Microsoft gives its customers in the voluntary sector* valuable discounts on our software. We offer this software in cost-effective Academic Editions - the same terms that apply to organisations in the education sector.

On This Page

If the organisation you work for is a member of Charity Logistics or NCVO, please contact them for more details about how to buy.

Charity Logistics is a charity that has worked with Microsoft since 1997. It supports more than 3,500 voluntary sector organisations with practical solutions, including discounts on Microsoft products.

Charity Logistics works in conjunction with the Microsoft Academy to offer training in software packages. This is vital if organisations are to realise value for money. Our wide range of partners includes Dell and other industry leaders that can offer benefits to the voluntary sector.

Membership of Charity Logistics is free, and is open to voluntary organisations of any size in the UK.

Go to the Charity Logistics website

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) is the representative body of the voluntary and community sector in England and has a growing membership of some 3,500 organisations.

Among its many services, NCVO produces publications and provides information and advice on a wide range of issues, including financial management and trustee development.

For more information about NCVO's publications, events and services, plus the benefits of membership, please visit our website at www.ncvo-vol.org.uk or call NCVO's help desk on 0800 2 798 798.

Go to the NCVO website

Your organisation can still enjoy voluntary-sector discounts through our resellers. We recommend you speak to your central purchasing organisation to check whether an existing licensing agreement is place.

Your reseller will be able to advise you on the type of licensing that best suits your organisation.

There are Authorised Education Resellers throughout the UK who can supply Microsoft products with the discounts that apply to customers in the voluntary sector.

The purchasing, licensing and on-going management of software has become important for all voluntary organisations, but it can bring big challenges. That is why this guide has been compiled. It is designed to act as a handy reference tool to help you resolve any questions or uncertainties you may have when considering what licensing options will best suit your circumstances.

Download the Licensing Simplification Guide as a PDF file (810KB)

For more information, contact the Microsoft Contact Centre:

* Voluntary sector customers are defined as charitable organisations that operate on a not-for-profit basis and whose aim is the relief of poverty, the advancement of education, the advancement of social and community welfare, the advancement of culture or the advancement of the natural environment

In the UK this includes not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee and other community-based organisations in the voluntary and community sector.

We regularly review our services to the sector and use our discretion to determine which are appropriate for voluntary organisations.