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The Next Generation at Work: Guiding AI’s Role in Jobs

Tiffiany — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:50:12 GMT

AI is poised to reshape the way we work, but the direction it takes will ultimately be shaped by our decisions. The newest generation entering the workforce is already making their expectations clear: they want technology that enhances human judgment, broadens opportunity, and ensures people remain the ones guiding the future—not the other way around.

As AI evolves, our focus should be on using it to strengthen human capability—helping people build new skills, explore new possibilities, and engage in work that feels meaningful. History shows that major technological shifts tend to expand what humans can achieve, not diminish it.

Brad Smith, Microsoft Vice Chair and President, recently underscored this same idea: technology should empower people, not push them aside. He points out that every wave of innovation has created new kinds of work, new industries, and new ways for human ambition to grow. And today’s graduates—who have already adapted through rapid change—are uniquely positioned to help steer AI toward a future grounded in agency, dignity, and purpose.

To learn more about Brad Smith’s perspective on the direction of AI, please read his reflections on Microsoft On the Issues how we can shape this moment with intention and human values at the center.

Building Nonprofit Culture with Microsoft Viva Engage: Architecture and Step‑by‑Step Setup

Tiffiany — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:31:46 GMT

Nonprofits often operate with hybrid teams, part‑time staff, and volunteers spread across multiple locations. Creating a unified culture in this environment is challenging — but Microsoft Viva Engage, part of the Microsoft Viva suite and built on Microsoft 365, provides a secure, social, and integrated platform for connection and knowledge sharing.

This guide explains how nonprofits can use Viva Engage to strengthen culture, improve communication, and drive engagement across distributed teams.

Viva Engage Architecture (Accurate Technical Overview)

1. Communities

Persistent, topic‑ or role‑based spaces for collaboration. Common nonprofit examples:

Volunteers
Program teams
Leadership groups
Staff affinity or DEI groups

Communities support:

Announcements
File sharing (via SharePoint)
Events (including virtual events in Teams)
Moderation and admin controls

Learn more: Getting started with Viva Engage Communities in Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Support

2. Storylines

Personal, profile‑based feeds where individuals share:

Updates
Reflections
Wins and impact stories Storylines appear in Viva Engage, Outlook, and Teams, increasing visibility across the organization.

Learn more: Storylines in Viva Engage | Microsoft Support

3. Campaigns

Hashtag‑driven initiatives that bundle posts across communities and storylines. Ideal for:

Fundraising drives
Awareness campaigns
Staff challenges
Volunteer appreciation weeks

Campaigns include:

Goals
Featured posts
Leaderboards
Analytics

Learn more: Campaigns in Viva Engage | Microsoft Support

4. Knowledge Sharing

Viva Engage includes structured knowledge tools:

Answers — crowdsourced Q&A with upvoting and expert validation
Topics — AI‑powered tagging and knowledge organization
Expertise Discovery — identifies subject‑matter experts across the organization

These features help nonprofits capture institutional knowledge and reduce information silos.

Learn more: Answers in Viva: Introduction | Microsoft Support

Learn more: Use topics in Viva Engage | Microsoft Support

5. Analytics

Admins and leaders can access:

Community engagement metrics
Campaign performance
Participation trends
Influencer and contributor insights

These insights help measure cultural health and communication effectiveness.

Learn more: View and manage analytics in Viva Engage | Microsoft Learn

How to Set Up Viva Engage for a Nonprofit (Technical How‑To)

How to Create a Community (Step by Step):

1. Open Viva Engage

In Microsoft Teams, select Viva Engage from the left app bar or
Go to the web version: https://engage.cloud.microsoft/ (your tenant URL)

2. Select “Create a Community”

In the left navigation pane, choose Communities
Click Create a community

3. Name Your Community

Choose a clear, descriptive name such as:

Volunteer Hub
Youth Programs Team
Leadership Updates

4. Set Privacy Level

You’ll choose between:

Public — anyone in the organization can join
Private — membership requires approval

5. Add Community Admins

Admins can:

Manage members
Pin posts
Post announcements
Moderate content

You can add multiple admins to share responsibility.

Learn more: Getting started with Viva Engage Communities in Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Support

Build a Campaign (Step by Step):

A community campaign in Viva Engage helps drive engagement around a shared goal using a campaign hashtag. The steps below reflect exactly what Microsoft documents for creating a campaign inside a community.

1. Open Viva Engage

Open Viva Engage in Microsoft Teams or the web app.

2. Go to Your Community

Navigate to the community where you want to create the campaign.

3. Select “Create a Campaign”

On the right side of the community page, find the Campaigns section.
Select + Create a campaign.

4. Define the Campaign Hashtag

Enter a unique campaign hashtag (e.g., #ImpactWeek).
This hashtag becomes the campaign’s name and is used to group all related posts.

5. Add Campaign Details

Fill in the required fields:

Description — explain the purpose of the campaign
Goals — outline what you want to achieve
Cover image — upload a visual to represent the campaign
Theme color — choose a color to brand the campaign
Default publisher — choose the default post type (discussion, question, poll, praise)

6. Add Co‑Organizers (Optional)

You can assign additional people to help manage the campaign.

7. Publish the Campaign

Save your work.
Review the campaign in draft mode.
When ready, select Publish to make it visible to the community.

8. Invite Participation

Encourage staff, volunteers, and leaders to:

Post using the campaign hashtag
Share stories, updates, or photos
Engage with others’ posts

All posts using the hashtag will automatically appear on the campaign page.

Learn more: Campaigns in Viva Engage | Microsoft Support

Enable Storylines (Step by Step):

1. Open the Microsoft 365 admin center

Go to the Microsoft 365 admin center and sign in with an admin account.

2. Go to Viva Engage settings

In the left navigation, go to Settings → Org settings.
Find and select Viva Engage (or Yammer/Viva Engage depending on your tenant).

3. Enable Storylines

In the Viva Engage settings, locate the Storylines option.
Make sure Storylines is turned On for your organization.
Save your changes.

4. Communicate to staff

Let staff know Storylines are available in Viva Engage.
Encourage them to share updates, impact stories, and reflections, and to follow colleagues’ storylines.

Learn more: Storylines in Viva Engage | Microsoft Support

Automate Notifications (Step by Step):

You can use Power Automate to trigger actions when new Viva Engage (Yammer) messages are posted. The connector supports triggers such as “When there is a new message in a group” or “When a new message is posted”.

Here is the correct step‑by‑step process:

1. Open Power Automate

Go to Power Automate (flow.microsoft.com) and sign in with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Create a new automated flow

Select Create → Automated cloud flow.
Search for the Yammer connector (used for Viva Engage).
Choose a trigger such as: “When there is a new message in a group” or “When a new message is posted” (depending on your scenario and connector availability).

This aligns with the triggers listed in the connector documentation.

3. Add an action to send a Teams notification

Add a new step.
Choose Microsoft Teams.
Select an action such as:
- Post a message in a chat or channel
- Send a message to a user

Configure the message to include details from the Viva Engage post (e.g., message text, author, link).

4. Add an action to log the post in SharePoint

Add another step.
Choose SharePoint.
Select an action such as:
- Create item (to log each post in a list)
- Update item (if you maintain a running log)

Map fields from the Viva Engage trigger (e.g., message ID, message text, sender, timestamp).

5. Save and test the flow

Save the flow.
Post a message in the selected Viva Engage community or group.
Confirm that Teams receives the notification and SharePoint logs the entry.

Learn more: Viva Engage - Connectors | Microsoft Learn

Learn more: Explore the Power Automate home page - Power Automate | Microsoft Learn

Conclusion

For nonprofits working across hybrid teams, volunteers, and multiple locations, Viva Engage offers a simple way to build connection and culture. By setting up communities, launching campaigns, enabling Storylines, and automating key updates, organizations create a digital space where people stay informed, share impact, and feel part of the mission. With these tools in place, Viva Engage becomes a hub for communication, collaboration, and storytelling—helping your nonprofit stay aligned and engaged as it grows.

Approved 29 May but Nonprofit Hub stuck at "still being reviewed" — case 2605290040003233

shineyong — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:06:52 GMT

Our nonprofit, MINDFUL PEACE BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION USA INC, applied through nonprofit.microsoft.com on 29 May 2026 and was approved the SAME DAY: we received Microsoft's approval confirmation email on 29 May, and Goodstack has since confirmed in writing that our application was verified, approved, and fully processed. Validation is complete — this is not a pending review.

