Free technology grants and discounts available for nonprofits.
Free technology grants and discounts available for nonprofits. Get started
Nonprofit eligibility
1. Is my organization eligible?
Who Can Apply?
Organizational Criteria
- Be a nonprofit or non-governmental organization with recognized charitable status in your country
(Example: 501(c)(3) in the U.S.)
OR
- Be one of the following:
- Public library that provides general library services without charge to all residents of a given community, district or region; or
- Public museums, including public or private institutions, open to the public, that conserve and exhibit tangible objects for purposes of cultural preservation, education, or aesthetic enjoyment; or
- Specific United States rural hospital types: Independent Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Independent Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), and Independent Rural Community Hospitals (RCHs). Most other hospitals and health systems, including nonprofit and 501(c)(3) health systems, are not eligible. See the additional criteria below.
Excluded Organizations
In addition to meeting the organizational criteria, certain organization types are not eligible for these offers, regardless of their nonprofit status or activities.
- The following organization types are not eligible for Microsoft nonprofit offers:
- Hospitals and health systems, including nonprofit and 501(c)(3) health systems, except the specific United States rural facility types listed under Additional Criteria Considerations.
- Governmental organizations or agencies, including international governmental organizations, and United Nations Entities.
- Schools, colleges and universities including formal educational institutions, nonprofit schools, and academic museums. Microsoft academic licensing eligibility is outlined here.
- Financial institutions, including banks, insurance providers, and pension and retirement funds.
- Professional, commerce and trade associations;
- Professional and semi-professional sports organizations, including governing bodies, Olympics, and national or international tournaments;
- Political, labor, and fraternal organizations;
- Nonprofit Organizations whose activities focus on influencing public policy
Additional Criteria Considerations
United States
Most healthcare organizations are ineligible for nonprofit grants and discounts; however, the following healthcare organizations are eligible:
Rural Hospitals: Eligible without 501(c)(3) status:
- Independent Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs)
- Independent Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs)
- Independent Rural Community Hospitals (RCHs)
Independent hospitals are those not in a health system, which Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) defines as an organization whose component hospitals, medical groups and other services are connected through common ownership or joint management.
Other: Eligible with 501(c)(3):
HRSA-designated Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and FQHC Look-Alikes
- CMS-certified nonprofit Rural Health Clinics (RHCs)
- Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) focused on short-term medical care and rehabilitation
- Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities focused on custodial care
Independent Rural Health Clinics are those not in a health system, which Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) defines as an organization whose component hospitals, medical groups and other services are connected through common ownership or joint management.
Australia
- Eligible: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healthcare Services whose charter and primary purpose is to provide health care services on a free or sliding-fee basis exclusively for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
India
- Ineligible: Religious or faith-based organizations.
United Kingdom
- Ineligible: Housing Associations.
Additional Terms
Microsoft reserves the right to grant or deny an organization's application or participation at any time, for any reason, and to supplement or amend these eligibility guidelines at any time without notice. Selections are made at the sole discretion of Microsoft and are not subject to external review. Microsoft requires that grantees regularly complete an attestation to our donor rules to maintain eligibility. Failure to complete the required attestation may remove eligibility for Microsoft’s nonprofit programs unless/until organization completes the required attestation. Additionally, Microsoft reserves the right to reduce or remove an organization's access to nonprofit offers if the organization is determined to abuse the program. Examples of program abuse include, but are not limited to, intentional user mis-licensing, sharing licenses with ineligible organizations, or failing to remove unused grant licenses from an organization’s subscription (i.e., failure to maintain at least 85% active usage of all granted licenses).
2. Who should register?
Registering your organization
3. Who can use the license?
Grants vs. discounted licenses
Depending on the employee status and role in the nonprofit there is a difference between available offers:
- Grants – Granted licenses are only permitted for paid employees and unpaid executive staff if all organization eligibility is met. User amount limits do apply and vary by availability of country of usage. Additionally, organizations are expected to regularly remove unused granted licenses from their subscription. Adherence to policy guidance is encouraged and tenant may be subject to audit by Microsoft.
- Discounts – Discounted licenses are permitted for all staff, including volunteers and temporary staff of the organization. Eligible nonprofits may access discounted pricing on commercial cloud offers, and some on-premise offers. Discounts vary by product, and/or quantity
Paid employees
Unpaid executive staff
Volunteers and temporary staff
| Type | Nonprofit Grant Offers | Nonprofit Discount Offers | Volunteer Use Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid Employees |
•
|
•
|
|
| Unpaid Executive Staff |
•
|
•
|
•
|
| Volunteers |
•
|
•
|
|
| Contracted Staff (temporary, third-party) |
•
|
||
| Beneficiaries, Members, Donors |
License restrictions
Organizations cannot share, transfer, rent, or resell nonprofit licenses or subscriptions with/to other organizations or individuals even if they are part of the same group. If the group has both nonprofit and for-profit organizations in its legal structure, nonprofit offers are only permitted for the eligible nonprofit organizations. Additionally, groups with centrally managed information technology (IT) systems are only eligible for one grant account. Please contact Microsoft to learn more about enterprise licensing options.
Get started with discounts and grants
Questions about nonprofit offers?
- Explore our list of frequently asked questions. Browse FAQ
- Microsoft representatives can help you find the right products for your organization and address inquiries related to eligibility and technical support. Contact us
