Microsoft recently announced the global availability of Office 365for Nonprofits for nonprofits and NGOs through something it calls the software donation program. Kenya and Nigeria are fortunate enough to be among the 1st 2 African countries to access this software joining 39 other countries from around the World and a total target of about 90 Countries by July 2014.
In a recent study by Microsoft’s Software Donation Partner TechSoup Global, non-profit organizations reported that the top 4 advantages of working on the cloud are
- Easier IT Administration (79%)
- Cost-savings (62%)
- Improved collaboration (61%)
- and Data Security (54%)
Outlining some of the advantages of Office 365, Pratik Roy, who takes care of the Office 365 business in Kenya explained that with Office 365, you can access your documents from anywhere on any device, you and your team members can collaborate on a single document simultaneously, you get an external facing website which you aren’t charged for with your Office 365 account. Office 365 offers you 4 products in one – Microsoft Office which is your regular Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, email as a service which is your Outlook in the cloud, an online collaboration resource in the name of SharePoint, as well as an always-online Unified Communication tool on the name of Lync.
Non-profits around the world are increasingly facing challenges and it is important to ensure they can access their information on the go from whenever regardless of the devices one is using. Such non-profits are making the switch to the cloud as they have seen that the cloud has helped drive even more social change in the world.
Office 365 for Non-Profits provides nonprofits and NGOs access to Microsoft’s Office in-the-cloud service. It is tailored to their need because it offers:
- Access to information from anywhere with an internet connection: Office 365 for Nonprofits increases an organization’s ability to work from anywhere with access to documents and files by using Office applications optimized for use across PCs, smartphones and tablets.
- Easy Collaboration: Nonprofits are easily able to work together across an organization by using familiar Office applications with email, shared calendar, document sharing, and video conferencing.
- Fast IT Implementation : Office 365 for Nonprofits includes access to easy-to-use admin controls and the ability to install Office without uninstalling previous versions.
- Reliable and up-to-date:Office 365 for Nonprofits allows organizations to spend less time on IT maintenance, while providing access to always up-to-date technology that is simple and easy to use. And Office 365 for Nonprofits is financially backed by industry-leading security features and a 99.9% up-time guarantee.
“Microsoft has a long-standing history of philanthropy, providing nonprofits with software donations and cash grants for the past 30 years,” said Marc Israel, Office Division Group Lead for Microsoft West, East and Central Africa and Indian Ocean Islands. Office 365 for Nonprofits is a new, critical investment Microsoft is making into the global nonprofit community so nonprofits can streamline their IT and focus on doing more good.”
This donation by Microsoft of their Office 365 for Nonprofits product is part of the company’s 30-year history of community support. This year alone, Microsoft donated 795 Million Dollars (FMV) in cash, software and services to approx. 70,286 non-profits in more than 115 countries around the world. Non-profits and NGOs interested in implementing Microsoft Office 365 can check eligibility and order donations here. It is also relatively easy to migrate to the cloud. with more information here.