However, when we sign in to the Nonprofit Hub as the tenant's global admin (tenant: mindfulpeace.onmicrosoft.com), it still shows "Your organization's eligibility is still being reviewed," and no offers are claimable.

Brief history:

- 29 May: applied; approval confirmed same day by both Microsoft and Goodstack.

- Shortly after: the Hub showed "Under Review," then became fully blocked with error 715-123195.

- We opened case 2605290040003233. After escalation, the 715 block was cleared around 10 June — the Hub now loads normally.

- But the status remains stuck at "still being reviewed," contradicting the completed approval.

Everything else works normally on the same account: Microsoft 365 admin center, myaccount.microsoft.com, sign-in, MFA. The issue is isolated to the Nonprofit Hub status not reflecting the already-approved eligibility.

I also have to be candid about the support experience, because it is why I am posting here. Over two weeks across multiple frontline contacts:

- Replies have been near-identical troubleshooting templates (VPN, browser, wait 24 hours) for steps we had already completed and documented in writing from the first email.

- At one point we were told we had "not responded," when our reply with all requested information had already been sent.

- We were promised an update within 24–48 hours; it never came.

- We asked four direct questions — which team is handling the case, what action has been taken, the internal reference, and the timeline — and to this day none has been answered.

I understand frontline advocates may not have backend access, and I'm not blaming individuals. But after two weeks, a small nonprofit should not have to spend this much effort to receive a benefit that was already approved on day one. The fix appears simple: sync the already-approved eligibility record to our tenant so the offers become claimable.

Could a Microsoft team member please look into case 2605290040003233? It has been 9+ business days since same-day approval, and our organization is waiting on these benefits to operate. Thank you.

Microsoft 365 Global Admin Account Recovery

JamesSullivanNY — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 22:03:31 GMT

I am the only Global Administrator for my nonprofit organization's Microsoft 365 account. Around May 20, 2026, I contacted Microsoft because I was locked out of my administrator account due to authentication issues and could no longer access the Microsoft Admin Center.

The issue is that when I try to sign in to the Admin Center, Microsoft attempts to send a verification code to my old cell phone number, which I no longer have access to. Because of this, I am unable to complete the sign-in process and manage my organization's Microsoft 365 environment.

Since then, I have been working with multiple Microsoft support representatives and have received conflicting information throughout the process. I was instructed to add TXT records to my domain hosted through Hover to verify ownership of the organization. At one point, I was told the verification was successful. The next day, I was told Microsoft could not see the records. I then contacted Hover support and had them verify that the records were correctly added. Later, Microsoft informed me that they could see the records and that verification was successful.

It has now been approximately 20 days, and I still do not have access to my administrator account. Communication has slowed significantly, and when I request updates or ask about next steps, I receive little or no response.

As the only Global Administrator for a nonprofit organization, this situation is preventing me from managing our Microsoft 365 environment, users, licensing, nonprofit benefits, and other administrative functions.

Has anyone else experienced a similar situation with Microsoft 365 account recovery or administrator verification? If so, how long did it take to resolve, and were there any additional steps you had to complete? I am trying to understand whether this timeline is normal and what I should expect next.

I also wish Microsoft had a way for customers to look up support cases online by entering a case number and viewing the current status, updates, and progress notes. At this point, all I am trying to find out is whether my case is still being actively worked on, what progress has been made, and what the next steps are.

If anyone from Microsoft sees this post and would like additional information, I would be happy to provide my support case number privately.

Building Low‑Code Apps for Nonprofits with Power Apps: A Practical Technical Guide

Tiffiany — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:54:08 GMT

Nonprofits often rely on spreadsheets, paper forms, or disconnected systems to manage programs. These approaches can limit visibility, create inefficiencies, and increase administrative overhead.

Microsoft Power Apps provides a low‑code platform that enables organizations to build custom applications—such as intake systems, volunteer check‑ins, case management tools, and inventory tracking—without requiring traditional software development.

This guide explores the core architecture of Power Apps and how nonprofits can build scalable, secure, and maintainable solutions that align with their programs and workflows.

Power Apps Architecture for Nonprofits

Power Apps is part of the broader Microsoft Power Platform, which includes Dataverse, Power Automate, and connectors working together to create complete business applications.

1. Canvas Apps

Canvas apps are highly customizable, user-interface–first applications that allow you to design the experience using a drag‑and‑drop approach while defining logic with Power Fx formulas. These apps give you full control over layout and behavior, making them ideal for mobile and task-specific workflows.

Best suited for:

Client intake
Volunteer check‑in
Surveys
Mobile field work

Learn more: Complete guide to building canvas applications - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn

2. Model‑Driven Apps

Model-driven apps are data-first, structured applications built on Microsoft Dataverse, where the interface is automatically generated based on your data model, relationships, and business rules. These apps prioritize consistency, scalability, and governance over custom design.

Best suited for:

Case management
Donor pipelines
Program tracking

Learn more: Overview of building a model-driven app with Power Apps - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn

3. Dataverse

Dataverse is the secure, cloud-based relational data platform for Power Apps, providing structured data storage, governance, and enterprise scalability. It serves as the foundation for model-driven apps and a robust backend for canvas apps, enabling organizations to manage data, enforce business rules, and integrate across systems.

Key capabilities:

Relational tables and data relationships
Role-based and field-level security
Business rules and validation logic
Audit logging and compliance support
API access for integrations

Learn more: Dataverse documentation - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn

4. Connectors

Connectors act as the integration layer of Power Apps, enabling secure communication between your application and external systems. They allow apps to read, write, and automate data across a wide range of services without requiring custom code.

Connectors nonprofit integrations:

SharePoint (documents and simple lists)
Excel (lightweight tracking and prototypes)
SQL Server (high-volume structured data)
Dynamics 365 (CRM and fundraising)
Azure services (cloud storage, AI, functions)
Salesforce (stakeholder management)
Custom APIs for specialized systems

Learn more: List of all Power Apps connectors | Microsoft Learn

Technical Best Practices

Data Layer

Use Dataverse for sensitive data or relational data
Use SharePoint for lightweight applications
Use SQL for high‑volume or transactional systems

Security

Apply role‑based access controls
Use environment variables for configuration
Enable audit logs for compliance and tracking

Performance

Limit controls per screen
Use delegable queries for large datasets
Cache reference data when appropriate

How to Build a Nonprofit Intake App (Technical How‑To)

Building an intake app involves combining data, a form interface, and simple logic.

Step 1: Create Your Data (Where Information Lives)

Before building the app, you need a place to store your intake information. In Power Apps, this is done using Dataverse, which acts like a secure, structured database behind the scenes.

You’ll create a table (similar to a spreadsheet) with fields such as:

Client Name
Date of Birth
Program
Notes
Intake Date

👉 Learn more about how data works in Power Apps: Dataverse documentation - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn

Step 2. Build the Intake Form (What Users See)

Once your data is set up, you create a Canvas App, which is the form your staff or volunteers will use.

Power Apps automatically turns your data fields into:

Text boxes
Dropdowns
Date pickers

This gives you a mobile-friendly intake form that works on phones, tablets, or desktops.

👉 Learn more about building apps: Official Microsoft Power Apps documentation - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn

Step 3: Make the Form Work (Submitting Data)

To make the intake form functional, you add simple logic so that when someone clicks Submit, their information is saved automatically. This is done using Power Fx, a formula language similar to Excel.

👉 Learn more about formulas:

Microsoft Power Fx overview - Power Platform | Microsoft Learn

With just a few formulas, your app can:

Save data
Show confirmation messages
Reset the form for the next client

Step 4: (Optional) Add Automation

After a form is submitted, you can automatically trigger actions like:

Sending confirmation emails
Notifying staff
Creating follow-up tasks

👉 Learn more about automation: Official Microsoft Power Automate documentation - Power Automate | Microsoft Learn

5. Share the App with Your Team

Once your intake app is ready, you can share it with staff and volunteers so they can start using it right away.

You can access it:

On mobile devices
Inside Microsoft Teams
In a web browser

Final Thought

Power Apps enables nonprofits to move beyond fragmented tools and build custom, integrated solutions that match their workflows—without the cost and complexity of traditional development.

With the right approach to architecture, data, and governance, organizations can create systems that are secure, scalable, and built for long-term impact.

