Free technology grants and discounts available for nonprofits.
Free technology grants and discounts available for nonprofits. Get started
Frequently asked questions
Find answers to frequently asked questions about our nonprofit product grants and discounts.
Program access and eligibility
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Eligible organizations should review Microsoft’s nonprofit eligibility guidelines, then apply for available nonprofit grants or discounts through the Microsoft nonprofit registration experience.
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Eligibility is validated by Microsoft’s third-party validation supplier, using Microsoft’s eligibility criteria, publicly available information, locally relevant records, and details submitted during registration. The partner may request additional documentation when needed directly from the customer.
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Microsoft strives to complete eligibility determinations as quickly as possible. The process can take up to seven business days, depending on country requirements and how quickly the organization responds to any documentation requests.
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Yes. If an organization has reviewed the nonprofit eligibility guidelines and believes the eligibility decision may be incorrect or misaligned, please contact us for further review.
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Microsoft’s nonprofit pricing is designed to make technology accessible while supporting ongoing innovation. Pricing varies by product and reflects factors such as the type of solution, the value it delivers, and the resources required to operate and scale it. Foundational cloud and productivity tools may be available through grants or deeper discounts, while newer technologies—such as AI-powered solutions—reflect the increased compute and infrastructure needed to deliver them at scale.
Pricing may also vary based on how you purchase (directly or through a Microsoft partner) and any additional services or support included. Microsoft continually evolves its programs to balance affordability with investment in new solutions that help nonprofits accelerate their impact.
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Microsoft nonprofit grants and discounts are available in over 200 countries. Availability generally aligns with Microsoft commercial product availability, though some offers, such as new Surface hardware offers, are available only in select countries.
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Microsoft provides nonprofit pricing access to public libraries because of their public benefit role, even when they do not hold traditional nonprofit legal status. During registration, libraries should include “Library” in the organization name to support processing.
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Microsoft partners may provide value-added services such as consulting, deployment, migration, management, training, and support.
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Libraries may use software grants for standard public access lab licensing options, including Office Standard and Windows Professional. Libraries can access this through TechSoup or work with an existing licensing partner for discounted on-premises device-based licensing.
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If an organization received nonprofit eligibility approval and nonprofit licenses or subscriptions were provisioned during an active approved period, Microsoft generally does not retroactively revoke or disable those licenses during the current committed term. In most cases, eligible nonprofit pricing and subscriptions already provisioned will remain active through the remainder of the existing subscription term.
If the organization is later determined to be ineligible for nonprofit status following reassessment, the organization may no longer qualify for nonprofit renewal pricing going forward. At the next renewal period, the organization may be required to transition to applicable commercial licensing and pricing options.
Microsoft may review cases individually depending on the circumstances, including validation outcomes, eligibility reassessments, subscription type, and timing of provisioning. Organizations with questions about a change in eligibility status should contact Microsoft support through the Nonprofit Hub or work with their Microsoft partner or account team for guidance on next steps.
Offers and licensing
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Microsoft provides grants and discounts for eligible nonprofits, including Copilot, Microsoft 365, Azure, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and digital skilling. Availability may vary by country.
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Microsoft does not have a hardware grant program. However, nonprofits may review Surface options, refurbished computer resources, and partner hardware options where available.
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Nonprofit grants are permitted only for paid nonprofit employees and unpaid executive staff who act as nonprofit leadership. Nonprofit discounts may be used for nonprofit staff and volunteers. Program participants, members, and donors are not eligible for nonprofit licenses or subscriptions.
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Volunteers can be invited as external guests using a personal Microsoft account. If volunteers need full Microsoft 365 capabilities, including an organizational email address, discounted offers are available.
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Yes. Nonprofit licenses and subscriptions cannot be shared, transferred, rented, or resold to other organizations or individuals, even within the same broader group. If a group includes both nonprofit and for-profit entities, nonprofit offers may only be used by the eligible nonprofit organization.
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Yes. Microsoft requires nonprofits to manage within 85% active usage of all granted assigned licenses. Organizations that do not meet this requirement may risk disqualification for future Microsoft grants.
