Can nonprofits get Microsoft 365 for free?

Yes. Microsoft offers Microsoft 365 Business Basic free for up to 300 users for eligible nonprofits through TechSoup. This includes Exchange email, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive. Microsoft 365 Business Premium (which adds Intune MDM, Defender for Business, and Azure AD Premium) is available at a deeply discounted rate — typically $5.50/user/month versus the standard $22/user/month. To qualify, your organization must hold 501(c)(3) status (or equivalent), not be a government or hospital entity, and register through TechSoup or directly through Microsoft's nonprofit program. Your IT provider should be handling this — if you're paying full price for Microsoft 365 as a nonprofit, you're overpaying.

What is Google for Nonprofits and what does it include?

Google for Nonprofits provides eligible 501(c)(3) organizations with free access to Google Workspace for Nonprofits (the Business Starter tier), YouTube Nonprofit Program (donation cards, live streaming for nonprofits), Google Ad Grants ($10,000/month in free Google Search advertising), and Google Maps Platform credits. To qualify, you need 501(c)(3) status, must not be a government entity, hospital, or school, and register through Percent (formerly TechSoup). Your IT provider should verify you're enrolled and help you maximize Ad Grants — many nonprofits leave thousands of dollars in free advertising unclaimed.

What data security obligations do nonprofits have?

Nonprofits face the same data security landscape as for-profit companies — sometimes more exposure. Healthcare nonprofits (hospitals, clinics, community health centers) must comply with HIPAA. Nonprofits accepting online donations process payment card data subject to PCI DSS. Nonprofits operating in California must comply with CCPA if they have sufficient revenue or data volume. Nonprofits handling children's data fall under COPPA. And donor data — names, giving history, contact info — has no specific federal regulation but represents significant reputational risk if breached. Grant funders (federal, state, and foundation) increasingly require data security attestations as part of grant compliance.

How much should a nonprofit budget for IT?

The nonprofit sector standard is 2–4% of operating budget for IT, compared to 4–6% for for-profit businesses of similar size. Managed IT services for nonprofits typically run $50–$100/user/month depending on services included, though many MSPs offer nonprofit discounts of 15–25%. The leverage point is nonprofit software licensing: Microsoft 365 nonprofit discounts alone can save $8,000–$25,000/year for a 50-person organization. A good IT provider for nonprofits should proactively identify all available nonprofit licensing discounts before proposing any paid alternatives.

What should nonprofits look for in an IT provider?

Look for an MSP with demonstrated nonprofit experience — not just a provider who says they'll give you a discount. They should be familiar with TechSoup and nonprofit licensing programs for Microsoft, Google, Cisco, Adobe, and others. They should understand common nonprofit software stacks: Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP), Blackbaud Raiser's Edge or eTapestry, DonorPerfect, Little Green Light, or Bloomerang for donor management. They should also understand that IT decisions at nonprofits often require board approval, that grant compliance documentation may be required, and that staff are frequently part-time or volunteers with varying technical skill levels.

Nonprofit IT

IT Support for Nonprofit Organizations

Most nonprofits are dramatically overpaying for software they could get free or at steep discount. A good IT provider for nonprofits starts by cutting your licensing costs — then builds the rest of your IT on that foundation.

Get Matched With a Nonprofit IT Provider See Free & Discounted Licensing →

Free and Discounted Software Every Nonprofit Should Have

These programs exist specifically for 501(c)(3) organizations. If your IT provider hasn't enrolled you, ask why.

Program	What You Get	Typical Savings	How to Enroll
Microsoft 365 for Nonprofits	M365 Business Basic free for up to 300 users; Business Premium at ~$5.50/user/month (vs. $22 standard)	$8K–$30K/yr for 50–150 users	Register at microsoft.com/nonprofits or through TechSoup; requires 501(c)(3) verification
Google Workspace for Nonprofits	Business Starter tier free; upgrade tiers at 70%+ discount; includes Gmail, Drive, Meet, Docs	$3K–$12K/yr for 50–150 users	Register through Percent (techsoup.org); Google validates eligibility
Google Ad Grants	$10,000/month in free Google Search advertising; must maintain 5%+ CTR and other quality requirements	$120K/yr in ad value	Part of Google for Nonprofits registration; requires active grant management to maintain
Salesforce.org (NPSP)	10 free Salesforce Sales Cloud Enterprise licenses for qualifying nonprofits; additional licenses at 75% off	$25K–$100K/yr	Apply at salesforce.org/nonprofit; requires 501(c)(3) and application review
Cisco Meraki for Nonprofits	Free Meraki hardware grants for networking equipment; IT providers apply on behalf of nonprofits	$500–$5K in hardware	Through Cisco's nonprofit program; your IT provider must be a Meraki partner to apply
Adobe Creative Cloud for Nonprofits	Full Creative Cloud at ~60–70% off standard pricing through TechSoup	$300–$600/user/yr	Purchase through TechSoup Marketplace after nonprofit verification
Zoom for Nonprofits	Zoom Pro or Business at 50% off for qualifying nonprofits	$90–$150/user/yr	Apply through Zoom for Nonprofits at zoom.us/nonprofits
AWS Nonprofit Credits	$1,000–$25,000/yr in AWS cloud credits depending on size and program	Varies	Apply through AWS Nonprofit Credit Program; annual renewal required

About TechSoup

TechSoup (techsoup.org) is the central verification and distribution platform for most nonprofit technology discounts. Your organization registers once, verifies 501(c)(3) status, and then accesses discounts from Microsoft, Google, Adobe, Cisco, and hundreds of other vendors. Your IT provider should be familiar with TechSoup and proactively identify which programs you qualify for.