Turning Nonprofit Data Into Action: A Technical Guide to Power BI

Tiffiany — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 20:42:22 GMT

Nonprofits generate data constantly — but it’s often scattered across Excel files, CRMs, survey tools, and program systems. Power BI provides a unified analytics layer that connects, cleans, models, and visualizes this data in a secure, scalable environment. It is part of Microsoft’s broader analytics stack designed to turn raw data into actionable insight.

This guide dives deeper into the technical foundations required to build nonprofit‑ready analytics solutions.

Power BI Architecture for Nonprofits

Power BI consists of three core components:

1. Power BI Desktop

Power BI Desktop is the primary authoring tool used to create data models and interactive reports. These reports are then published to the Power BI Service for sharing and collaboration.

Used for:

Data modeling (building semantic models)
DAX calculations (measures and calculated columns)
Visual design (interactive reports)
Data transformation using Power Query

👉 Power BI Desktop overview

2. Power BI Service (Cloud)

The Power BI Service is the cloud-based platform for collaboration, distribution, and consumption of analytics, enabling teams and stakeholders to securely access and interact with data insights

Used for:

Publishing reports from Power BI Desktop
Sharing dashboards and reports
Scheduled data refresh
Row-Level Security (RLS)
Workspaces, apps, and governance

👉 Get Started Creating in the Power BI Service - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

3. Power BI Gateway (Optional)

The gateway ensures secure data transfer between on‑premises systems and Power BI cloud services.

Used when connecting to on‑premises data sources (SQL Server, local Excel files, etc.).

Acts as a secure bridge between cloud services and on‑premises data
Enables scheduled data refresh and live (DirectQuery) connections
Keeps sensitive data within your local network while enabling cloud-based analytics

👉 On-premises data gateway - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

Core Data Preparation: Power Query

Power Query is the data preparation and ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) engine behind Power BI.

Capabilities:

Connects to multiple data sources
Cleans and reshapes data
Creates repeatable transformation pipelines
Supports hundreds of data transformations

👉 Power Query overview

Power Query standardizes data and automates preparation workflows, reducing manual effort.

Advanced Nonprofit Use Cases

1. Multi‑Program Outcome Dashboards

Nonprofits often manage multiple programs with different metrics. Power BI enables unified reporting through:

Star schema modeling
Fact tables (attendance, outcomes, surveys)
Dimension tables (participants, programs, locations)

👉 Star schema guidance: Understand star schema and the importance for Power BI - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

2. Donor Analytics With Predictive Insights

DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) is a formula language used to create dynamic calculations and measures inside Power BI data models.

Using DAX, AI visuals, and advanced analytics features, nonprofits can:

Identify donor churn
Analyze giving trends and likelihood
Segment donors by behavior
Calculate and track lifetime value

👉 DAX reference

3. Volunteer Workforce Analytics

Track and optimize:

Volunteer hours by skill
Retention trends
Training completion and effectiveness
Event staffing gaps and workforce allocation

👉 Power BI HR analytics sample (workforce trends & attrition): Human Resources sample – Power BI

4. Grant Reporting Automation

Power BI enables nonprofits to automate and standardize grant reporting processes, reducing manual effort and improving accuracy.

Capabilities:

Automatically refresh data using scheduled refresh in the Power BI Service
Standardize reporting through reusable dashboards and report templates
Automated export and distribution

👉 Configure scheduled refresh – Power BI
👉 Export and automate report delivery with Power Automate

How to Build a Nonprofit Impact Dashboard (Advanced)

Step 1: Build a Data Model

Import data (Excel, SharePoint, SQL)
Create core tables:
- FactOutcomes
- DimParticipant
- DimProgram
- DimDate
Define one‑to‑many relationships between dimension and fact tables

This follows a star schema approach, which improves performance, scalability, and reporting clarity.

👉 Power BI data modeling guidance

Step 2: Create DAX Measures

Example measures:

Total Participants = COUNT(DimParticipant[ParticipantID])

Total Outcomes = SUM(FactOutcomes[OutcomeValue])

Outcome Rate =

DIVIDE(

[Total Outcomes],

[Total Participants],

)

Active Participants =

CALCULATE(

DISTINCTCOUNT(DimParticipant[ParticipantID]),

FactOutcomes[Status] = "Active"

)

👉 DAX reference

Step 3: Build Visuals

Use report visuals to present key metrics and patterns, then pin selected visuals to dashboards in the Power BI Service for executive-level monitoring.

Cards → KPIs (total participants, outcomes)
Line charts → trends over time
Maps → geographic impact
Matrix tables → structured reporting for funders

👉 Intro to dashboards for Power BI designers - Power BI | Microsoft Learn and Overview of Power BI reports - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

Step 4: Publish and Automate

Publish to Power BI Service
Configure scheduled refresh
Apply Row-Level Security
Share dashboards with leadership, funders, and board members

👉 Configure scheduled refresh - Power BI | Microsoft Learn and Tutorial: Get Started Creating in the Power BI Service - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

Final Thought

Power BI gives nonprofits a modern, enterprise-grade analytics platform without requiring a full data engineering team. By combining:

Structured data modeling
Automated data preparation
Strong governance practices

nonprofits can transform fragmented data into clear, actionable insight that drives mission impact.

Microsoft 365 Copilot: free 30-day trial

MattBurr — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 05:15:32 GMT

Starting July 2026, Microsoft is rolling out a free 30-day trial of Microsoft 365 Copilot (Premium) for small and medium-sized organisations (up to 300 users).

Users from eligible organisations will be able to start the trial directly from Copilot Chat and will receive full access to the premium version of Copilot.

For nonprofits, this is a great opportunity to evaluate whether the paid version of Copilot delivers real value before purchasing any licences.

We recommend having AI usage guidelines in place before starting the trial, and initially running the trial with a small group. Putting some structure around the trial will help you clearly assess the outcomes and make a more informed decision about next steps.

A few things worth noting about the trial:

No payment information is required.
The ability for users to start a trial will be enabled by default, but admins can disable this option via the Microsoft 365 Admin Centre.
Microsoft 365 Copilot connects to your Microsoft 365 content (such as emails, documents, and calendar) to personalise its responses.
After 30 days, users will need a paid licence to continue using the premium features.

Accessibility Tools in Windows & Microsoft 365 Every Nonprofit Should Know

Tiffiany — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:34:54 GMT

Accessibility isn’t optional for nonprofits — it’s essential. Whether serving clients, supporting staff, or engaging volunteers, organizations must ensure digital tools are usable by everyone.

Microsoft 365 and Windows include powerful, built‑in accessibility features that many nonprofits overlook. This blog explores the most impactful tools, how they work, and how to configure them using official Microsoft guidance.

Accessibility Architecture in Microsoft 365

1. Input Assistance

Speech‑to‑text (Voice typing / Dictation): Convert spoken words into written text in real time
Voice control (Voice access): Use voice commands to open apps, navigate menus, and control the operating system
Hands‑free navigation: Fully operate a device using voice access and assistive input technologies, allowing users to write text and operate their PC entirely through speech

👉 Microsoft overview: Windows 11 Accessibility Features | Microsoft

2. Visual Assistance

Windows allows users to adjust text size, contrast themes, and apply magnification, improving readability and reducing eye strain.

Magnifier
Color filters
High contrast themes
Immersive Reader (Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, OneNote, and Edge)

👉 Learn more: Make Windows easier to see | Microsoft Support

3. Hearing Assistance

Microsoft Teams provides real‑time captions and saved transcripts with speaker attribution, helping users follow meetings and review conversations later.

Live captions
Transcription
Subtitles

👉 Teams guidance: Admins- Manage transcription and captions for Teams meetings - Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn

4. Cognitive Support

Features like Read Aloud and Immersive Reader improve comprehension by reading text aloud, adjusting spacing, and reducing visual distractions to help users focus and better process information

Focus mode (Immersive Reader / Line Focus): Reduces distractions and highlights portions of text for better concentration
Read‑aloud: Converts text to speech so users can listen instead of reading
Simplified ribbon: Reduces interface complexity for easier navigation
Editor suggestions: Provides real‑time grammar, clarity, and style improvements

👉 Learn more: Use Immersive Reader in Word | Microsoft Support and Listen to your Word documents - Microsoft Support

High‑Impact Use Cases for Nonprofits

1. Accessible Program Materials

Immersive Reader helps users with dyslexia, language barriers, or cognitive challenges better understand written content.

