Microsoft has announced a suite of new AI solutions and improvements to Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit. These solutions are designed to transform the nonprofit industry by helping fundraisers engage with donors, manage campaigns, and optimize operations. The company also announced a limited private preview for nonprofits to experience a new AI-powered fundraising propensity model. This model will allow participating nonprofits to test new AI tools that can predict fundraising goals and identify donors most likely to donate to a campaign or cause.
According to Justin Spelhaug, Vice President and Global Head of Tech for Social Impact at Microsoft, “AI can and will be a game-changer for nonprofits and fundraisers.” With these new AI solutions, Microsoft aims to empower nonprofits and fundraisers to achieve more and create a more positive and rewarding experience for donors.
Nonprofits often struggle to make budgets go further and do more with fewer resources. Since 2020, many fundraisers have seen a decline in the number of donors giving to causes. Data can help nonprofits identify promising prospects, predict donor behavior, and measure fundraising outcomes. However, access to data and the ability to form actionable insights based on fundraising analytics is a major roadblock for many organizations.
Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit new AI solutions
Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit now includes new tools such as a Fundraising dashboard built on Power BI’s data visualization platform, Dynamics 365 Marketing integration, and AI capabilities in the Fundraising and Engagement tools. These tools will help nonprofits leverage data in a powerful way to attract, retain, and grow their donor base.
In addition to these new capabilities in Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit, Microsoft is developing an AI-based donor propensity model. This model will help nonprofits identify constituents most likely to donate or engage with a campaign or cause based on predictive donor behavior. Interested nonprofits can sign up to participate in this private preview.
These new AI solutions are built on Microsoft’s trusted cloud platform, Azure, which offers enhanced security, scalability, and reliability. They are also integrated with Microsoft’s existing solutions for nonprofits such as Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and LinkedIn.
The Microsoft Digital Skills Center for Nonprofits seeks to empower organizations do more good with the help of technology tools.
TechSoup is introducing Microsoft Digital Skills Center for Nonprofits in a new collaboration with Microsoft. The digital skills center will have a focus on nonprofits and will exist within the TechSoup course platform. Offering trainings on using Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, Power BI and PowerApps.
TechSoup shares that “Strengthening digital literacy, enabling cloud adoption and building technology-forward strategies are critical to nonprofits working on social, environmental and educational issues“.
In February 2109 Microsoft Philanthropies announced a $1 million impact investment to support TechSoup. An initiative Microsoft says is to nearly double the number of nonprofit organizations it serves worldwide. Microsoft believes it will help nonprofits utilize technology to amplify their mission and impact.
“TechSoup has been a critical partner in building a remarkable and robust societal ecosystem that brings the promise of technology to nonprofits serving on the frontlines. Those trying to solve and address the world’s biggest challenges. Microsoft’s investment in and collaborative partnership with TechSoup is building bridges to digital inclusion and empowerment to help the nonprofit sector realize all the benefits of cloud technologies.
Justin Spelhaug, General Manager, Microsoft Philanthropies Tech for Social Impact
Rebecca Masisak, CEO TechSoup, says this partnership empowers nonprofits to create, connect, activate and transform their organizations and communities.
Microsoft’s Technology for Social Impact group announcement is Microsoft’s way of helping the nonprofit community do more. Leveraging technology into their operations
The drive to empower organizations to achieve more especially nonprofits has never been high. Touching and transforming lives in the minutest way possible but with a lasting effect. In recent times with hurricanes, mudslides, storms, earthquakes and disasters destroying and affecting lives and property we all see how technology is being used as a medium of intervention. Microsoft remains committed to empowering every organization, not only businesses for profits but more so those who have leave a rippling effect in small ways.
Microsoft currently offers nonprofits free cloud services though it’s Cloud for Global initiative. The new announcement offers nonprofits Microsoft 365 for Nonprofits and 10% discounts on Surface Books and Surface Pros. Microsoft is also offering a Technology for Social Impact group that will serve nonprofit organizations worldwide. The group will help nonprofits with moving to the cloud and any support they need.
“This new team will build the kind of robust ecosystem that today works so well for businesses. We will continue to donate and discount cloud services for nonprofits.” – Justin Spelhaug, Microsoft Philanthropies General Manager
Microsoft’s core commitment in empowering shows with their new offers. The office 365 for nonprofits comes as a package of intelligent solutions including Office 365, Windows 10, and Enterprise Mobility + Security. Also offering their premium Microsoft devices says a lot. They say “nonprofits deserve devices that will help them unlock the true potential of their people and teams, and improve the impact they have in the world”.
