriptions with/to other organizations or individuals even if they are part of the same group. If the group has both nonprofit and for-profit organizations in its legal structure, nonprofit offers are only permitted for the eligible nonprofit organizations. Additionally, groups with centrally managed information technology (IT) systems are only eligible for one grant account. Please contact Microsoft to learn more about enterprise licensing options.

My nonprofit is using Charity licenses for my staff licensing, but also provides skilling and/or education programs in our community. Can I also use student and faculty Academic licenses in my existing tenant?

Nonprofits that meet the Academic eligibility rules can purchase available Academic licenses for students and faculty, but this Academic licensing will need to be procured and managed through a separate tenant.

Is there a certain usage requirement for licenses?

To maximize the number of nonprofit organizations we can serve through our grants, Microsoft Philanthropies requires nonprofits to manage within 85% active usage of all granted Assigned Licenses. We actively review utilization of granted software and nonprofits that fail to manage within this 85% utilization requirement run the risk of disqualifying for any future grants from Microsoft.

How is eligibility for these programs determined?

Microsoft has partnered with TechSoup to validate nonprofit organizations, public libraries, and public museums. As part of the process, TechSoup reviews your organization's mission and activities. TechSoup uses publicly available and locally relevant information as well as information you will provide during registration and compares it with the eligibility criteria for Microsoft's offerings to nonprofits.

What if a library or library system is run by a city or county government (federal or state) – do they still get nonprofit pricing?

Microsoft recognizes the critical role that public libraries play in society, and so these customers will be provided access to nonprofit pricing even if they do not hold recognized nonprofit legal status (equal to 501(c)(3) status under the United States Internal Revenue Code). During registration, please add “Library” to the Org Name to ensure seamless processing.

How long does it take to receive eligibility validation?

We strive to make eligibility determinations as quickly as possible, and the process can take up to 10 business days. This timeframe can vary depending on nonprofit responsiveness to requests for additional documentation and country requirements.

How long does eligibility last?

Once a nonprofit organization is validated as eligible, Microsoft requires that grantees regularly complete an attestation to our donor rules to maintain eligibility. Microsoft will send a reminder when an attestation is due, but it is ultimately your organization’s responsibility to complete the required attestation. Failure to complete the required attestation may remove eligibility for Microsoft’s nonprofit programs unless/until you complete the required attestation. Additionally, you may be requested to review your current contact details and provide any required updates.

Can a nonprofit submit an appeal if denied?

Please review the eligibility guidelines for your country. If you still have questions, you can contact us. Please select issue category "eligibility" and issue subcategory "why nonprofit was denied eligibility" in the form.

What is Microsoft's anti-discrimination policy?

Microsoft values and respects individual and cultural differences and is committed to providing an inclusive environment that is welcoming and free from discrimination.
Therefore, organizations are not eligible to participate in the Microsoft nonprofit program if they have a policy or mission of discrimination in hiring, compensation, promotion, termination, retirement, training, programs, activities and/or services based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, political affiliation, union membership, or veteran status.

Is my organization required to provide evidence of compliance with Microsoft's anti-discrimination policy to be eligible to participate?

Microsoft expects organizations to honestly and accurately certify the anti-discrimination statement during the eligibility validation process. Microsoft does not require nor collect evidence of compliance with the anti-discrimination policy, nor does Microsoft make legal judgments of the accuracy of the certification or applicability of anti-discrimination law to your organization's practices. As always, however, Microsoft reserves the right to grant or deny an organization's application or participation at any time, for any reason.

Cloud products and services

Cloud services

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How do I access Microsoft 365, Office 365, Dynamics 365, Enterprise Mobility + Security, and Power BI?

Nonprofit organizations that have been validated as eligible can go to the Nonprofit Portal for instructions on how to purchase the nonprofit offers and assign users in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Where do I go for support for cloud services?

Nonprofit customers should use the standard support channel for Microsoft 365. Details on Microsoft 365 support options are available on the Microsoft 365 support page.

If I'm approved for nonprofit cloud offers, can I still purchase commercial offers?

Eligible nonprofits have access to grants and discounts that apply to Microsoft 365 commercial offers. However, there are a select number of commercial products that do not have nonprofit discounts, therefore the published prices would apply.

How do I access the granted Office 365 E1 licenses?