Use Immersive Reader to:

Read text aloud
Break words into syllables
Adjust spacing
Translate content

How to Enable Immersive Reader

Open Word or OneNote
Select View → Immersive Reader
Adjust:
- Text spacing
- Column width
- Read‑aloud speed
- Line focus

👉 Resource: Microsoft 365 Immersive Reader overview

2. Accessible Meetings

Transcription creates a searchable meeting record with timestamps and speaker attribution, improving accountability and accessibility

Microsoft Teams provides:

Live captions
Speaker attribution
Transcripts
Translation

Enable Live Captions in Teams

Join a meeting
Click More (…) → Turn on live captions
Select language
Enable transcription if needed

👉 Learn more: Teams transcription & captions

3. Accessible Documents

Word and PowerPoint provide tools to ensure documents are inclusive and compliant.

Accessibility Checker
Alt‑text generation
Reading order tools

Run Accessibility Checker

Open Word, PowerPoint, or Excel
Go to Review → Check Accessibility
Fix issues such as:
- Missing alt text
- Low contrast
- Incorrect reading order

👉 Learn more: Run Accessibility Checker

4. Accessible Communications

Outlook supports:

Accessible email templates
Screen reader compatibility
High‑contrast display options

How to Configure Accessibility Features in Outlook

Open a new email in Outlook
Use clear structure and formatting, such as:
- Short paragraphs
- Bold text for section headers
- Bulleted or numbered lists
- Add alt text to images (right‑click image → Edit Alt Text)
- Under the Message tab → Check Accessibility before sending

👉 Learn more: Make your Outlook email accessible to people with disabilities | Microsoft Support

Final Thought

Accessibility is a core part of digital equity. By leveraging the built‑in tools in Microsoft 365 and Windows, nonprofits can create inclusive experiences without additional cost or complexity.

These features are not just compliance tools — they are productivity, engagement, and mission‑impact multipliers.

Learn More

See accessibility in action through nonprofits around the world that are advancing inclusion by co‑creating technology in partnership with the communities they serve. Please visit: Microsoft for Nonprofits LinkedIn.

Transforming Microsoft Teams into a Secure Collaboration Platform for Nonprofits

Tiffiany — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 20:53:21 GMT

Microsoft Teams is often seen as a meeting tool, but its real power lies in how it connects Microsoft 365 services like SharePoint, OneDrive, and the Power Platform into a single workspace. When a Team is created, a Microsoft 365 Group and a SharePoint site are automatically provisioned, forming the foundation for file storage, permissions, and collaboration

For nonprofits managing distributed staff, volunteers, and external partners, Teams can function as a central hub for collaboration, operations, and program delivery.

1. Organizing Work with Channels

Teams' channels provide a flexible way to structure work across the organization. Nonprofits can create channels for:

Volunteer groups
Event teams
Shifts or cohorts

Within each channel, teams can:

Store and share files (via SharePoint)
Manage tasks using Planner
Automate updates with Power Automate

Key consideration:

Standard channels are visible to all team members
Private and shared channels allow restricted access Standard, private, or shared channels in Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Support

How to set this up

In Teams: Join or create a team → Create team
Choose: Standard team
Add channels such as:
- General
- Training
- Events
- Resources
Assign volunteer leads as Owners

✅ Note: The Teams Admin Center is primarily used for governance and policy management—not day-to-day team creation.

✅ Channels can be standard (open to all members) or private/shared for restricted access, depending on your needs.

Learn more: Create a standard, private, or shared channel in Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Support

2. Secure Case Management Collaboration

Teams supports secure coordination for caseworkers and sensitive programs by combining communication with built-in compliance capabilities:

Private channels for restricted discussions only added members can access content)
Sensitivity labels and DLP policies (via Microsoft Purview)
Encryption for data in transit and at rest

Because Teams stores channel files in SharePoint, organizations benefit from:

Version control
Granular permissions
Audit logs and compliance tracking

How to set this up

Create a Private Channel
Add only authorized staff
Apply a Sensitivity Label
Configure DLP policies
Store files within the channel

✅ Private channels create a secure, isolated collaboration space, where only members can view conversations and files

Learn more: IT Admins - Private channels in Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn

3. External Collaboration with Partners

Teams Connect enables seamless collaboration with external organizations without switching platforms.

Key capabilities include:

Shared channels for working across organizations
Identity management through Microsoft Entra ID
Conditional access controls

Unlike traditional guest access, shared channels use B2B Direct Connect, allowing external users to collaborate using their own organizational credentials.

How to set this up

Configure cross-tenant access in Microsoft Entra ID
Enable B2B Direct Connect
Create a Shared Channel
Invite external partners
Assign permissions

✅ Requires a trust relationship between organizations

Learn more: B2B direct connect Microsoft Entra overview - Microsoft Entra External ID | Microsoft Learn

4. Training, Onboarding, and Knowledge Sharing

Teams provides a complete environment for training and onboarding:

Live and recorded sessions
Transcripts and captions
Breakout rooms for interactive learning
Quizzes using Microsoft Forms

Recordings are automatically stored in:

Meeting recordings are stored in OneDrive (for private meetings)}
SharePoint (for channel meetings)

Learn more: Teams meeting recording and transcript storage and permissions in OneDrive and SharePoint - Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn

How to set this up

Create a Training channel
Upload materials to SharePoint (via the Files tab)
Add Forms quizzes as a tab
Pin key resources for easy access
Optionally integrate Viva Learning to centralize training content

This makes training content easy to reuse and manage over time.

5. Community and Program Engagement

Teams can also support program delivery and community engagement by hosting:

Youth programs
Support groups
Peer learning communities

Features like moderation, role-based permissions, and secure file sharing help maintain safe participation.

6. Real-Time Document Collaboration

Teams integrates directly with Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, enabling real-time co-authoring.

This allows multiple users to:

Edit documents simultaneously
Track changes automatically
Eliminate version confusion

All documents remain centrally stored and managed through SharePoint/OneDrive.

Learn more: Collaborating with Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive - Microsoft Support

7. Program Delivery and Secure Services

For delivering services remotely, Teams includes:

Secure meetings with waiting rooms
Appointment scheduling
Screen sharing and collaboration tools

Compliance note:
Microsoft Teams can support regulatory requirements such as HIPAA when used with:

An eligible Microsoft 365 plan
A Business Associate Agreement (BAA)
Appropriate security and compliance configurations How do make Teams HIPAA Compliant? - Microsoft Q&A

8. Event Planning and Coordination

Teams can streamline event planning by combining:

Planner for task tracking
Loop components for collaborative content
Shared calendars (via Exchange)
Power Automate for reminders and notifications

How to set this up

Add a Planner tab to a channel
Create task buckets:
- To Do
- In Progress
- Completed
Assign tasks
Automate reminders with Power Automate

Learn more: Add Planner as a tab in Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Support

9. Internal Communications

Teams can reduce reliance on internal email by centralizing communication through:

Channel announcements
@mentions
Threaded conversations
Integration with Viva Engage

10. Knowledge Management

Teams also serves as an entry point for organizational knowledge by connecting directly to SharePoint:

SharePoint pages for structured knowledge bases
Key resources surfaced as tabs in channels
Integrated search across chats, files, and channels

Important distinction:

SharePoint acts as the system of record for documents and content
Teams provides the user interface for collaboration and access

How to set this up

Add a SharePoint page as a tab
Include:
- Policies
- Program materials
- Templates
- FAQs
Surface additional lists or documents libraries as needed
Use Microsoft Search to help users find content quickly

Learn more: Add a SharePoint page, list, or document library as a tab in Teams - Microsoft Support

Final Thought

Teams becomes significantly more powerful when treated as a digital workspace layered on Microsoft 365, not just a meeting tool. With proper structure and governance, it can streamline operations and strengthen collaboration across an entire nonprofit.

Building a Secure Hybrid Workplace with OneDrive: Architecture, Security, and Best Practices

Tiffiany — Thu, 28 May 2026 19:35:51 GMT

Hybrid work requires a zero‑trust, identity-driven architecture where users, devices, and data are continuously validated. Microsoft 365 — specifically OneDrive for Business backed by SharePoint Online — provides a distributed content services platform designed for secure collaboration at scale.

This blog breaks down the core architecture, data protection mechanisms, and administrative controls that enable secure hybrid collaboration with OneDrive and Microsoft 365.

