Microsoft Software Donation Program Admin Fee Increases Coming July 1

We have received notice from Microsoft that prices on many of its most popular software offerings will be increasing over the next two months -- some by as much as 70 percent. Our admin fees, which Microsoft's donation program dictates be roughly 4 percent of retail, will be increasing, too, but because we know many of the nonprofits we serve plan to request product donations in-line with our fiscal year end cycle (which runs from July 1 through June 30), we're holding admin fees at the current levels until July 1, 2010.

To put it plainly, place your requests for Microsoft products before July 1. For example, our admin fee for Microsoft Office Pro 2007, which is currently $28, will increase to $43. Save money by placing your requests for Microsoft products before the admin fee increases take effect on July 1.

If you're considering requesting Windows 7 or Vista, be sure to use the special extra donation request Microsoft offered along with its launch of Windows 7 by the June 30, 2010 deadline. The special extra donation request allows eligible organisations to place a request for Windows 7 or Windows Vista Upgrades without impacting that organisation's yearly request cycle. Visit our Special Extra Donation of Windows 7 or Windows Vista for further information about the exception, and for information on the Microsoft Software Donation Program, visit our Microsoft page.

If you're waiting for the launch of Microsoft Office 2010 (which we're expecting at TechSoup New Zealand by mid June) to place your annual Microsoft donation request, you may want to consider requesting Office 2007 using Microsoft's Software Assurance program to upgrade to Office 2010

Though our admin fees on Microsoft products will be increasing, they still represent about a 96 percent savings over purchasing Microsoft product through retail channels.