Community Engagement & Investment

Eligibility Requirements for Microsoft Grant and Software Programs

Nonprofit organizations that meet the general eligibility criteria are encouraged to submit proposals for funding by Microsoft giving programs.

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Microsoft Unlimited Potential–Community Technology Skills Program

The following types of community technology centers (CTCs) are eligible to request funding from Microsoft through the Microsoft Unlimited Potential–Community Technology Skills Program:

• Nonprofits: Nongovernmental organizations that hold charitable status in their country/region (for example, a 501(c)(3) designation in the United States).
• School-based: Nonprofit or governmental organizations that provides services to the community outside of school hours, such as evenings and weekends.
• Government funded and operated: Nonprofit organizations that receive government funding or that partner with a governmental organization to run their programs.

Also, community health clinics that are designated as Community Health Center Programs by the U.S. Department of Health are eligible to request donations of software from Microsoft.

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Other Grant or Software Requests

Unsolicited proposals outside of the Community Technology Skills–Unlimited Potential program are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Microsoft is not able to fund every proposal.

The following entities are not eligible to receive donations of funding or software from Microsoft:

• Individuals
• Private foundations
• Nonprofit organizations without a current 501(c)(3) designation and nongovernmental organizations that do not have the equivalent charitable status in their own country/region
• Governmental organizations or agencies (other than those specified above), including international governmental organizations and United Nations entities
• Health-care organizations and networks, including hospitals, specialty networks, ambulatory health-care services, home health care, and assisted living health-care organizations
• Health-care research organizations and research laboratories, including organizations that pursue systematic investigation—such as research development, testing, and evaluation—designed to develop or contribute to general knowledge
• Commerce and trade associations that do not pursue charitable aims or activities
• Sports groups, such as amateur or professional programs, teams, or events
• Conferences or symposia
• Sponsors of events, tables, exhibitions, or performances
• Fund-raising events such as luncheons, dinners, walks, runs, and sports tournaments
• K–12 schools (for programs held during school hours); schools may qualify for support through Microsoft Education programs or for programs run by a nonprofit or nongovernmental organization outside of school hours
• Political, labor, or fraternal organizations
• Religious organizations that do not have a secular community designation. Such a designation applies to an organization that is separate from the church or religious organization, provides services to people regardless of their religious beliefs, and does not promote a specific faith. For example, a food bank that has a separate 501(c)(3) organization from a church and that provides food and meals to anyone who qualifies for services, regardless of religious belief.
• Technology equipment refurbishers that will be installing the donated software on refurbished computers to be distributed or donated to nonprofits or schools

Information on other available resources is available from the following sites:

• Microsoft Government Licensing
• Microsoft Healthcare
• Microsoft Education
• Community Microsoft Authorised Refurbisher Worldwide

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Software Donations

Microsoft software donations are made in response to the requests of individual nonprofits to meet their organizational needs. The process for requesting a software donation depends on the location of your organization:

• United States and Canada: All software donation requests within the United States and Canada are handled by the Microsoft nonprofit partner TechSoup. Eligible organizations may make one donation request each year. There is no membership fee for access to TechSoup, but a small administrative fee from TechSoup will apply to each order to help offset the organization’s costs.
• Worldwide: TechSoup is expanding to cover other countries/regions, so some nonprofit organizations located outside the United States and Canada can use the TechSoup program for software donations. To see if TechSoup has expanded to your country/region, visit the TechSoup Global Web site. If TechSoup does not have services in your country/region, contact your local Microsoft subsidiary office. Each Microsoft subsidiary office has guidelines for software donation requests from its local community.

Microsoft offers the Open License Charity program for nonprofit organizations that do not meet the Microsoft or TechSoup eligibility guidelines, and for organizations that need to request additional software. This program enables nonprofit organizations to purchase Microsoft software and licenses at a substantially reduced cost; it is available in several countries worldwide.

• Go to the TechSoup Web site
• Go to the TechSoup Global Web site
• Find out how to contact your local Microsoft subsidiary
• Learn more about Microsoft Open License Charity

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Microsoft Grants and Programs in Puget Sound

Organizations in the Puget Sound area of Washington State whose missions and work align with Microsoft funding areas—human services, arts and culture, civic affairs, workforce development, and K–12 math education—may apply if they meet the following criteria:

• Demonstration of effective programs and achievement of the organization's goals
• Leadership, staff, and board diversity that reflects the population served
• Stable financial performance
• Diverse funding sources
• A location and operations in King County, Washington, that serve a regional and diverse population
• 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service as a public charity

The following entities are not eligible to receive donations of funding or software from Microsoft:

• Individuals
• Private, for-profit enterprises
• Private educational institutions
• Hospitals or medical clinics, except those designated as Community Health Center Programs by the U.S. Department of Health
• Private foundations
• Political, religious, or fraternal organizations
• Amateur or professional sports groups, teams, or events
• Conferences or symposia
• Endowments

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