1. Storage Architecture (SharePoint Embedded Model)

OneDrive is not a standalone storage system; it is built on SharePoint Online multi-tenant architecture:

Each OneDrive account is a user-specific SharePoint Online personal site
- OneDrive is provisioned as a personal SharePoint site for each user when first accessed
- Link: Pre-provision OneDrive for users in your organization - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn}
Files are stored within SharePoint document libraries
- Document libraries provide a central location to store, organize, and collaborate on files, including support for folders and shared access
- Link: Manage sharing settings for SharePoint and OneDrive in Microsoft 365 - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn
Document libraries support permissions, versioning, and collaboration features
- Users can control access, track changes, and maintain version history directly within document libraries
- Link: Manage sharing settings for SharePoint and OneDrive in Microsoft 365 - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn

Data Protection Mechanisms

Encryption at rest using AES-256 across distributed storage
Encryption in transit via TLS/HTTPS

👉Data encryption in OneDrive and SharePoint | Microsoft Learn

Ransomware Resilience

Built-in ransomware detection and recovery capabilities
Version history (≥500 versions) enables recovery of previously unencrypted files
Recycle bin (93-day retention) allows restoration of deleted files
File Restore provides point-in-time rollback of OneDrive content

👉 Ransomware protection in Microsoft 365

2. Sync Engine & Client Architecture

The OneDrive sync client (Next Generation Sync Client) provides synchronization between endpoints and Microsoft 365 cloud storage:

Core Components

Local cache + placeholder system
- The OneDrive sync client synchronizes files between the device and Microsoft 365, processing uploads and downloads as changes occur
- Link: How sync works - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn
Files On-Demand virtualization layer
- With Files On‑Demand enabled, files appear as online-only files in File Explorer and are downloaded only when accessed
- Link: Save disk space with OneDrive Files On-Demand for Windows - Microsoft Support

Sync Control Capabilities

Admins can enforce:

Domain-joined device restrictions
- Restrict sync to managed or compliant devices
- Link: Allow syncing only on computers joined to specific domains - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn
Known Folder Move
- Redirect Desktop, Documents, and Pictures to OneDrive
- Link: Redirect and move Windows known folders to OneDrive - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn
Bandwidth throttling policies
- Control sync throughput and limit upload/download rates
- Link: Network utilization planning for the OneDrive sync app - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn

3. Identity, Access, and Sharing Model

Identity Plane (Microsoft Entra ID)

Access to OneDrive is governed through:

Microsoft Entra ID authentication
- Provides identity and access management for Microsoft 365 services
- Link: Understanding Microsoft Entra ID and OAuth 2.0 in the context of SharePoint Online modern development | Microsoft Learn
Modern authentication protocols (OAuth 2.0)
- Used to authorize access to services and APIs in Microsoft 365
- Link: Understanding Microsoft Entra ID and OAuth 2.0 in the context of SharePoint Online modern development | Microsoft Learn
Conditional Access policies
- Enforce access controls such as requiring compliant devices or MFA
- Link: Enable conditional access support in the OneDrive sync app - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn

Technical Best Practices

Security

Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication
Require compliant devices via Conditional Access
Apply sensitivity labels for data classification

Governance & Compliance

Configure sharing restrictions
Apply retention and DLP policies via Microsoft Purview
Enable audit logging and eDiscovery

Performance Optimization

Enable Files On-Demand
Limit sync scope to required libraries
Avoid syncing large or high-change datasets

Final Thought

OneDrive is a cloud-native content platform built on SharePoint Online, secured through Microsoft Entra ID and governed by Microsoft 365 compliance capabilities.

This architecture enables nonprofits to:

Collaborate securely across distributed teams
Enforce identity-driven access controls
Protect data from loss, ransomware, and unauthorized access

When aligned with Zero Trust principles, it delivers enterprise-grade security in a scalable, cloud-first model.

Drive AI adoption with AI Skills Fest—build real skills, fast

Tiffiany — Fri, 22 May 2026 16:10:30 GMT

AI Skills Fest (June 8–12) is a global week of practical AI skill-building designed for every audience—from business leaders to developers. Powered by AI Skills Navigator, it combines live shows, curated learning playlists, and hands-on experiences to help learners build confidence and apply AI in real-world scenarios.

In addition, Training Services Partners (TSPs) are participating globally by delivering localized, language-specific events, making the experience accessible to diverse regional audiences.

Call to Action

Get your free pass: http://aka.ms/AISkillsFest

Curated AI learning paths
LinkedIn LIVE shows
Hackathon, developer themed via Reactor Live
Localized, regional events by Training Services Providers

Driving Engagement in Nonprofits with Viva Engage

Tiffiany — Wed, 20 May 2026 21:31:39 GMT

Nonprofits commonly operate within resource-constrained, distributed environments, relying on a mix of full-time staff, part-time employees, volunteers, and partner organizations across regions. This creates challenges around:

Maintaining mission alignment
Scaling knowledge sharing across programs
Sustaining culture and engagement without centralized offices

Microsoft Viva Engage, part of the Microsoft Viva suite, provides a cloud-based, enterprise social layer within Microsoft 365 that enables nonprofits to build community, share knowledge, and foster engagement across geographic and organizational boundaries. [learn.microsoft.com]

Unlike traditional communication tools, Viva Engage leverages:

Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) for secure identity and access management
Microsoft 365 Groups + SharePoint for community structure and content storage
Microsoft Graph for personalized content discovery and feed relevance

This architecture allows nonprofits to operationalize culture as an ongoing system, rather than relying on one-way communication or manual coordination.

Viva Engage Architecture (Nonprofit-Focused)

1. Communities (Mission-Aligned Collaboration Hubs)

Communities act as structured collaboration environments for conversation, coordination, and knowledge sharing. They can be public or private depending on program sensitivity.

Typical nonprofit segmentation:

Volunteer networks (by region, campaign, or cohort)
Program delivery teams (case management, outreach, education programs)
Leadership and board communications
Cross-functional initiatives (fundraising, advocacy, DEI)

Technical capabilities:

Integrated conversations, file sharing, and events
Support for announcements, polls, Q&A, and recognition posts
Backed by Microsoft 365 infrastructure for compliance and scalability
Accessible via web, Teams, and mobile for field-based staff and volunteers

2. Storylines (Organization-Wide Visibility Layer)

Storylines provide a personalized, organization-wide feed that enables individuals to share updates, experiences, and impact stories.

Aggregate posts from followed users and trending organizational content
Accessible across Teams, Outlook, and Viva Connections
Extend visibility beyond individual communities through follower networks and discovery feeds

👉 Learn more: Storylines in Viva Engage

Nonprofit value:

Share impact stories from the field
Highlight volunteer experiences
Amplify mission-driven narratives across regions

3. Campaigns (Structured Engagement Programs)

Campaigns enable nonprofits to run coordinated, measurable engagement initiatives using hashtags and centralized tracking.

Aggregate participation through campaign hashtags
Provide engagement analytics dashboards
Support organization-wide or community-level campaigns

👉 Setup guide: Create campaigns in Viva Engage

Example nonprofit campaigns:

#GivingWeek → fundraising drives
#VolunteerImpact → recognition campaigns
#CommunityOutreach → awareness initiatives

4. Knowledge Sharing Layer (Answers, Topics, Q&A)

Viva Engage supports crowdsourced knowledge exchange, which is critical for nonprofits with high staff and volunteer turnover.

