Important information for nonprofit organizations using free Microsoft licenses! On May 14, 2025, Microsoft announced significant changes to their Microsoft for Nonprofits Program that will impact thousands of NGOs worldwide. Which Microsoft nonprofit licenses will be discontinued? What alternatives will be available? Check the details below.
Which free Microsoft licenses for NGOs are being discontinued?
From July 1, 2025, Microsoft is ending the free license program for the following subscriptions:
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium (donation) – first 10 free licenses
- Office 365 E1 (donation) – all free licenses
Which Microsoft products for nonprofits remain unchanged?
Good news – not all Microsoft products for nonprofit organizations are affected by this change. Still available will be:
- All discounted Microsoft 365 and Office 365 plans for nonprofits
- Free Microsoft 365 Business Basic plans
- “On-premises” products like Microsoft Office 2024 and Office for Mac
How will changes to Microsoft’s nonprofit program affect your organization?
If you use the discontinued licenses, you need to know that:
- No renewal possibility – After July 1, 2025, you won’t be able to renew Microsoft 365 Business Premium or Office 365 E1 subscriptions under current terms.
- Annual vs monthly subscriptions:
- Annual subscriptions renewed before July 1, 2025 will remain valid for a full year
- Monthly subscriptions will expire as soon as July 2025
- Risk of data loss – After license cancellation, you have only 90 days to migrate data before it’s completely lost.
What to do before your free Microsoft licenses expire?
We recommend taking action in advance:
- Consider switching to an annual agreement before July 1, 2025 to gain more time
- Plan migration to another type of Microsoft license or alternative solution
- Remember that Microsoft will not make automatic changes – you must act on your own!
Changes to Microsoft’s nonprofit program may significantly impact your organization’s budget and IT infrastructure. Plan your transition accordingly to avoid losing access to key tools and data.