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Microsoft actively reviews granted license utilization and expects nonprofits to manage within 85% active usage of granted assigned licenses. Specific seat limits depend on the offer.
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Nonprofits must manage granted cloud subscriptions responsibly and maintain active usage within 85% of assigned granted licenses.
Account and tenant management
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Yes. Organizations should use an existing work or organizational account when possible. Microsoft recommends using an account that multiple authorized administrators can access, such as an Azure admin account.
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Ownership or billing changes depend on the subscription and billing structure. If the request involves Azure nonprofit sponsorship billing, the organization should submit a support case through the appropriate Microsoft or Azure support channel.
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It depends. Credit card subscriptions can be merged through a support case after both subscriptions are in place. Enterprise Agreement, SCE, CSP, Open Volume License Program, and similar agreement types cannot be merged with the Azure nonprofit credit.
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Nonprofits that meet academic eligibility rules may purchase available Academic licenses for students and faculty, but Academic licensing must be procured and managed through a separate tenant.
Billing and subscriptions
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A credit card is required in case Azure usage exceeds the $2,000 (USD)* credit. The card is not charged if usage stays within the credit amount.
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Yes. The Azure credit covers taxes.
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No. It is an Azure credit, not a monetary grant.
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The subscription converts to Pay-As-You-Go , meaning the organization pays for usage after the credit is exhausted.
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Unused Azure credits do not roll over. Eligible nonprofits may renew for the sponsorship annually up to 30 days prior to annual activation.
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The standard Azure nonprofit credit is not increased or extended through unused balance rollover. Eligible organizations may reapply annually if they remain eligible.
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No. Unused Azure credit does not roll over to the next year.
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Nonprofits can use the credit for Azure workloads created by Microsoft, excluding Azure Active Directory, which is licensed separately through Enterprise Mobility and Security.
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Yes, although some regions may not be available for this offer.
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Yes. As long as the nonprofit remains eligible, it can renew each year.
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Microsoft sends renewal instructions 30 days before expiration. If the organization exceeds the $2,000 (USD)* cap, it may need to submit a support case after renewal to move the subscription back to sponsorship.
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No. The credit can only be used for Azure services published by Microsoft.
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No. The $2,000 credit can be used at the organization’s discretion over the 12-month period.
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Developer Azure support is included. Organizations running substantial or mission-critical workloads should consider purchasing a more advanced support plan.
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Organizations can validate Azure grant usage directly within the Azure portal by reviewing their subscription cost management and billing details. Eligible Azure Sponsorship subscriptions will display available credit balances, consumption trends, and usage charges applied against the nonprofit sponsorship credit.
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No. ExpressRoute is not an Azure workload. Organizations need to work directly with an ExpressRoute partner.
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No. Reservation discounts do not apply to Azure Nonprofit subscriptions.
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No. Azure Active Directory Premium is separate from Azure, so the Azure grant cannot be used to purchase Azure Active Directory Premium licenses.
*Credits are equivalent to $2,000 (USD) in your local currency.
Products and services
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Microsoft nonprofit offers are available in over 200 countries, though exact product availability may vary based on country, commercial availability, and offer type.
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Yes. Eligible nonprofits can access grants and discounts for many Microsoft 365 commercial offers, but some commercial products do not have nonprofit discounts and are charged at published prices.
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Dynamics 365 is Microsoft’s cloud-based, AI-powered business applications platform. It brings together CRM and ERP capabilities across sales, customer service, field service, finance, operations, and marketing—connecting data, people, and processes to help organizations run and automate end‑to‑end business workflows. Learn more about the applications.
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Microsoft Power Platform is a low-code platform that enables organizations to analyze data, build applications, automate processes, and create AI-powered agents to transform how work gets done. It includes Power Apps, to build custom business applications; Power Automate for workflows and business process automation; Power Pages for external-facing apps and web sites, and Copilot Studio for building copilots and autonomous agents, and leverages Dataverse (as does Dynamics 365) to unify and manage your business data. Learn more about Power Platform.
