Important Changes to TechSoup’s Microsoft Donation Program

 

TechSoup recently announced some really important changes to its Microsoft donation program, so nonprofits — listen up!  The changes remove some significant restrictions that used to keep nonprofits from receiving new software as often as they needed it.  If you aren’t taking advantage of TechSoup’s programs, you should.  They provide software to nonprofits for nearly free (the administration free is usually about 10% of the cost of buying the software off the shelf).  Below is the email I got from TechSoup:

Get the Microsoft Products You Need, When You Need Them

Good news! Starting today, Microsoft is making it easier for your organization to get the Microsoft products you need, when you need them — as part of its updated donation program through TechSoup. Your organization now has more flexibility in when you can request donations and in the product donations available. And, to make navigating the program easier, we’re introducing the Microsoft Donation Center. Here, eligible organizations can track Microsoft requests, see donations received to date, and more.

How the Microsoft Program Updates Benefit Your Organization

• Request what you need, when you need it: Your organization can now request Microsoft products as needed, not just once per year. Also, there is no longer a five-seat minimum requirement, so you can request just one license if that is all you need.
• Get more complete solutions: Now you can request from up to 10 different Microsoft title groups in each two-year cycle, so you can build more complete solutions that help you meet your mission. And, with the addition of Microsoft’s Get Genuine Windows, you can ensure your existing computers are running genuine versions of Microsoft operating systems (learn more about Get Genuine here).
• Easily see Microsoft donations details at a glance: To help you manage your Microsoft donations, TechSoup has created the Microsoft Donation Center (accessible from the Donation Request/History page under My Account), where you can get all the details in one place. You can easily track what your organization has received so far, what remains of your software allotment, when your cycle resets, and more nonprofit resources available from Microsoft.
• Existing Microsoft cycles have been reset: Your two-year donation cycle will start again when you place your first Microsoft request after July 26, 2011. It will reset every two years on the anniversary of that request. Requests placed before July 26, 2011, will not count against your new Microsoft software donation allotment.

Visit your organization’s Microsoft Donation Center now to see the products available to your organization and more resources from Microsoft in support of the nonprofit community.

See all Microsoft products available through TechSoup.

To learn more about the changes to the Microsoft Software Donation Program and how they affect your organization, visit TechSoup’s Overview of the Microsoft Software Donation Program.

 

So that’s the scoop!  TechSoup is also holding webinars to answer questions on the changes.  Specifically this one and this one.  Good luck!