This article is Part 5 in our Microsoft Azure series.
Part 1: What actually is Microsoft Azure?
Part 2: What you need to know about Microsoft Azure
For any organisation, being able to get something for nothing is always a bonus. If you are a charity or non-profit organisation you may be able to claim $5000 Microsoft Azure credits per annum for free as a donation, alongside free or heavily discounted Office 365 licenses.
Azure is Microsoft’s Cloud platform that provides a multitude of different services for IT professionals and organisations to take advantage of. With Azure you can invest in projects like hosting your servers or your back up solution in the Cloud. If you’re eligible for the $5000 free credits then Azure could remove budgeting issues when it comes to replacing IT hardware. Instead of having to worry about capital expenditure every couple of years to replace your server, your Azure donation could cover your server being hosted in the Cloud for free.
How to claim Azure donation for charities
To get started in claiming your $5000 worth of Azure credit you need to check if you are eligible. The criteria of eligibility for the Microsoft donation has multiple different factors that need to be considered. First, you must be a non-profit organisation that operates with the mission of benefiting the local community. Benefiting the local community can include causes such as providing relief to the poor, advancing education, improving social welfare, preserving culture, promoting human rights, preserving the environment or establishing a civil society. In the UK, you must be registered with the Charity Commission or registered at tax exempt with HM Revenue & Customs.
Microsoft’s criteria for eligibility excludes any organisations that do not have a recognised charitable status in their country, as well as government organisations, schools, colleges, universities, healthcare organisations, commerce and trade associations, fundraising events and political organisations.
Applying for your donated Azure credit
Once you are sure that you are eligible, you will need to get started with the application process. You will need to register with Microsoft Philanthropies and provide proof of your non-profit status. You can do this through your tax identification number or registered documents from the Charity Commission. You will also be asked to agree to Microsoft’s anti-discrimination policy.
Microsoft’s partner TechSoup will then verify your eligibility as a non-profit. It can take up to 20 business days after your applications and they may contact you in the meantime to ask for additional information. You’re able to view the status of your application while you wait in the Microsoft Non-profit Portal. You will not be asked for any payment information during the verification process.
Once your status has been validated you will receive an email with your eligibility results and if you are successful you will be sent any non-profit offers. You can then claim your free credit.
If you are interested in learning more about Azure and deploying it in your charity or non-profit organisation then do get in touch with ACUTEC for more information on 01675 469020 or email hello@acutec.co.uk.
Part 6: Azure vs AWS
