Simplifying nonprofit volunteering at Microsoft with Power Automate

Power Automate, part of the suite of tools offered by Microsoft Power Platform, is a low-code, cloud-based automation service powered by AI. In the company’s own words, Power Automate enables customers to streamline processes across their organization to save time and focus on what’s important.

While that might sound like corporate jargon, I can personally attest to its effectiveness. Power Automate has indeed helped my organization save time and focus on what matters most. By “my organization,” I’m referring to Microsoft itself—specifically, the Microsoft Charlotte Campus and the Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) Employee Resource Group. Power Automate has been essential in planning, organizing, and running our community service events, thereby amplifying their impact and continued viability.

As a senior software engineer at Microsoft, I specialize in data engineering, working on the systems that power Microsoft’s financials through big data analytics, revenue reporting, and product insights. Beyond my technical role, I’m also deeply passionate about giving back to the community through volunteerism. At the Charlotte campus, I’ve channeled this passion into organizing outreach and volunteer events, specifically focusing on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education.

Power Automate has been a game-changer in helping me maintain what I call work-life-volunteering balance. It allows me to stay focused on my primary work duties, keep a healthy personal life, and actively engage in my passion for service. Burnout, especially in tech, is a very real thing. By automating tasks that would have otherwise been overwhelming, Power Automate has helped me avoid burning out, ensuring I can excel at my actual job while still having an impact in my community. I’d like to share how it can help you do the same, but first, story time.

Building community through service

I joined Microsoft in 2020, right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, I was living in St. Louis, Missouri, but decided to relocate to Charlotte, North Carolina, where Microsoft has an office and was looking to expand. (Fun fact: it’s the oldest Microsoft office outside of Redmond, established in 1990!) Relocating during the pandemic presented its own set of challenges. COVID had essentially shut down the city’s social scene and the Charlotte office, making it difficult to meet new people and coworkers. Having spent my first year in Charlotte mostly isolated, I was eager for opportunities to get out and connect with people, both at the office and in the city at large.

Knowing that volunteering is an effective way to build community, I quickly sought out opportunities to get involved, both through local nonprofits and at Microsoft. It didn’t take long to find calls for volunteers throughout the city. My first step was volunteering with a local nonprofit called the Carolina Youth Coalition, which focuses on propelling high-achieving, under-resourced high school students to and through college. As a mentor and writing tutor with the organization, I began looking for ways to connect the students—many of whom were interested in technology—with Microsoft’s presence in Charlotte.

Discover Days: The first big step

I started by investigating the possibility of bringing the students to the Microsoft Charlotte campus for a field trip. My hope was for a fun and informative day complete with a campus tour, networking opportunities, a hearty meal, and some cool swag for them to take home. When I reached out to Chemere Davis—Charlotte Campus Community Lead and BAM North Carolina Chairperson—to see if such a visit would be possible, I was met with an emphatic yes. At the time, it surprised me, still being new to Microsoft, but now, after four years with the company, I see it as a reflection of Microsoft’s genuine commitment to empowering local communities.

That fall, 50 Carolina Youth Coalition students visited Microsoft Charlotte, sparking an annual tradition and an ongoing series of similar events with other local schools, known as Discover Days. Since then, my involvement in STEAM education events in Charlotte through Microsoft and BAM has only grown.

As my volunteer commitments grew, finding a more efficient way to plan, run, and manage events became essential; Power Automate provided the perfect solution. This year, it was crucial in elevating our Discover Days series from isolated single-school visits to something even more impactful.

“When we used Power Automate to ping team members directly in Teams and remind them 1:1 to sign up for our recent Charlotte software engineering Day of Learning event, we saw registrations double overnight—even though we had already sent several emails to the members,” says James Bolling, a principal group engineering manager and Microsoft Charlotte campus director. “It’s clear to me that our team is living and working in Teams Chat and not email these days.”

Every year, the many worldwide chapters of the Blacks at Microsoft Employee Resource Group host an event called BAM Minority Student Day. The event provides a 1-day conference-like experience for underrepresented high school students, engaging them in activities that introduce them to STEAM careers. In 2024, I had the privilege of leading the BAM Charlotte edition of this event, which brought together 400 students and 40 educators from 21 high schools across the region.

While I was excited to take on the challenge of leading the event, I was concerned about how I’d be able to balance my work responsibilities, personal life, and volunteer efforts in a healthy way. Power Automate became key to making it all possible.

Making it happen with Power Automate

Here are some ways that Power Automate enabled us, as the BAM Charlotte chapter, to pull off our incredibly impactful 2024 Minority Student Day.

• Streamlining volunteer coordination: We integrated Power Automate with Microsoft Forms, Lists, Teams, and Outlook to automate the management of over 100 volunteers, streamlining role assignments, calendar invites, and communications. This ensured that each volunteer was informed of their responsibilities and schedule with minimal manual oversight. By doing so, the administrative burden on leads was greatly reduced, ensuring smooth coordination and a successful event.
• Reporting in real time: We linked Power Automate with Microsoft Forms, Lists, Planner, and Excel to generate and distribute reports on registration numbers, volunteer assignments, and task completion statuses. This gave our planning team the crucial data needed to make informed decisions as the event date neared, allowing us to adjust plans and resources to stay within capacity and budget constraints.
• Efficient task management: Through integration with Microsoft Planner, we were able to automate task assignments, progress tracking, and reminders. Tasks were assigned to the appropriate team members based on their roles, and automated notifications ensured that deadlines were met. This was crucial in managing the many moving parts of the event.
• Automating document handling: Power Automate worked in tandem with SharePoint, OneDrive, Outlook, and Adobe Sign to manage the flow of important documents, such as signed consent forms and event materials. We were able to automatically save documents to the correct folders, update relevant lists, and notify the appropriate team members, significantly reducing the risk of lost or misplaced documents and simplifying the administrative workload.
• Enhanced event promotion and engagement: We used Power Automate alongside Teams and Outlook to boost event promotion. Personalized messages were sent to Microsoft employees via the Teams workflow bot, creating a more engaging and direct line of communication. This approach increased overall engagement compared to previous years.

“I am incredibly impressed with Segun’s meticulous attention to detail and innovative use of Power Automate to streamline the planning and running of our Employee Resource Group programs, and especially our Minority Student Day and our summer mentorship program,” says Chemere Davis, a senior business program manager and chairperson of Blacks at Microsoft North Carolina. “His efforts significantly increased our efficiency, allowing us to focus on enhancing the experience and impact for almost 600 students in the past year.”

Check out the recap of BAM Minority Student Day in Charlotte in this LinkedIn post, and another example of Microsoft’s culture in Charlotte at our Give Fair also posted on LinkedIn