Microsoft Nonprofit Software Donations Program Evolves

Advancing to the next stage in its evolution, Microsoft’s software donations program is now opened to more nonprofits and communities than ever before.

Moreover, the collection of Microsoft technologies available as donation options to NGOs has almost doubled, enabling nonprofit organizations to benefit from the latest software products from the Redmond company.

Windows 7, Office 2010, and Sharepoint 2010 are among the software available to nonprofits. With the latest update, the number of technologies available through the Microsoft Nonprofit Software Donations Program has grown from just six to 10.

At the same time, medical research organizations, private foundations and amateur sports and recreational organizations are now all eligible to apply for a software donation from Microsoft.

The Redmond giant is also tending to the licensing of NGOs, having announced a new Get Genuine offering designed to ensure that nonprofit organizations are running properly licensed software.

“Making technology more accessible enables nonprofits to increase their productivity, reach more people and deliver new, improved services that directly help local communities,” revealed Akhtar Badshah, senior director of global community affairs at Microsoft.

“Although we already help a sizable number of nonprofits, we want to help more, and the changes we’re announcing today are designed to make the program more relevant and accessible to a larger number of nonprofits, which will in turn have a positive impact in local communities around the world.”

According to Badshah, in excess of 40,000 organizations worldwide per year stand to benefit from the update to the Microsoft Nonprofit Software Donations Program. Microsoft has already donated $3.9 billion worth of software products since 1998.

The changes just announced come into effect immediately and there is more good news for nonprofits in 35 countries working with the TechSoup Global Network.

“Nonprofits can now request a software donation from Microsoft through the TechSoup Global Network whenever they need it instead of the previous limit of only one request per year,” Badshah added.

“Nonprofit organizations ordering their donations through the TechSoup Global Network can now easily get key donations details in one place with the Microsoft Donation Center, a new section of the TechSoup Web site where organizations can review their donation history and identify products their organization can request.”