Microsoft offers free and heavily discounted licences to eligible charities, but the registration process is confusing and many charities never claim what they're entitled to. We check your eligibility, handle the paperwork and set Microsoft 365 up properly, so more of your budget goes on your cause.
Charities handle sensitive data about donors, beneficiaries and volunteers, and they are targeted by the same scams and attacks as any business. Microsoft's nonprofit programme means you can have the same email, collaboration and security tools as a large company, at a fraction of the cost.
The catch is that getting verified, choosing the right offers and setting everything up correctly takes time most charities don't have. That's the part we take on.
Free and discounted licences that free up budget for the work that matters.
Protection for donor and beneficiary data, with MFA and secure access from day one.
The right licences for paid staff, trustees and volunteers, without overspending.
Registered and configured properly, so you stay within Microsoft's nonprofit terms.
Most UK charities mix and match: free licences for volunteers and trustees, and discounted plans for staff who need desktop apps or stronger security. These are the three plans most small and medium charities choose between.
Lower price, billed monthly over a one-year term. Higher price, with the flexibility to change licence numbers each month.
| Business Basic | Business Standard | Business Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofit cost | Free up to 300 users |
£2.84£3.24 per user / month |
£4.41£5.04 per user / month |
| Email, Teams and SharePoint | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| OneDrive storage (1TB per user) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web and mobile Office apps | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Desktop Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook | - | ✓ | ✓ |
| Device management (Intune) | - | - | ✓ |
| Conditional Access (Entra ID P1) | - | - | ✓ |
| Defender for Business endpoint security | - | - | ✓ |
| Supports Cyber Essentials controls | - | - | ✓ |
| Best for | Volunteers, trustees and part-time staff who need email and Teams | Office, fundraising and finance staff who work in Office apps all day | Charities handling personal or sensitive data, and hybrid teams |
| Licence | What It Adds | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Office 365 E1 | Email, Teams, SharePoint and web apps for organisations over 300 users | Large charities with mostly web-based users |
| Microsoft 365 E3 | Desktop apps, device management, compliance and information protection | Larger charities with compliance requirements |
| Microsoft 365 E5 | Everything in E3 plus Defender XDR, advanced compliance and Power BI Pro | National charities and those holding sensitive records |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot | AI assistant across Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel and PowerPoint | Teams ready to adopt AI on a qualifying plan |
Prices are per user and exclude VAT. On a one-year commitment, paying annually upfront costs £32.40 per user per year for Business Standard and £50.40 for Business Premium. Microsoft sets nonprofit pricing and eligibility and can change its offers, so we confirm current pricing for your organisation before you commit.
We confirm whether your organisation qualifies for Microsoft's nonprofit programme and which offers are available to you, based on your status and how you operate.
We guide you through Microsoft's nonprofit registration and verification, and help with any questions that come back, so the application doesn't stall.
We recommend the right mix of free and discounted licences for staff, trustees and volunteers, and move any existing paid licences across where it saves money.
We set up or tidy your Microsoft 365 with sensible security: MFA, protected admin accounts, email security and clear sharing rules for sensitive data.
We manage starters, leavers and volunteers, keep track of your nonprofit renewal, and support your team through our help desk.
Close the security gaps in Microsoft 365 that attackers target first.
Explore tenant hardeningShow funders and partners that you take the protection of their data seriously.
Explore Cyber EssentialsHelp staff and volunteers spot scam emails before they click.
Explore phishing trainingMicrosoft's nonprofit programme is generally open to registered charities and other recognised nonprofit organisations. Some types of organisation, such as government bodies, hospitals, schools and universities, are usually excluded and covered by other programmes. We will check your eligibility before you apply.
Eligible charities can get Microsoft 365 Business Basic free for up to 300 users, plus discounted pricing on Business Standard, Business Premium, the Enterprise plans and Copilot. Microsoft no longer offers free Business Premium or Office 365 E1 licences, so charities that relied on those now pay the discounted rate instead. Offers change from time to time, so we confirm what is currently available before recommending anything.
Most charities use a mix. Business Basic covers volunteers, trustees and anyone who only needs email and Teams. Staff who work in desktop Office apps all day need Business Standard. If you hold personal data about donors, beneficiaries or vulnerable people, Business Premium is usually the best value, because it adds the device management and security controls that protect that data and support Cyber Essentials.
Yes. Volunteers can be given accounts so they can use email, Teams and shared files, with access limited to what they need. We help you choose the right licence for each type of user and remove access promptly when volunteers move on.
Usually, yes. Once your organisation is verified, we can move your existing users onto nonprofit licences, often lining the change up with your renewal date to avoid paying twice. Your email, files and settings stay as they are.
It varies. Some applications are approved quickly, while others need extra documents. We prepare everything in advance and help with any follow-up questions to keep it moving.