Executive summary
- Microsoft is sunsetting the free Microsoft 365 Business Premium grant for charities, ending the 10‑license offer for new renewals after July 1st 2025.
- Renewals on or after July 1st 2025 will see expired licences at the renewal date, meaning charities can use their grant until then.
Introduction
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.
And so, in July 2025, Microsoft is waving goodbye to its free Microsoft 365 Business Premium licences for non-profits. The change is part of a bigger shake‑up of the company’s Tech for Social Impact (TSI) programme.
So, if your organisation has been relying on those 10 complimentary licences to power your cause, there are a few things you’ll need to know.
What’s changing for UK charities?
Microsoft’s decision means that any charity whose Microsoft 365 Business Premium grant renewal falls on or after July 1st 2025 will lose its free licences when that renewal date comes around.
But don’t panic – you won’t be cut off mid‑campaign. If your renewal is in December 2025, you’ll keep the licences until December. If it’s in March 2026, you’re safe until then, and so on. It’s also not just Business Premium that’s being discontinued – the Office 365 E1 grant is seeing the same changes.
Here’s the silver lining
While this news won’t be universally welcomed by non-profits, it’s not all doom and gloom, because Microsoft isn’t scrapping all free licenses.
Charities can still get up to 300 free Microsoft 365 Business Basic licences, which give you access to the web and mobile Office apps, 1 TB of OneDrive storage per user, and collaboration tools like Teams and SharePoint. Plus, there’s a hefty discount of up to 75% on many paid offers, including Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Office 365 E1, should you want to keep the desktop apps and advanced security features.
Is Business Basic enough for your organisation?
Business Basic is excellent for getting remote teams collaborating on a shoestring budget. That said, it’s focused primarily on cloud apps and services, meaning it doesn’t grant access to those desktop Office apps, and it doesn’t include the security and device management bells-and-whistles that come with Business Premium. For charities dealing with sensitive donor data, or wanting to use advanced threat protection, that could be a concern.
So, when the free grant disappears, you’ll need to ask yourself: is the Business Basic grant enough, or do you want to pay (at a non-profit rate) for the extra features? Microsoft’s non-profit price for Business Premium sits at £4.20 per user per month, which is 75% off the commercial license cost. For UK charities.
What should you do next as a non-profit?
The first thing we’d recommend is to check your renewal date. That will determine how long you’ve got before the grant expires. After that, you can decide if the Business Basic grant will cover your needs. If it does, you’re covered for up to 300 users at no cost.
On the other hand, if you’re sure you need perks of Business Premium, it’s a good idea to start thinking about budgeting now and factor in that discounted rate for your subscription when you do so.
Getting support through the transition
Feeling a bit overwhelmed? We don’t blame you.
Your existing Microsoft partner (like the team here at Get Support) can guide you through this migration. We can help run security assessments, work out which licences suit your organisation, and even assist with the switch to Business Basic or paid Premium.
Time’s ticking, but with a bit of forward planning and the right advice, your charity can keep on collaborating without any fuss. If you’d like to learn more, just ask your Get Support Customer Success Manager or call our team today on 01865 594000.