Q&A with Best Answer functionality to surface validated knowledge
Answers in Viva for expert discovery and response routing
Topic tagging to organize institutional knowledge

👉 To learn more visit: Answers in Viva: Ask a question - Microsoft Support and Answers in Viva: Introduction - Microsoft Support

Nonprofit impact:

Reduces dependency on tribal knowledge
Accelerates onboarding of volunteers and new staff
Preserves program expertise across regions

5. Analytics & Engagement Signals

Viva Engage provides built-in insights to measure engagement and adoption:

Community engagement metrics (posts, reactions, participation)
Campaign performance tracking
Leadership engagement visibility

👉 To learn more visit: View and manage analytics in Viva Engage | Microsoft Learn

Nonprofit relevance:

Track volunteer engagement trends
Measure campaign participation (fundraising, awareness)
Identify under-engaged programs or regions

Integration Architecture

Microsoft Teams

Access Viva Engage directly within Microsoft Teams
Embed Viva Engage communities or topics as tabs within Teams channels to enable in-context collaboration
Allow team members to view, react to, and participate in Engage conversations without leaving Teams

👉 Integration details: Add a Viva Engage page to a Teams channel - Microsoft Support

SharePoint (Nonprofit Intranet)

Embed Engage conversations into intranet pages
Turn static program pages into interactive discussion hubs

👉 Integration details: Use a Viva Engage web part in SharePoint - Microsoft Support and Include a Viva Engage feed in a SharePoint page | Microsoft Learn

Power Platform (Automation)

Use Power Automate with the Viva Engage connector to enable event-driven automation and cross-system integration:

Trigger workflows when new messages are posted in a community or followed feed
Retrieve and process messages, groups (communities), and conversation data for downstream systems
Automatically post messages to Viva Engage communities from other systems or workflow

👉 Connector reference: Viva Engage connector

Technical Implementation Guide

Create a Community: Create a community in Viva Engage - Microsoft Support
Create a Campaign: Set up official campaigns in Viva Engage | Microsoft Learn

Conclusion

Viva Engage enables nonprofits to move from fragmented communication to a structured, scalable engagement model. By combining communities, storylines, campaigns, and analytics—integrated across Teams, SharePoint, and Power Platform—organizations can strengthen culture, improve knowledge sharing, and expand mission impact across distributed teams.

How to Configure Temporary Access Pass (TAP) to Prevent Lockouts

Tiffiany — Mon, 18 May 2026 19:01:16 GMT

As organizations move toward passwordless authentication and stronger identity protection, having a reliable fallback mechanism becomes essential. That’s where Temporary Access Pass (TAP) comes in.

TAP provides a time-limited passcode that users can use to register passwordless methods—such as Passkeys (FIDO2), Microsoft Authenticator, or certificate-based authentication—without requiring their existing password or MFA methods.

For nonprofits and mission-driven organizations, TAP helps reduce account lockouts, simplifies onboarding, and strengthens security.

What Is Temporary Access Pass (TAP)?

Temporary Access Pass is a secure, limited-duration authentication method that allows:

Secure onboarding of new users
Recovery when users lose access to authentication methods
Registration of passwordless sign-in methods

Key characteristics:

Time-limited
Single-use or multi-use
Assigned to specific users or groups
Automatically expires and cannot be reused

✅ Licensing requirement: Microsoft Entra ID P1 or higher (included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium).

Why TAP Prevents Lockouts

TAP addresses common access issues:

Lost MFA device: Users can reconfigure authentication methods
Forgotten password: Users can move directly to passwordless sign-in
New user setup: No need to share passwords insecurely
Recovery scenarios: Provides an alternate path when normal sign-in fails

Step 1: Enable TAP in Microsoft Entra Admin Center

Open the Microsoft Entra admin center
Navigate to:
Entra ID → Authentication methods → Policies
Select Temporary Access Pass
Set Enable → On
Assign to selected users or groups

Start with a pilot group before broader rollout.

Step 2: Configure TAP Policy Settings

Lifetime settings
- Default: 1 hour
- Maximum: up to 8 hours (or more, if required)

(Although Microsoft allows longer durations, shorter lifetimes increase security.)

Usage Type

One-time (recommended):

Admin recovery
Sensitive or privileged access

Multi-use:

Bulk onboarding
Temporary workforce

Assignments

Recommended groups:

Administrators
Helpdesk staff (trained)
New user onboarding groups

Avoid assigning to all users without proper controls.

Step 3: Create a TAP for a User

Go to Entra ID → Users
Select the user
Choose Authentication methods
Click Add authentication method
Select Temporary Access Pass
Configure:
- Lifetime
- One-time or multi-use
- Start time
Select Add

Security note:
Deliver the TAP securely—never via email or unsecured messaging.

Step 4: Use TAP for Secure Registration or Recovery

Users redeem TAP at: https://aka.ms/mysecurityinfo

This portal allows users to do the following by simplifying adding a sign-in method:

Register passkeys (FIDO2)
Set up Microsoft Authenticator
Configure Windows Hello
Recover access if MFA is unavailable

TAP enables users to sign in without needing their existing password or MFA methods, providing a secure, time-limited path for onboarding and account recovery.

Best Practices for Nonprofits Using TAP

1. Restrict who can issue TAP

Limit to:

Global/Admin roles
Security or helpdesk staff

2. Use Just-In-Time generation

Create TAP only when needed
Never store or reuse codes

3. Enforce expiration discipline

Keep lifetimes short
Avoid long-lived passes

4. Monitor all usage

Review sign-in logs
Monitor authentication method activity

5. Align with Conditional Access

Use TAP during Report-only testing
Ensure policies allow TAP as a valid authentication method

Conclusion

Temporary Access Pass is one of the most effective tools organizations can use to:

Prevent account lockouts
Simplify onboarding
Accelerate passwordless adoption
Strengthen identity security

When combined with Conditional Access and emergency access accounts, TAP becomes a key part of a resilient identity strategy.

To learn how to fully configure Temporary Access Pass (TAP), refer to the official Microsoft documentation: Configure a Temporary Access Pass in Microsoft Entra ID to register passwordless authentication methods - Microsoft Entra ID | Microsoft Learn

Azure Policy: Modern Governance with Practical Recommendations

Tiffiany — Wed, 13 May 2026 20:45:15 GMT

Azure Policy is one of Microsoft Azure’s most effective governance tools. It helps organizations enforce standards automatically, detect configuration issues early, and keep cloud environments aligned with internal policies and external regulatory requirements. For organizations that value security, predictability, and cost control—especially nonprofits—Azure Policy provides essential guardrails without relying on manual oversight.

This guide explains why Azure Policy matters, how it works, and recommended best practices for using it effectively, with a practical example and step‑by‑step guidance.

📘 Official Azure Policy overview

Why Azure Policy Matters

Azure Policy allows you to define rules that Azure evaluates continuously. These rules ensure resources stay compliant during creation and over time. Policies can block, audit, modify, or remediate resource configurations automatically—reducing risk and operational overhead.

Common governance scenarios include:

Restricting which Azure regions can be used
Requiring resource tags for cost tracking
Enforcing encryption and security baselines
Auditing misconfigurations
Preventing unsupported or high‑risk deployments

✅ Recommendation
Adopt Azure Policy early, before environments scale. Governance is far easier—and less disruptive—to maintain than to retrofit after sprawl occurs.

Recommended Approach: Built‑In Policies First

Microsoft maintains hundreds of built‑in policies that cover common governance scenarios, including region restrictions, security controls, and compliance baselines.

One of the most widely used policies is:

Allowed locations – Restricts where resources can be deployed (Deny or Audit)

✅ Recommendation
Use built‑in policies whenever possible. They are:

Maintained and updated by Microsoft
Aligned with Azure platform changes
Easier to audit, document, and explain to stakeholders

Create custom policies only when built‑in options cannot meet specific business requirements.

Why Region Restriction Policies Are Useful

Restricting deployment regions is one of the most impactful governance controls an organization can apply.

Key Benefits

🔐 Stronger security - Limits deployments to trusted, reviewed regions.

📜 Regulatory compliance - Supports data residency requirements (HIPAA, GDPR, donor data protections).

⚡ Performance optimization - Keeps workloads closer to users and connected systems.

💰 Cost governance - Prevents accidental deployment in higher‑cost regions.

🧭 Operational consistency - Establishes clear boundaries for teams and automation pipelines.

✅ Recommendation
Apply region restrictions at the management group or subscription level to ensure consistent enforcement across environments.

Step‑by‑Step: Assigning an Azure Policy (Portal)

Step 1 — Open Azure Policy

Sign in to <https://portal.azure.com>
Search for Policy
Open the Policy service

Step 2 — Explore Policy Definitions

Azure provides built‑in policies for:

Tag enforcement
Encryption requirements
Diagnostic and activity logging
Resource configuration and restrictions
Security and compliance baselines

✅ Recommendation
Group related policies into Initiatives (policy sets) for easier management—especially for compliance or nonprofit governance standards.

📘 List of built in policy definitions:

Step 3 — Assign the Policy

In the left menu, expand Authoring
Select Assignments
Select Assign Policy
Select scope (management group, subscription, or resource group)
Choose the policy definition during the assignment wizard
Configure parameters
Review and create
Azure begins evaluating resources automatically.