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No. Nonprofit or charity pricing is not available for Dynamics 365 support, but organizations can review available Dynamics 365 support options.
Technical deployment and product use
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Eligible nonprofits can sign in to the Nonprofit hub for instructions on purchasing nonprofit offers and assigning users infor instructions on purchasing nonprofit offers and assigning users in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
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Microsoft provides Microsoft 365 Business Basic as the primary cloud grant offer. Office 365 E1 grants are also available in limited scenarios, up to 2,000 licenses through an Enterprise Agreement. Validated nonprofits can sign in to the Nonprofit Portal for instructions on accessing granted nonprofit licenses and assigning users in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
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Admins can use Microsoft 365 admin center activity reports to review service usage and identify users who may no longer need a license. Report data can be exported for sorting and analysis.
Training / Skilling / Capacity building solutions
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Microsoft offers a range of training resources for nonprofits through the Microsoft Elevate for Changemakers program and its broader global skilling ecosystem. This includes role-based AI and digital skills training, the AI Skills Navigator, and partner-led platforms such as TechSoup’s Microsoft Digital Skills Center for Nonprofits. These resources are designed to help nonprofit staff and volunteers build practical skills using Microsoft tools and AI in real-world.
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The AI Skills Navigator is Microsoft’s centralized skilling hub that helps individuals and organizations identify and access curated learning pathways based on their role and goals. It includes content from Microsoft Learn and LinkedIn Learning, covering topics such as generative AI, Microsoft 365 Copilot, responsible AI practices, and sector-specific use cases, including nonprofit scenarios.
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Microsoft Elevate for Changemakers provides nonprofit-specific training and offers designed to build AI capability and confidence. This includes an AI for Nonprofits professional credential, live and on-demand training based on real nonprofit workflows, and opportunities to participate in communities of practice and peer learning communities. These offerings are designed to help nonprofit teams adopt AI responsibly and apply it to their missions.
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The Microsoft Digital Skills Center for Nonprofits, delivered with TechSoup, is a curated library of courses, webinars, and learning resources focused on Microsoft 365, data, and AI tools. It includes more than 70 micro-learning courses focused on Microsoft 365, Teams, Power BI, Power Apps, and other Microsoft products.
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Many Microsoft training resources for nonprofits—including AI Skills Navigator content and Microsoft Elevate for Changemakers—are available at no cost. Some partner-hosted or advanced offerings may include a nominal administrative fee.
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Training is available globally to nonprofit staff, volunteers, and leaders. Content is designed for all experience levels—from those new to AI to advanced users driving organizational adoption.
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Training availability varies by platform. Many resources—particularly in the Microsoft Elevate for Changemakers, Microsoft Learn, LinkedIn Learning, and partner platforms like TechSoup—are offered in multiple languages, with ongoing expansion to support global nonprofit audiences.
Security and compliance
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Yes. Azure grant recipients may not use Azure services for cryptocurrency mining, denial-of-service attacks, spamming, illegal activity, or any use that could harm Microsoft or others. Microsoft may suspend or terminate access if services are used for prohibited purposes.
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Active usage means a user has used at least one Microsoft 365 cloud service within the past 90 days. This includes Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Yammer, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft 365 Apps. Perpetual licensed Office apps do not count toward active usage metrics.
Support and escalation
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Microsoft encourages nonprofits to work with partners that support nonprofit technology adoption, deployment, migration, training, and capacity building.
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Nonprofit customers should use the standard Microsoft 365 support channel for Microsoft 365 cloud service support.
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For Azure nonprofit subscription support, organizations can submit a case through the Azure Portal after signing in. Eligibility-related questions should go through Microsoft Nonprofit Hub using the nonprofit assistance support experience.
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If customers cannot find the information they need, they should contact Microsoft through the Nonprofit Hub using the nonprofit assistance support experience for help with eligibility, offers, or technical support.
Questions about nonprofit offers?
Microsoft representatives can help you find the right products for your organization and address inquiries related to eligibility and technical support.
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