Getting started with Microsoft 365 for nonprofits

Once you have secured donated Microsoft licenses (see part 1), the next question is: how do you actually get value from them? Here is a pragmatic path from an empty license to an organisation that works better together.

The core tools — and what they are for

• Teams — collaboration, meetings and chat in one place. Start here; it replaces a lot of email.
• SharePoint — shared documents and a simple intranet. The end of "which version is newest?".
• OneDrive — secure storage for your own files, available anywhere.
• Outlook/Exchange — professional email on your own domain.

Security first — it need not be hard

Nonprofits often hold sensitive information about members and users. Three measures cover most of it: multi-factor authentication (MFA) on every account, tidy access control (people see only what they need), and backups. Microsoft's Security & Compliance tools help you stay in order — and keep privacy aligned with GDPR.

Build digital skills

Tools without training gather dust. A short Microsoft 365 foundation course, followed by focused sessions on Teams, SharePoint, the Power Platform, security and Copilot, lifts the whole organisation quickly. Choose a format that fits — in person, online or hybrid — and follow up after the course, not just during it.

The road ahead

With the basics in place, you can automate workflows with Power Automate, build simple apps with Power Apps, and adopt AI responsibly (see part 2).