📘 Assigning policies via the portal

Compliance Reporting in Azure Policy

Azure Policy includes a built‑in Compliance Dashboard that shows:

Overall compliance percentage across assigned policies and initiatives
Compliant vs. non‑compliant resources, aggregated by scope (management group, subscription, or resource group)
Non‑compliant initiatives and policies, helping identify which policy sets are failing
Individual policy evaluation results, showing exactly why a resource is non‑compliant
Exemptions, errors, and not‑applicable states, including resources excluded from enforcement or failing evaluation

Note: Compliance data is generated during evaluation cycles and may not be real‑time; results are updated periodically based on policy or resource changes.

📘 Compliance reporting documentation

Why Azure Policy Is Especially Valuable for Nonprofits

Nonprofits often manage sensitive donor, beneficiary, and financial data while operating under tight budgets. Azure Policy helps by:

Enforcing security without increasing staffing
Preventing costly configuration mistakes
Supporting audit readiness
Protecting donor trust
Reducing operational waste

Final Recommendations

✅ Start with built‑in policies
✅ Apply policies at the management group level when possible
✅ Use Deny for hard requirements; Audit for learning phases
✅ Group policies into initiatives
✅ Review compliance dashboards regularly
✅ Document governance decisions for transparency and audits

Conclusion

Azure Policy is a foundation of strong cloud governance. Whether you’re restricting deployment regions, enforcing security baselines, or preparing for audits, it delivers automated, consistent, and scalable enforcement.

For nonprofits and mission‑driven organizations, Azure Policy ensures every cloud resource supports security, compliance, and responsible stewardship—without increasing operational burden.

Strengthening Cybersecurity for Education‑Focused Nonprofits and Education Institutions

Tiffiany — Tue, 12 May 2026 01:57:53 GMT

Cybersecurity is one of the most urgent priorities facing education‑focused nonprofits and education institutions today.

Whether you’re a nonprofit delivering tutoring, literacy, STEM, or adult learning programs — or a school, district, or learning organization — you’re managing growing threat complexity with lean IT teams, rising ransomware risk, and sensitive learner and staff data to protect. Leaders across the education ecosystem need practical strategies that strengthen security without slowing down their mission.

The Microsoft Elevate Education team is bringing you two powerful Signature Series webinars this spring to help education‑focused nonprofits and education institutions strengthen their cybersecurity posture from the inside out. Pick the topic and time that fits your day — or register for both.

Webinar 1 | May 19, 2026

Preventing the Next Organization‑Wide Incident: Identity, Access, and Ransomware for Education‑Focused Nonprofits & Education Institutions

Choose your session:

8:00 – 9:00 AM PT: https://msevents.microsoft.com/event?id=2868688952
4:00 – 5:00 PM PT: https://msevents.microsoft.com/event?id=1182185119

Webinar 2 | June 23, 2026

Self-Healing Security for Education‑Serving Organizations: Automated Investigation & Response with Microsoft Defender XDR

Choose your session:

8:00 – 9:00 AM PT: https://msevents.microsoft.com/event?id=237608052
4:00 – 5:00 PM PT: https://msevents.microsoft.com/event?id=2738526889

Across both sessions, you'll learn how to:

Reduce risk from over‑permissioned admin accounts and always‑on access
Limit your organization’s blast radius through modern identity segmentation and access controls
Automate threat investigation and response to contain incidents faster — even with a lean team
Manage and approve remediation actions through a unified Action center
Strengthen ransomware readiness using tools many organizations already own

How This Benefits Education‑Focused Nonprofits

Education‑focused nonprofits and education institutions face many of the same cybersecurity pressures — rising ransomware activity, increasingly sophisticated identity attacks, and the responsibility to protect sensitive learner, staff, and organizational data — often with limited resources and little room for disruption.

These sessions tell the full cybersecurity story for organizations that teach, support, and deliver education: securing who has access and automating how you respond when threats occur. Together, they help nonprofits and education institutions move toward containment‑ready, resilient security operations that protect staff, volunteers, and the learners they serve.

We hope to see you there.

Microsoft Elevate EDU

Missing nonprofit SKUs

rbuffalo — Fri, 08 May 2026 00:16:47 GMT

Since the beginning of May, several SKU's have disappeared from the nonprofit pricing billing agreement. These include all of the Entra and Intune licenses which are not packaged, Entra Suite, P1 and P2, Intune and Mobility & Security E3 and E5. Were these SKU's purposely removed or is this in error?

Turn AI Potential into Real Impact—One Day Is All It Takes

Tiffiany — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:55:34 GMT

🌐 Online | Multiple session times

📅 May 6, 2026

🔗 Register: https://aka.ms/AgentathonMay2026

If AI is on your roadmap—but still feels out of reach—this is your reminder that May 6 is coming up fast. The Microsoft Global Agent‑a‑thon is your opportunity to move from AI interest to real, usable solutions in one day, with guidance and support that continues well beyond the event.

This isn’t about watching demos or talking about possibilities.

It’s about building.

Why This Matters Right Now

Across nonprofits, public sector, education, and business, teams are stretched thin. Workloads are increasing, expectations are growing, and there’s little room to experiment without support.

AI agents can help—if teams know how to build and apply them responsibly and effectively.

That’s exactly what the Agent‑a‑thon provides:

Hands‑on building
Clear learning paths
Real use cases
Ongoing guidance
A global community solving real problems

There’s a Level for You

Whether you’re brand new to AI or already building solutions, there’s a path designed for your role and goals:

🌱 Explorer

Build your first AI agent, no coding required and walk away with something you can use immediately.

⚙️ Commander

Automate workflows, connect systems, and reduce repetitive work using Copilot Studio and no‑code tools.

🚀 Master

Design secure, enterprise‑grade AI agents with governance, orchestration, and scale in mind.

No matter the level, the focus is the same: practical impact, not theory.

A Special Note for Nonprofits

Nonprofits often feel the pressure of “doing more with less” the most.

Through the Agent‑a‑thon, nonprofits can:

Automate administrative tasks that drain time and energy
Support staff and volunteers with faster access to information
Scale services without adding overhead
Explore AI in a safe, guided environment
Build solutions aligned directly to their mission

Most importantly, you don’t have to do it alone. The Agent‑a‑thon is designed to support you before, during, and after the event.

More Than a Day—A Starting Point

Yes, the build happens in one day.

But the learning, support, and momentum continue.

Participants can submit their agents, access continued resources, and learn alongside a global community focused on real‑world outcomes—not shelfware.

If AI is on your list this year, this is your moment.

One day to build. Ongoing support to grow. A chance to shine globally.

Building Intelligent Apps With Azure

Tiffiany — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:45:03 GMT

Technology is changing fast, and apps today can do far more than they used to. With artificial intelligence (AI) becoming part of everyday tools, organizations of all sizes are looking for ways to build smarter, more helpful apps. Microsoft Azure makes this easier by giving teams the tools and training they need to learn, experiment, and create with confidence.

What Makes an App “Intelligent”?

An intelligent app uses AI to make experiences feel more natural and responsive — like understanding language, recognizing images, or offering helpful suggestions. You can build these apps from scratch or modernize the ones you already have using Microsoft Azure.

Cloud technology plays a big role because it keeps everything fast, secure, and easy to scale.

Helping Teams Build With Confidence

Working with AI can feel overwhelming at first. Teams often face challenges like:

Not having much experience with AI
Feeling unsure about which tools to use
Wanting to make sure AI is used responsibly

Azure supports teams with hands‑on learning, expert guidance, and built‑in responsible AI tools through frameworks like Microsoft Responsible AI, helping teams build safely and confidently.

Start With the Basics

Before building intelligent apps, it helps to understand where your team is today and what skills they may need. Azure and Microsoft Learn offer simple, practical resources to get started:

AI fundamentals – Learn the basics of how AI works
- https://learn.microsoft.com/ai
Generative AI – Explore tools like AI copilots and how to write effective prompts
- Craft effective prompts for Microsoft 365 Copilot - Training | Microsoft Learn
Cloud‑native development – Build apps designed to run smoothly in the cloud
- Create cloud native apps with Azure and open-source software - Training | Microsoft Learn
Modernizing older apps:
- Azure application modernization overview - Assess, plan, and modernize existing workloads
  - Microsoft App Modernization Guidance for Azure - App Modernization Guidance | Microsoft Learn
- Power Platform modernization - Rebuild or extend legacy apps using low-code tools.
  - Modernize applications with Power Platform - Power Platform | Microsoft Learn
- Azure & .NET modernization – Upgrade ASP.NET apps to modern .NET and deploy to Azure
  - Modernize ASP.NET and ASP.NET Core web applications - App Modernization Guidance | Microsoft Learn

These resources help teams learn at their own pace and build confidence as they go.