Microsoft’s Technology for Social Impact group will bring value to the Nonprofits
An example of this empowerment is how a medical team in Uganda, Medical Teams International (MTI) has transformed digitally. From when they used to take several weeks to get information to a matter of clicks. From when they had to be buried in stacks of papers collecting data. Now using Microsoft solutions like Azure, SQL databases and Power BI they can forecast an outbreak and educate the community.
Microsoft is bringing the power of technology to help nonprofits achieve their missions. I’ll share on its history and how to go about benefitting from this offer.
Microsoft is on a mission to empower every organization and person on the planet to achieve more. This has led Microsoft in its endeavor to launch a series of initiatives. These include the Insiders4Good initiative, the Cloud for Global Good, Affordable Access and many more. The Insiders4Good has seen 25 entrepreneurial ideas turned to businesses in Nigeria and 20 in East Africa. The Affordable Access grant initiative has seen 11 African enterprises receive grant funds to grow their businesses in underserved communities.
Microsoft is hoping to donate 1 billion dollars in cloud computing resources to nonprofits and researchers over 3 years. Microsoft believes about 70,000 organizations around the world can benefit from this initiative. They’ll receive Microsoft Cloud Services; Azure, Office 365, Power BI, CRM Online, the Enterprise Mobility Suite and Windows 10.
“Microsoft is empowering mission-driven organizations around the planet with a donation of cloud computing services. Now more than 70,000 organizations will have access to technology that will help them solve our greatest societal challenges and ultimately improve the human condition and drive new growth equally” – Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO
How do nonprofits benefit from the Microsoft Cloud for Global Good offering?
In every region of the world, Microsoft has partner organizations that administer this offer. So, you’ll need to check with the Microsoft office in your region on this. I’ll focus on the Africa region in this post, but if you read on you’ll get to know what you’ll need to qualify. TechSoup is a partner organization in Africa. This means if you have a local TechSoup office in your country, they’ll be your go-to guys. If not, they also have other partners in your country. For example, in West Africa, West Africa Civil Society Institute, WACSI.(*Partner details below)
You must first apply to the partner organization in charge of your country. Select the offers suitable to your organization and which service type you’ll benefit from.
Here are some helpful details for nonprofits
Requirements for Nonprofits to qualify for the offer.
Legally registered as a nonprofit organization;
In most cases, you’ll be required to provide a valid registration certificate. (*for some you’ll need to provide a revenue authority identification number. For others, you must have operated for at least 2 years)
The registration Process.
You can contact the partner organization in your region or register online. To register, go to www.techsoup.global, select your country, click on Join now to request donations, and fill out the registration form. If you initiate your donation request from Microsoft you will be redirected to the partner platform to be validated as a Nonprofit before you can process to check out the selected product.
Coverage area/region of implementing Partner Organizations Africa.
Current Africa Regional Partners:
SANGONet West Africa Civil Society Institute, WACSI, WACSITech (For more information organizations can contact us at wacsitech@wacsi.org) Kenya Community Development Foundation, KCDF Professional Development Foundation, PDF
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If you visit www.techsoup.global and select your country, you will be redirected to the partner website.
What are the benefits? What do you get when you apply? Is there a duration of the package, does it become a paid service after a period or when it exceeds a limit?
All software and cloud solutions offered by Microsoft is donated. But there is a small administrative fee you’ll be made to pay.The program is a Technology donation program for non-profits. This program aims to help nonprofit organization access technology products and services at discounted price (up to 95% less than the market value). This is an administration fee that nonprofit organizations contribute to get access to the products and service. Once an organization is registered for the program, it can benefit from the products of its choice available on the catalog at any moment.
Specifically, for Office 365, nonprofit organizations have discounted rates of subscription, different from the standard user fee/month.
Kindly note that Microsoft doesn’t validate nonprofits, so you’ll need to register with the partners.
Have you benefited from this offering? Share your thoughts with us.
The West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), Techsoup and Microsoft are partnering to host a tech conference for nonprofits.
The event will inform participants from civil society groups, non governmental organizations, nonprofits on how to leverage existing and developing technology in boosting performance and maximizing social impacts.
The event is themed “Leveraging Technology, Maximizing Social Impact” Will take place on Thursday 20th April 2017, from 8am – 12pm at the British Council Accra, Ghana.
This programme is geared towards enhancing the technological capacity of Non-Governmental Organizations in Ghana.
This is a major opportunity for national and international non-governmental institutions aimed at providing the tools and resources you need to boost your performance and maximise your social impact.
The event is free and you need to confirm your participation by *registering (send your details) on or before Tuesday 18 April 2017 to: fsombo@wacsi.org, cc: communications@wacsi.org. or
Phone: +233 302 550 222