Microsoft previously provided Office 365 E1 as the primary cloud grant offer for eligible nonprofit organizations. We now provide Microsoft 365 Business Basic and Microsoft 365 Business Premium as our primary cloud grant offers and continue to provide grants of up to 2000 licenses of Office 365 E1 via an Enterprise Agreement. Microsoft Philanthropies also provides limited grants of additional licenses for organizations, and larger nonprofits can submit proposals for strategic grants of Office 365 E1 licenses. Contact your Microsoft account team for more information.

What are the similarities and differences between the Office 365 E1 and Microsoft 365 Business Basic licenses?

Office 365 E1 and Microsoft 365 Business Basic have the same core productivity functionality, with the primary difference that Microsoft 365 Business Basic has a 300-seat cap.
View this comparison of the features of Office 365 E1 and Microsoft 365 Business Basic for more details.

What grant requirements does Microsoft have for granted cloud subscriptions?

To maximize the number of nonprofit organizations we can serve through our grants, Microsoft Philanthropies requires nonprofits to manage within 85% active usage of all granted Assigned Licenses. We actively review utilization of granted software and nonprofits that fail to manage within this 85% utilization requirement run the risk of disqualifying for any future grants from Microsoft.

Is there a limit on the number of granted licenses that I can assign?

To maximize the number of nonprofit organizations we can help through our grants, we actively review utilization of granted software and ask that all nonprofits manage to within 85% active usage of granted Assigned Licenses.

How do I see which users are inactive?

You can see how people in your nonprofit are using Microsoft 365 services and identify who may not need a Microsoft 365 license at all. To generate activity reports in the admin center, follow these step-by-step instructions. You can export the report data to enable you to do simple sorting and filtering of all users for further analysis.

What workloads count for active usage?

Microsoft Philanthropies defines active usage as a user using at least one Microsoft 365 cloud service within the past 90 days. These cloud services include Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Yammer, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft 365 Apps. (Note that usage of perpetual licensed Office apps, such as Office Standard or Office Professional, does not factor into active usage metrics.)

What is the difference between Total Licenses and Assigned Licenses?

When you buy a subscription, you specify the number of licenses that you need, based on how many people you have in your nonprofit. This is the Total Licenses in your subscription management section of the admin center. After you buy a subscription, you create accounts for people in your nonprofit, and then assign a license to each person. Once a license is assigned to a user, this is the Assigned Licenses noted in the admin center, and all activity reports are calculated against these Assigned Licenses. Find more information about buying or removing licenses on this page. See an example of how Assigned Licenses are calculated here.

Copilot for Microsoft 365

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What are the eligibility prerequisites for Copilot for Microsoft 365?

Customers must have an eligible Microsoft 365 license to enable Copilot for Microsoft 365.

What applications are included in Copilot for Microsoft 365?

Copilot for Microsoft 365 includes access to Microsoft Copilot and integrations with Copilot in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Teams, Loop, and other Microsoft 365 apps. Refer for current feature availability and future roadmap.

Which languages does Copilot for Microsoft 365 support?

See the list of supported languages here.

Is there a trial for Copilot for Microsoft 365?

No, there is no trial available for Copilot.

How can I purchase Copilot for Microsoft 365?

If you have an active eligible Microsoft 365 subscription, you can add Copilot for Microsoft 365 to your subscription as an add-on from your Microsoft admin center or get in contact with us.

What is the difference between ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Copilot for Microsoft 365?

ChatGPT: A conversational AI developed by OpenAI, designed to engage in a wide range of discussions and answer questions on various topics. It’s a general-purpose chatbot suitable for diverse applications. Microsoft Copilot: Your AI companion for quickly accessing information and performing tasks across different domains. Microsoft Copilot offers commercial data protection, ensuring that user interactions are secure and data privacy is maintained according to commercial standards. Copilot for Microsoft 365: This AI tool includes all the capabilities of Microsoft Copilot, with additional features specifically tailored for the Microsoft 365 suite. It assists users with productivity tasks by leveraging the Microsoft Graph for personalized and context-aware support within Microsoft 365 applications. See ChatGPT vs. Microsoft Copilot: What's the difference? for more information

Where can I find resources to understand technical readiness and user trainings for Copilot for M365?

Microsoft is conducting end user trainings for existing and prospective users of Copilot for M365. Trainings catalog can be found here. Additionally, adoption resources can be found at Copilot for Microsoft 365 – Microsoft Adoption.

Microsoft 365 pricing

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What is the new price for Microsoft 365 and when will it go into effect? Which SKUs are impacted?