Eligibility guidelines

Microsoft for Nonprofits is designed to support mission-driven organizations that meet defined eligibility criteria. These guidelines ensure that grants and discounted offers are directed to nonprofits working to create positive social impact. Eligibility is assessed through a validation process conducted by trusted third-party providers.

Who is eligible

To qualify, an organization must be one of these types:

• Nonprofit or non-governmental organizations with recognized legal status in their respective countries (equal to 501(c)(3) status under the United States Internal Revenue Code).
• Public libraries that provide general library services without charge to all residents of a community, district, or region.
• Public museums, whether public or private institutions, that conserve and exhibit tangible objects for purposes of cultural preservation, education, or aesthetic enjoyment.
• United States healthcare organizations, specifically:
  • Independent Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs). Independent hospitals are those not in a health system, which Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Servies (CMS) typically defines as a group of affiliated hospitals and providers under common ownership or management.
  • Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-designated Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and HRSA-certified FQHC Look-Alikes
  • CMS-certified nonprofit Rural Health Clinics (RHCs)
  • Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF), whose primary focus is short-term medical care and rehabilitation, and
  • Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities, whose primary focus is long-term custodial care

If your organization does not meet these criteria, it's not currently eligible. For more information, download the PDF about eligibility requirements.

Who is not eligible

Examples of ineligible organizations include:

• Nonprofit organizations that don't have a recognized legal status in their respective countries.
• Governmental organizations or agencies, including international governmental organizations and United Nations entities.
• Schools, colleges, and universities, including formal educational institutions, nonprofit schools, and academic museums.
• Healthcare organizations that are not one of these types: CAH, REH, HRSA-certified FQHC, HRSA-certified RHC, SNF, or LTC facility.
• Public utilities, including public transportation, telecommunications, and other utilities.
• Financial institutions, including banks, insurance providers, and organizations that manage pension or retirement funds.
• Professional, commerce, and trade associations.
• Professional and semiprofessional sports organizations, including governing bodies and organizations that conduct national or international tournaments.
• Political, labor, and fraternal organizations.
• Refurbishers that install software on refurbished computers to be distributed or donated to nonprofits or schools.
• Individuals.

Policy of one grant per tenant

Microsoft for Nonprofits allows one validated grant tenant per organization. Organizations that have centrally managed IT environments should ensure that all nonprofit activity is consolidated under a single tenant to avoid duplicate applications and confusion.

Additional Terms of Use

Microsoft reserves the right to grant or deny an organization's application or participation at any time, for any reason, and to supplement or amend these eligibility guidelines at any time without notice. Selections are made at the sole discretion of Microsoft and are not subject to external review. Microsoft requires that grantees regularly complete an attestation to our donor rules to maintain eligibility. Failure to complete the required attestation may remove eligibility for Microsoft’s nonprofit programs unless/until organization completes the required attestation. Additionally, Microsoft reserves the right to reduce or remove an organization's access to nonprofit offers if the organization is determined to abuse the program. Examples of program abuse include, but are not limited to, intentional user mis-licensing, sharing licenses with ineligible organizations, or failing to remove unused grant licenses from an organization’s subscription (i.e., failure to maintain at least 85% active usage of all granted licenses).

Understanding your eligibility status

After you submit your registration, Microsoft's designated validation partner reviews your organization's information to determine nonprofit eligibility. This process can take up to 3 business days, if our validation partner needs more information to confirm nonprofit status, the process could take longer.

An email notifies you about the outcome. If your application is approved, nonprofit offers appear for you in the Nonprofit Hub. If additional documentation is needed or your application is declined, you receive guidance on next steps.

To check your current status at any time, sign in to the Nonprofit Hub and go to your profile.

Common eligibility problems

Organizations sometimes encounter delays or problems due to:

• Mismatched legal identifiers or incorrect tax documentation.
• Inaccurate organization names or conflicting contact information.
• Unverified phone or email information.
• Application duplicates (applying from multiple tenants).
• Ineligibility based on activity (for example, lobbying or for-profit services).

Ensure that all submitted information is accurate and aligns with your official documentation.

What happens after you register

After you submit your registration, the following steps occur:

1. Email acknowledgment: You receive confirmation that your application was received.
2. Validation screening: Your data is reviewed to determine your nonprofit eligibility.
3. Notification: After your application is approved, you receive another email and see offers appear in the Nonprofit Hub.
4. Support: If your application is denied or flagged, the system routes you to additional guidance or the Something went wrong page.

Still need help?

Submit a support request through our Contact Us form.