Microsoft to cancel Business Premium software grant for non-profits

Author Sharlene Gandhi

Microsoft has announced it will end grant programs for some software products used by non-profit organizations this July. The company will transition away from Microsoft 365 Business Premium and E1, offering “up to 300 licenses” for its Business Basic platform instead. 

Eligible non-profits may still receive discounts on premium licenses, up to 75 per cent, but the shift will likely increase IT costs for many charitable organizations.. 

Professionals in the sector recommend that non-profits renew their licenses before July 1, 2025. 

An online petition launched by the International Misophonia Foundation urges Microsoft to continue offering software grants to non-profits. To date, it has amassed over 1,100 signatures. 

In official communications sent to the International Misophonia Foundation, which were published alongside the petition, the technology company recommended non-profits transition users away from premium accounts and onto other licenses if they want a more affordable option. 

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  • Sharlene Gandhi is the Future of Good editorial fellow on digital transformation.

    Sharlene has been reporting on responsible business, environmental sustainability and technology in the UK and Canada since 2018. She has worked with various organizations during this time, including the Stanford Social Innovation Review, the Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business at Lancaster University, AIGA Eye on Design, Social Enterprise UK and Nature is a Human Right. Sharlene moved to Toronto in early 2023 to join the Future of Good team, where she has been reporting at the intersections of technology, data and social purpose work. Her reporting has spanned several subject areas, including AI policy, cybersecurity, ethical data collection, and technology partnerships between the private, public and third sectors.

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