Discontinuation of M365 Business Premium Grant Deeply Disappointing,Harmful to Small Nonprofits
As a Microsoft CSP partner supporting multiple nonprofit organizations, I am extremely disappointed by the decision to discontinue the Microsoft 365 Business Premium grant. This change disproportionately affects small nonprofits that rely on these tools to fulfill their missions with limited resources. The justification that this is about “alignment” or “sustainability” is disingenuous. Let’s be honest—this is a revenue-driven decision that undermines Microsoft’s long-standing commitment to empowering nonprofits. Removing access to essential tools like Office desktop apps and Intune from the grant program forces small organizations into paid plans they cannot afford, jeopardizing their operations and security. Microsoft has built goodwill in the nonprofit sector over the years. This move erodes that trust. I urge you to reconsider this decision or at least provide a longer transition period and more flexible options for small nonprofits. Please do better. The nonprofit sector deserves more than a corporate cost-cutting maneuver disguised as a strategic realignment.Level Up Your Nonprofit with Microsoft Learn!
That’s where Microsoft Learn comes in! It’s a free, on-demand training platform where nonprofit professionals can level up their skills in key areas like: ✅ Cybersecurity – Learn how to protect sensitive donor and program data ✅ Cloud Computing – Get hands-on with Microsoft Azure to modernize operations ✅ AI & Automation – Discover how tools like Copilot can save time and improve workflows ✅ Data Analytics – Use Power BI to track impact and make data-driven decisions ✅ Collaboration & Productivity – Master Microsoft 365 tools like Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive Bonus: If you’re looking to get certified, Microsoft Learn offers guided learning paths, interactive modules, practice assessments, and even free certification exam prep—helping your nonprofit’s team earn industry-recognized credentials that boost both confidence and credibility. Ready to upskill and transform the way your nonprofit works? Let’s dive into the keyways Microsoft Learn can help your team thrive! (Be sure to click the links included above and below throughout the blog!) 1. Free Training That Won’t Break the Budget The reality is—most nonprofits are working with tight budgets. Hiring consultants or paying for expensive training programs isn’t always an option. Microsoft Learn changes the game by providing free, high-quality training on essential tech skills, so your team can stay ahead without spending a dime. Whether you want to become a cybersecurity pro, optimize your nonprofit’s cloud strategy, or automate repetitive tasks, you’ll find step-by-step learning modules, hands-on exercises, and even sandbox environments to practice your skills. With zero cost and unlimited access, there’s no reason NOT to start learning today! 💡 2. Content Designed Just for Nonprofits Not all training is created equal, and Microsoft understands that nonprofits have unique needs. That’s why Microsoft Learn offers custom content that focus on real-world nonprofit challenges, such as: ✔ Volunteer Engagement – Learn how to manage and communicate with volunteers using Microsoft 365 ✔ Program Impact Tracking – Use Power BI and other analytics tools to measure outcomes and improve reporting ✔ Accelerate Nonprofit Funding with AI – Learn how to use Microsoft Copilot to streamline grant writing, improve donor outreach, and optimize funding strategies with AI-powered insights. ✔ Introduction to AI Skills for Nonprofits – Discover how AI can enhance nonprofit operations, improve decision-making, and automate tasks to maximize impact and efficiency. ✔ Data Governance – Understand how to structure, manage, and secure your nonprofit's data using Microsoft tools like Purview to maintain privacy and compliance. With these specialized courses, your team can gain relevant, actionable skills that will improve efficiency and amplify your mission! 3. AI & Automation: Your Digital Assistants Are Here! Ever wish you had a little extra help? AI-powered tools like Copilot in Word, Excel, and Teams can automate tasks, analyze data, and boost collaboration—so you can focus on impact instead of admin work. Need to draft a grant proposal? Copilot can help. Want insights from donor data? Copilot's got you. Running out of ideas for your fundraising campaign? Learn how you can accelerate nonprofit funding solutions with Copilot here. Microsoft Learn offers hands-on courses that teach you how to use AI tools to save time, improve accuracy, and enhance productivity—so your team can work smarter, not harder! 4. A Culture of Continuous Learning Tech is always evolving, and staying ahead of the game is key. Microsoft Learn makes ongoing training engaging, interactive, and accessible, helping your nonprofit adapt, innovate, and thrive in an ever-changing digital world. Want to level up your team’s expertise? Encourage staff and volunteers to take Microsoft certification courses—which include: Practice assessments to test knowledge before exams Certification prep courses to guide learning Industry-recognized credentials to showcase expertise Certifications like Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals or Azure Fundamentals can boost credibility and help your nonprofit build trust with donors and partners. Ready to Take Your Nonprofit to the Next Level? Microsoft Learn is your nonprofit’s free ticket to a tech-savvy future—helping you upskill your team, simplify processes, and amplify your mission. So, what are you waiting for? Start learning today and turn your nonprofit into a digital powerhouse! 💻✨ 👉 Explore Microsoft Learn Now!