IT Challenges Unique to Nonprofits

Nonprofits have all the IT problems of a for-profit company — plus several they don't.

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Budget Constraints and Board Approval

IT decisions that would be routine at a business require board-level approval at many nonprofits. Your IT provider needs to understand how to communicate ROI in terms of mission impact — not just technical specs — and support the budget request process.

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Volunteer and Part-Time Staff

Nonprofits often have high staff turnover, seasonal volunteers, and part-time workers accessing systems. Onboarding and offboarding at scale — including revoking access promptly — is a security challenge that requires a defined process, not ad hoc action.

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Donor Data Security

Donor databases contain names, contact info, giving history, and often employer information. A breach of donor data is a fundraising catastrophe. CRM platforms (Salesforce NPSP, Raiser's Edge, DonorPerfect) need proper access controls, MFA, and regular access reviews.

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Grant Compliance Documentation

Federal grants (federal pass-through, HHS, HUD, DOJ) increasingly include IT security requirements. Some funders require cybersecurity attestations, incident reporting, or specific data handling requirements. Your IT provider should understand how to document compliance for grant audits.

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Online Donation Processing (PCI DSS)

Any nonprofit accepting credit card donations — directly or through their website — has PCI DSS obligations. Most nonprofits use Stripe, PayPal, or Classy and shift most PCI scope to those processors, but residual requirements remain. Your IT provider should understand the scope.

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HIPAA for Health-Focused Nonprofits

Community health centers, substance abuse programs, mental health nonprofits, and social service organizations that provide health services are HIPAA covered entities or business associates. Standard nonprofit IT isn't enough — HIPAA-trained providers are required.

Common Nonprofit Software — IT Considerations

Your IT provider doesn't need to be a nonprofit software expert, but they should recognize these platforms and know how to keep them secure.

Software Category	Common Platforms	Security / IT Considerations
Donor Management (CRM)	Salesforce NPSP, Blackbaud Raiser's Edge, DonorPerfect, Bloomerang, Little Green Light, eTapestry	Donor PII requires MFA and access controls; Salesforce NPSP has free licenses but requires configuration; offboarding process must include CRM access revocation
Accounting	QuickBooks Nonprofit, Sage Intacct for Nonprofits, Blackbaud Financial Edge, Aplos	Fund accounting requirements; restricted vs. unrestricted fund separation; grant tracking; audit trail for form 990 and funder audits
Program Management	Apricot (Bonterra), CharityTracker, ETO (Efforts to Outcomes), Social Solutions	Often contains sensitive client data (social services, mental health, housing); role-based access critical; HIPAA may apply if health data collected
Online Fundraising	Classy, Fundraise Up, Give Lively, PayPal Giving Fund, Stripe (for Nonprofits)	PCI DSS scope limited to nonprofit's systems; payment processor handles most compliance; integration security with CRM via webhooks/API
Volunteer Management	VolunteerHub, InitLive, Better Impact, Galaxy Digital	High-turnover user population; background check data may be stored; access provisioning/deprovisioning at scale needs automation
Email Marketing	Mailchimp for Nonprofits, Constant Contact, HubSpot for Nonprofits	Subscriber list protection; CAN-SPAM and GDPR compliance for international donors; integration security with donor CRM

Questions to Ask a Nonprofit IT Provider

These separate providers who understand nonprofit constraints from those who'll apply a standard business IT playbook to your organization.

"Are you familiar with TechSoup and nonprofit licensing programs? Which discounts do you think we qualify for?"

A provider who doesn't immediately mention TechSoup, Microsoft for Nonprofits, and Google for Nonprofits either hasn't worked with nonprofits or isn't looking out for your budget.

"Do you offer a nonprofit pricing tier, and what does it include?"

Many MSPs offer 10–25% nonprofit discounts. Some participate in the Microsoft Nonprofit Cloud program or have specific nonprofit service tiers. If they have no nonprofit experience, that tells you something.

"How do you handle high-turnover staff and volunteer offboarding at scale?"

A common security gap at nonprofits is former staff and volunteers who still have active credentials months later. Your provider should have a defined, documented offboarding process — ideally automated through Azure AD or Google Workspace.

"Have you worked with organizations receiving federal grants? How do you help with IT compliance documentation for grant audits?"

Federal pass-through grants (HUD, HHS, DOJ, etc.) increasingly include cybersecurity requirements. A provider who's never navigated this will create compliance gaps you'll discover at the worst possible moment — an audit.

"Can you prepare a plain-English IT summary for our board?"

Nonprofit IT providers need to communicate with volunteer board members who are often non-technical. If they can't explain a security posture to a board without using jargon, they're not the right fit.

Get Matched With a Nonprofit IT Provider

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Related Resources

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