We are excited to share Microsoft's announcement that Libraries are now eligible for NFP Microsoft Cloud licensing.  

Libraries have always been eligible for donations for their public-access computer needs through the Microsoft nonprofit program at TechSoup New Zealand. For staff needs, however, libraries needed to get Microsoft academic offers for cloud solutions. There was also a brief period in January 2022 when all offers moved to educational requests. 

We know this has become a bit confusing. We heard your feedback — that the academic licensing was not always the best fit for library needs — so we advocated on your behalf in partnership with Microsoft. As of 17 October 2022, libraries and museums can get all their needs through Microsoft's nonprofit program at TechSoup New Zealand. With this change, Microsoft can better serve the entire library and museum sector. 

We will review the available key offers below and how they can benefit your library or museum. We will also tell you what you need to know about the steps you need to take to start the process of requesting today. 

Key Microsoft Offers are Now Available to Libraries and Museums

Microsoft offers both donated and discounted licenses, with the choice of cloud or on-premises solutions. 

Microsoft Cloud Solutions 

Libraries and museums can now access Microsoft's suite of cloud solutions through the TechSoup New Zealand donations and discounts program. The program is now optimised to support smaller nonprofits at the beginning of their digital transformation journey. Microsoft 365 and Office 365 Cloud subscriptions offer productivity, communication, and collaboration tools to help you work effectively with your team. You can use them to provide email services for your staff, and volunteers, to work together, whether in-person or remotely. 

Libraries can also get access to grants for Microsoft Azure and Dynamics 365. Azure is a project management and version control application for organisations with several developers who need to collaborate on projects. Dynamics 365 offers a range of resources relevant to libraries, including finance automation, constituent engagement, and support to do more with your data. 

Since Azure and Dynamics 365 are grant-based offerings, you will need to request them directly through Microsoft once you've confirmed your organization's eligibility. You can learn more about this process in the How to Access Donated and Discounted Offers section below. 

Microsoft On-Premises Solutions for Public-Access Computers

Many libraries provide public-access computers or computer labs for their communities. Products like Office Standard, Windows Pro, Publisher, Project, and Visio Standard and Pro will be available as a donation for your public access needs. These are listed in the TechSoup New Zealand Microsoft catalogue as products for "computer labs only." Read this blog post for more details on these products and how to access them. 

How to Access Donated and Discounted Offers from Microsoft 

All libraries and museums must create a Microsoft account and get validated for nonprofit offers. Follow these step-by-step instructions to get started today.