Nonprofit organizations are used to “making do.” They are champions at figuring out how to do more with less to make a positive impact for their beneficiaries and communities. Including trying to adapt corporate and industry-focused solutions to the different requirements of nonprofits —often on small or non-existent budgets.

There are two pieces of good news for nonprofits looking to use technology for fundraising, programs, finance, operations and data management.

The first is the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit, personalized by Avanade. This fully integrated suite of solutions includes Microsoft Azure, 365, Dynamics 365, Teams and Power Platform and is specifically designed to support the needs of the nonprofit sector. We work with nonprofits on the platform to accelerate mission outcomes. We find new ways to incorporate digital technology into operations with personalized solutions to fit a nonprofit’s unique needs. Microsoft Cloud improves evidence-based decision-making powered by rich data capabilities, AI, and machine learning. In fact, Microsoft Tech for SociaI Impact recently announced powerful new AI tools and capabilities to optimize fundraising, provide donor-centric marketing, improve engagement with Viva Sales AI Copilot, and a new AI-powered donor propensity model.

We understand the importance of attracting, retaining, and growing donor and supporter bases. With Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit, Avanade helps organizations improve their marketing effectiveness, build donor loyalty and ultimately increase funding to support their missions. Microsoft Cloud connects organizations and donors. It also provides payment processing, fund accounting, and designating management to support fundraising efficiency for simple to complex funding types.

The second piece of good news for nonprofits eager to do more with less is the Avanade Tech for Social Good (TSG) program. One of the biggest contrasts between our nonprofit and corporate clients is the willingness to share intellectual property among nonprofits to advance the entire segment toward efficiency. We apply the lessons we learn with other nonprofits to build accelerators that can help all.

We worked with UNICEF Netherlands to grow its donor base and income with an integrated ERP and CRM solution with Microsoft Dynamics 365. Machine learning capabilities and fast analytics give UNICEF Netherlands real-time insights they can use to engage donors and gather resources to help children. UNICEF Netherlands saw one of the key benefits of the work as the fact that other nonprofits could build their own approaches on top of the work it had done with Avanade.

We know how to get more actionable reporting and insights from the Nonprofit Common Data Model. Our accelerators include the Avanade Grant Making solution, Avanade Fundraising & Constituent Insights, and the Avanade Nonprofit Housing Accelerator.

In addition, our engineering team also collaborates with Microsoft’s Tech for Social Impact so we can understand how best to personalize the system and advise Microsoft on what to include in future upgrades.

Fast, effective, secure solutions
Through the power of Microsoft Cloud, personalized by Avanade, organizations can unify fundraising, programs, finance, operations, and disparate data across the back office and frontline—without compromising safety. The Microsoft platform and Avanade’s personalization efforts include robust security measures like data encryption, multi-factor authentication and threat detection to protect organizations from breaches and threats. It complies with GDPR and HIPAA regulations with the help of a simple, UI-driven environment health checker to identify any existing deployment issues and shares data with Tech for Social Impact program engineers.

New engagement channels for volunteers
Imagine moving away from spreadsheets to manage volunteers. We can make that happen. Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofits collaborates with Outlook and Teams to enable easy communication and file sharing. Volunteers can see project details, complete training and onboarding, and find future opportunities.

There is one additional piece of good news—moving to Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit can be streamlined and budget-friendly.

• Avanade uses a data migration synchronization accelerator to help unblock data synchronization between Dataverse and Azure for migration and large imports. Our experience working with our clients implementing F&E was a key input for this critical enhancement.
• Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit allows organizations to pay as they go, scaling up or down based on their needs and becoming cost-effective, redirecting funds toward their core mission.

We know the pressure nonprofits face to channel money into programs, keep admin costs lean, and still produce stellar results. We keep adding to our toolbox of solutions that can accelerate the path to value for nonprofits looking to be savvier, more effective and increasingly digital. As the largest dedicated global Microsoft partner, Avanade is uniquely positioned to unlock the power of the Cloud for nonprofit organizations.

Explore how Microsoft Cloud for nonprofit can help you do more with less.