Which nonprofits qualify for Microsoft 365 nonprofit pricing?

To qualify for Microsoft's nonprofit program, your organization must: hold recognized charitable status (501(c)(3) in the US or equivalent internationally), not be a government entity, not be a hospital or healthcare entity, not be an academic institution (those use separate Microsoft education pricing), and not be a party, political or lobbying organization. Most human services, arts, environmental, housing, workforce development, and advocacy nonprofits qualify. You must verify through TechSoup or directly through Microsoft's nonprofit portal.

What is the difference between M365 Business Basic and Business Premium for nonprofits?

Microsoft 365 Business Basic (free for nonprofits, up to 300 users) includes: Exchange email, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and web versions of Office apps. It does NOT include: desktop Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint installed on computers), Intune device management, Microsoft Defender for Business, or Azure AD Premium features. Microsoft 365 Business Premium (approximately $5.50/user/month for nonprofits vs. $22 standard) adds all of the above — desktop apps, Intune MDM, Defender for Business, and advanced security features. For nonprofits handling sensitive donor or client data, Business Premium is usually the right choice.

How long does it take to get approved for Microsoft nonprofit pricing?

The approval process typically takes 3–10 business days through TechSoup or the Microsoft nonprofit portal. You'll need to provide your EIN, articles of incorporation, IRS determination letter, and basic organizational information. Once approved, you receive a validation token or your organization is enrolled directly. Your IT provider can then set up a new Microsoft tenant at nonprofit pricing or transition an existing paid tenant to nonprofit pricing (existing data migrates with the tenant).

Can we migrate from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 nonprofit without losing data?

Yes. Migration from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 typically takes 2–6 weeks depending on data volume and the number of users. Email, calendar, and contacts migrate via Microsoft's migration tools or third-party tools like BitTitan MigrationWiz. Google Drive files migrate to SharePoint or OneDrive, though Google-native formats (Docs, Sheets, Slides) are converted to Microsoft formats (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and some formatting may not survive perfectly. Your IT provider should handle the migration with a staged cutover to minimize disruption.

Microsoft 365 for Nonprofits: The Free and Discounted Licenses Most Organizations Miss

Nonprofit IT budgets are under constant pressure. Every dollar spent on technology is a dollar not spent on mission. Yet most nonprofits we talk to are paying full commercial rates for Microsoft 365 — or worse, paying for a mix of paid consumer accounts and shared organizational accounts because "that's how we've always done it."

Microsoft's nonprofit program is not a rumor or a workaround. It's a formal program with a dedicated portal and a clear qualification process. Here's everything you need to know.

The Full Microsoft Nonprofit Offer

Microsoft 365 Business Basic — Free

Free for qualifying nonprofits, up to 300 seats. Includes:

Exchange Online (email with your domain, 50GB mailbox)
Microsoft Teams (meetings, chat, channels)
SharePoint Online (intranet, document libraries)
OneDrive (1TB per user cloud storage)
Web versions of Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint in browser)

Does not include: installed desktop Office applications, Intune device management, Microsoft Defender for Business, or advanced compliance/security features.

Microsoft 365 Business Premium — ~$5.50/user/month

Discounted from $22/user/month standard pricing. Includes everything in Business Basic, plus:

Desktop Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook installed on up to 5 PCs/Macs per user)
Microsoft Intune — full MDM and MAM for device management
Microsoft Defender for Business — EDR with antivirus, threat detection, and response
Azure Active Directory Premium P1 — Conditional Access, group-based licensing, MFA enforcement
Microsoft Purview (basic) — compliance and data protection tools
Entra ID (Azure AD) — advanced identity features

For most nonprofits, Business Premium is the right choice. At $5.50/user/month, it includes Intune for device management and Defender for Business — tools that would cost $15–$20/user/month separately. A 50-person nonprofit saves roughly $8,000/year just on M365 licensing versus the standard commercial rate for an equivalent security stack.

Microsoft 365 E3 Nonprofit — ~$12.50/user/month

For larger nonprofits needing enterprise compliance, eDiscovery, or more than 300 users. Discounted from $36/user/month standard. Includes advanced compliance tools, unlimited archiving, Azure AD Premium P1, and other enterprise features.

Azure Credits

Qualifying nonprofits can receive $3,500/year in Azure cloud credits through the Microsoft for Nonprofits program. This can cover cloud virtual machines, backup storage, or development/testing environments. Applied separately from M365 licensing.

How to Qualify

Qualification requires demonstrating 501(c)(3) status (or international equivalent). The process:

Go to microsoft.com/nonprofits and click "Get Started"
Create a Microsoft account if you don't have one, or sign in
Submit your organization details: EIN, organization name, address, mission statement
Upload your IRS determination letter confirming 501(c)(3) status
Wait 3–10 business days for approval

Alternatively, you can verify through TechSoup (techsoup.org). TechSoup does a one-time verification of your nonprofit status and gives you access to discounted software from Microsoft, Google, Adobe, Cisco, and others through a single account.

Who Does NOT Qualify

Government entities (including public agencies and government-run programs)
Hospitals and healthcare entities (use separate Microsoft healthcare pricing)
Academic institutions (use Microsoft Education pricing)
Political parties and lobbying organizations
Organizations that discriminate in hiring, services, or membership

If You're Already Paying Full Price: The Transition

If your organization is currently on a paid commercial Microsoft 365 tenant, transitioning to nonprofit pricing does not require migrating your data. The process is:

Get nonprofit eligibility confirmed through the Microsoft nonprofit portal
Have your IT provider contact Microsoft or your Microsoft reseller to apply nonprofit pricing to your existing tenant
Existing licenses are swapped for nonprofit-priced equivalents; your data, email, Teams, and SharePoint stay exactly as they are

The transition typically takes 1–5 business days and requires no user action. If your IT provider says this can't be done without a full migration, get a second opinion.

What About Google Workspace for Nonprofits?

Google offers Google Workspace Business Starter free for qualifying nonprofits through their nonprofit program. Google's nonprofit program also includes $10,000/month in Google Ad Grants — free Google Search advertising that many nonprofits dramatically underutilize.

The choice between Microsoft and Google depends primarily on your team's preferences, existing integrations, and whether any compliance requirements (like HIPAA) dictate a specific platform. Both have HIPAA BAAs available. Microsoft 365 Business Premium's integrated security stack (Intune + Defender) is generally stronger than Google's equivalent out of the box.

Maximizing Google Ad Grants

The $10,000/month Google Ad Grant is worth $120,000/year in free search advertising — and most nonprofits either don't use it at all or lose it due to policy violations. To maintain the grant:

Ads must maintain at least 5% click-through rate
All ads must link to your own website (not third-party donation pages)
No single-word keywords unless your organization name
At least 2 active ad groups per campaign
Conversion tracking must be set up

Managing Ad Grants effectively requires either a dedicated staff member or an agency familiar with the grant's requirements. An IT provider focused on nonprofit technology can often help set this up or recommend a digital marketing partner who specializes in Ad Grants management.

Other Technology Discounts Nonprofits Should Have

Salesforce NPSP: 10 free Enterprise CRM licenses through salesforce.org/nonprofit
Adobe Creative Cloud: 60–70% off through TechSoup
Zoom for Nonprofits: 50% off through zoom.us/nonprofits
Cisco Meraki: Free hardware grants for networking through Cisco's nonprofit program

A good IT provider for nonprofits proactively identifies and enrolls you in every program you qualify for. If yours hasn't — or doesn't know about TechSoup — it's worth asking. Learn more about IT support for nonprofits and what to look for in a provider that understands mission-driven organizations.