Microsoft SharePoint for nonprofits
Explore how nonprofits can use SharePoint and the benefits it offers: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/motive-consulting_sharepoint-notforprofits-activity-7253919824215453697-iCOp?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop Link to blog post: https://www.motiveconsulting.com.au/post/a-comprehensive-guide-to-microsoft-sharepoint-for-not-for-profits
Volunteer Engagement Portal exceeded power pages capacity
I just got a notice from Microsoft Power Platform that we've exceed our Microsoft power pages capacity. What do I need to prevent degraded performance? What will actually happen if I don't purchase additional capacity? This feels like something that should be covered in the nonprofit licensing. Full notice says: What happened? All the available capacity for Power Pages in your tenant has been utilized. Not having the required capacity available and assigned can result in degraded performance. https://nam.safelink.emails.azure.net/redirect/?destination=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.microsoft.com%2Ffwlink%2F%3Flinkid%3D2247524&p=bT02Njk2MTkwZi03Njc5LTQ4MmItYThiNC0zNjNkYjExNGYwZjgmdT1hZW8mbD1md2xpbms%3D. How do I fix the issue? https://nam.safelink.emails.azure.net/redirect/?destination=https%3A%2F%2Fadmin.powerplatform.microsoft.com%2Fresources%2Fdownloadreports&p=bT02Njk2MTkwZi03Njc5LTQ4MmItYThiNC0zNjNkYjExNGYwZjgmdT1hZW8mbD1kb3dubG9hZHJlcG9ydHM%3D for Power Pages usage. https://nam.safelink.emails.azure.net/redirect/?destination=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.microsoft.com%2Ffwlink%2F%3Flinkid%3D2247366&p=bT02Njk2MTkwZi03Njc5LTQ4MmItYThiNC0zNjNkYjExNGYwZjgmdT1hZW8mbD1md2xpbmtfMg%3D%3D and how to purchase them for your organization. Troubleshooting informationhttps://nam.safelink.emails.azure.net/redirect/?destination=https%3A%2F%2Fadmin.powerplatform.microsoft.com%2Fbilling%2Flicenses%23overview%23powerpages&p=bT02Njk2MTkwZi03Njc5LTQ4MmItYThiNC0zNjNkYjExNGYwZjgmdT1hZW8mbD1saWNlbnNlc18y across your environments.
One stop platform for social sector
Looking for collaborators and funders for a one-stop platform for social sector. We have had a prototype developed with JP Morgan and have been assimilating our 8k strong global community yearly on hubilo but now need a full scale solution to take it to scale on an ongoing basis. Can connect at mailto:email address removed for privacy reasons Event platform video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmLgpg732YI (Have developed an deployed similar small scale communities for Entrepreneurs and Educators)Volunteer Engagement Opportunities not displaying for anonymous users
We set up B2C authentication on our Volunteer Engagement portal, and now the list of current engagements is not displaying for anonymous users. Volunteers who want to sign up for an engagement need to log in, and that's working - but when someone who's not logged in tries to view the opportunities on the same page, it returns with "Your search did not match any Engagement Opportunities". The page is set to Anyone can view. Hoping someone has the answer.... Thanks! https://volunteer.maineirish.comVolunteer Engagement Portal Architecture Documentation
Does anyone have any documentation regarding the architecture of the volunteer portal? We're going to be working with a developer to make some fixes to bugs and overall improvements to the portal. It would save a lot of time to have some documentation.