Deploying Apps the Right Way

Once your app is ready, you need a smooth way to launch it. Azure provides tools and best practices to help teams:

Set up the right environment
Build and test apps quickly
Use containers and DevOps to speed up delivery
- Azure DevOps | Microsoft Azure
- Containers on Azure | Microsoft Azure
Deploy AI features safely using Azure’s governance and security tools

As many developers have noted, “What used to take weeks now takes hours.”

Keep Improving Over Time

Building an intelligent app isn’t a one‑time project. Teams need to monitor performance, keep apps secure, and make improvements as technology evolves. Azure offers resources to help with:

Scaling apps as usage grows — Automatically adjust resources to meet demand while maintaining performance and reliability.
Protecting apps from security threats — Use built‑in security, identity, and compliance tools to safeguard data and reduce risk.
Improving accuracy and performance — Monitor models and applications to fine‑tune quality, responsiveness, and user experience.
Managing costs — Track usage, optimize resources, and control spending as apps grow and evolve.

Create a Culture of Continuous Learning

The most successful organizations treat learning as an ongoing investment. As Forbes notes, helping people understand new technologies builds trust and prepares teams for the future.

Microsoft offers a wide range of learning paths, tutorials, and hands‑on experiences to support your team as they explore AI and intelligent app development:

A Practical Look at Device Analytics and Risk Signals with Microsoft Intune

Tiffiany — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:51:55 GMT

As organizations increasingly rely on laptops, mobile devices, and cloud‑connected applications, visibility into device health, configuration, and security posture is critical. Performance degradation, outdated configurations, and elevated device risk can negatively affect productivity and increase exposure to security threats.

Microsoft provides an integrated set of services—Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint—that support modern device management, evaluate device risk, and help organizations enforce consistent security controls across their environments.

This guide explains how these services work together, the role of Microsoft Configuration Manager, and how built‑in analytics and compliance signals can be used to improve device reliability and security.

The Role of Microsoft Configuration Manager

Microsoft Configuration Manager (formerly System Center Configuration Manager, or SCCM) is an on‑premises management platform used to deploy applications, manage software updates, enforce configuration baselines, and evaluate compliance—primarily for Windows devices.

When Configuration Manager is used together with Microsoft Intune through co‑management, organizations can extend their existing on‑premises management with cloud‑based capabilities. In a co‑managed environment:

Configuration Manager continues to manage traditional workloads.
Microsoft Intune adds cloud‑based device management and compliance evaluation.
Management workloads can be moved gradually from Configuration Manager to Intune.

This approach enables organizations to support both legacy infrastructure and modern cloud‑first device management strategies during transitions or hybrid deployments.

Learn more:
Co-management for Windows devices - Configuration Manager | Microsoft Learn

How Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Contributes to Device Security

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a unified endpoint security platform that delivers preventive protection, post‑breach detection, automated investigation, and response. It continuously evaluates device activity and assigns device risk levels based on observed threats and security signals.

Core capabilities include:

Threat and vulnerability management, which identifies software vulnerabilities and security misconfigurations
Attack surface reduction capabilities to limit common attack vectors
Endpoint detection and response (EDR) for alerting, investigation, and forensic analysis
Automated investigation and remediation to reduce manual response effort
Threat intelligence derived from Microsoft’s global security telemetry

When Defender for Endpoint is integrated with Microsoft Intune, device risk levels can be used within compliance policies and Conditional Access to restrict access to organizational resources when risk thresholds are exceeded.

Learn more:
Integrate Microsoft Defender for Endpoint with Intune for Device Compliance - Microsoft Intune | Microsoft Learn

What Microsoft Intune Provides

Microsoft Intune is a cloud‑based unified endpoint management (UEM) service that enables organizations to manage devices, protect organizational data, and enforce security requirements across Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android devices.

Core Intune capabilities include:

Cross‑platform device enrollment and lifecycle management
Configuration profiles to apply standardized device settings
Compliance policies to evaluate whether devices meet security requirements
App protection policies that safeguard organizational data within applications, including on personal (BYOD) devices
Integration with Microsoft Entra ID Conditional Access for access decisions based on compliance and risk

By integrating Intune with Defender for Endpoint and Conditional Access, organizations can adopt a risk‑based access model that takes real‑time device health and security posture into account.

Learn more:
What is Microsoft Intune - Microsoft Intune | Microsoft Learn

Choosing How to Use Intune and Defender for Endpoint

Microsoft positions these services as complementary:

Microsoft Intune focuses on device and application management, configuration, and compliance.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint focuses on endpoint threat protection, detection, and response.
Many organizations deploy both to combine centralized management with advanced security capabilities.

Together, they allow device configuration, security monitoring, and access control to operate as a unified system rather than isolated tools.

Microsoft Intune Licensing Overview

Microsoft Intune Plan 1 is included with several Microsoft subscription offerings. For nonprofits and small organizations, Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes Intune Plan 1 by default. Other plans that include Intune Plan 1 (as of March 2025) include:

Microsoft 365 E3 and E5
Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) E3 and E5
Microsoft 365 F1 and F3
Microsoft 365 Government G3 and G5
Microsoft Intune for Education

Feature availability may vary by license, and organizations should always review the official service descriptions for current inclusions and limitations.

Learn more:
Licenses available for Microsoft Intune - Microsoft Intune | Microsoft Learn

Designing an Effective Device Enrollment Strategy

An effective enrollment strategy establishes consistent management and security controls from the start. Microsoft recommends that organizations:

Define security and management objectives.
Select appropriate enrollment methods such as Windows Autopilot, Microsoft Entra ID join, or manual enrollment.
Apply standardized configuration and security policies.
Use compliance policies to evaluate device posture.
Plan for scalability and long‑term device lifecycle management.
Provide end‑user guidance to support adoption.

Enrollment is the foundation for applying policy, evaluating compliance, and maintaining ongoing visibility into managed devices. [learn.microsoft.com]

Coordinating Intune and Defender During Device Onboarding

Microsoft documents a layered onboarding approach that commonly includes:

App protection policies
Protect organizational data within supported applications, including on unenrolled BYOD devices.
Device enrollment in Intune
Enables configuration management, compliance assessment, and reporting.
Compliance policies
Define security requirements such as OS version, encryption, password policies, and update status.
Conditional Access
Enforces access decisions based on Intune compliance results and Defender for Endpoint device risk levels.
Configuration profiles
Apply standardized security and operational settings.

This approach helps ensure devices meet baseline security requirements before accessing sensitive organizational resources.

Using Endpoint Analytics to Improve Device Experience

Endpoint Analytics, available in Microsoft Intune, provides insights into device performance, reliability, and user experience. Microsoft positions Endpoint Analytics as an operational analytics tool, not a real‑time threat detection system

With Endpoint Analytics, IT teams can:

View dashboards showing startup performance, application reliability, and device health
Compare devices against established performance baselines to identify underperforming endpoints
Use generated scores and insights to prioritize remediation
Investigate issues affecting the end‑user experience, such as slow boot times or outdated configurations

These insights help organizations shift from reactive troubleshooting toward proactive device optimization.

Learn more:
Endpoint analytics overview - Microsoft Intune | Microsoft Learn

Summary

By combining Microsoft Intune, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, and Endpoint Analytics, organizations can manage devices consistently, evaluate device health and risk, and enforce access controls based on real conditions rather than assumptions.

This integrated approach supports modern work by improving visibility, strengthening security posture, and enabling IT teams to make data‑driven decisions that protect users and organizational data.

Nonprofit Business Basic licenses not available after approval

bvalkmaar — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:23:02 GMT

Our nonprofit organization (Baan Vereniging Alkmaar) has been approved through the Microsoft Nonprofit Hub. However, when attempting to claim Microsoft 365 Business Basic nonprofit licenses in the Admin Center (Billing → Purchase services), we receive the error: 'Sorry, your organization is not eligible for this offer.' The nonprofit approval is confirmed but the licenses are not linked to our tenant. Please activate the nonprofit grant licenses for our tenant.

I tried to contact by phone (0800 020 2546 given by https://admin.microsoft.com/ for The Netherlands) but the number seems to be offline.

After that I tried to create a support ticket at: https://nonprofit.microsoft.com

(which trows an error: Error occurred while submitting request. Please try again.)

How to proceed?...