Soapbox Engage Blog

If you're a nonprofit organization currently using or interested in using the Microsoft technology stack, the Microsoft Tech for Social Impact (TSI) team has given you new reasons to consider the Microsoft ecosystem.

With the November 2, 2021, general availability announcement of Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit, organizations now have a solution provided by Microsoft that covers a wide range of services needed by most organizations, including constituent management, fundraising, volunteer management, program impact management, and more. Rather than one piece of software you'll download or purchase, think of this as more of a broad solution that can be pieced together under one supported umbrella of offerings by Microsoft.

The solution was released with paid services provided by Microsoft directly to help organizations get started with the solution and supported for the long-term, while also providing Microsoft nonprofit tech consulting firms more tools to custom build solutions.

The announcement at Microsoft's Ignite conference includes a lot of great details, but for folks looking to get an understanding at a glance, we've compiled this FAQ for understanding this new solution.

Best yet, if you're an organization looking to be more effective with your online fundraising, affordable Soapbox Engage solutions like the Donations app and Events app are the first of their kind to seamlessly integrate with Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofits!

Let's dive in to learn more about Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofits.

Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit FAQs

• What is included in the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit solution?
• What are the features of the products in Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit?
• How much does the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit cost?
• When will Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit be available for purchase?
• How can I get the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit?
• Which types of organizations can use the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit?
• How does the launch of Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit impact the existing Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement solution?
• Do I need a consultant to help us get started with Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit?
• How can I run my online fundraising efforts with the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit?

What's included in the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit solution?

Well, it's a mix of products and services, so it's not as straightforward to explain as other Microsoft products you might already use, like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, etc. As of November 2021, the technology stack includes the following key solution areas.

1. Fundraising and engagement
2. Constituent marketing journeys
3. Volunteer management
4. Volunteer engagement
5. Volunteer intranet
6. Volunteer collaboration
7. Program impact dashboard

Additionally, there are additional paid professional services offerings that Microsoft delivers directly to nonprofit organizations, including the following.

1. Technical support
2. Training
3. Annual check-in
4. Fast track options

Okay, but what does that really mean in terms of features of the products?

Yeah, there's a lot built into this, and it's helpful to know what you're getting out of the box and what you need to expect to have a partner deliver for you. Here's a breakdown of the key functionalities that you can expect across the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit solution.

Fundraising and engagement

Fundraising and Engagement leverages the Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales database (on the Dataverse) to enable an organization to do the following, with the prerequisite being that you have a Dynamics instance (which Microsoft provides up to 5 donated licenses for qualifying nonprofits).

• Constituent and household management
• Opportunity management
• Donation management
• Designation management
• Donor stewardship
• Campaign, appeal, package, and marketing list management
• Recurring gift management
• Payment processing
• Event management
• Constituent research powered by LinkedIn Sales Navigator
• Reporting via views and embedded PowerBI templates
• Transaction processing powered by Azure

Want a deeper understanding of Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement? Check out our introductory guide, then learn how you can use Soapbox Engage to create beautiful and powerful online engagement pages that work seamlessly with Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement.

Constituent marketing journeys

This leverages the Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Marketing email marketing service (an additional paid offering, separate from Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales) to enable an organization to do the following.

• Pre-built campaign and marketing segments for a variety of givers including new donors, lapsed donors, and donors who have never given a recurring gift
• Pre-built segments for volunteers based on participation history, preferences, and qualifications including new and lapsed volunteers
• Real-time customer journeys that automate and personalize outreach to donors and volunteers alike, including a donor welcome series and a volunteer welcome series
• Real-time email templates to quickly and easily engage donors and volunteers including thank you emails, newsletters, and a recurring gift ask

Volunteer management

Volunteer Management leverages the Microsoft PowerApps platform (on the Dataverse) to enable an organization to do the following, with the prerequisite being that you have a PowerApps environment (which Microsoft provides up to 10 donated per app user licenses for qualifying nonprofits).

• Engagement opportunity management
• Volunteer profile and history
• Qualifications and requirements
• Volunteer application and attendance tracking
• Scheduling
• Messaging and communication
• Task and activity tracking
• Dashboards
• Group management

Volunteer engagement

Volunteer Engagement also leverages the Microsoft PowerApps platform (on the Dataverse) and provides a portal services to allow for external engagement with your community.

• Engagement opportunity search
• Volunteer profile
• Scheduling
• Engagement summary

Volunteer intranet

Now that you have some volunteers, it's time to make sure they have all the resources they need to be effective. Microsoft has made connections to Microsoft Sharepoint (provided with donated or discounted licenses) and Microsoft Yammer for document sharing and community discussions, as well as the features below.

• Quick links for volunteers to access key sites and resources both within and outside SharePoint
• Access to training and onboarding materials with links to SharePoint files and external sites
• News feed for surfacing announcements, event updates, and other important information
• Yammer connector for building volunteer community
• About us pages for volunteers to learn about nonprofit and volunteer staff

Volunteer collaboration

Getting your volunteers trained is useful, but you'll also likely need some real-time volunteer project management, onboarding processes, and communication channels directly with your volunteers. This part of the solution integrates Microsoft Teams (provided within other solution licenses) for communications.

• Share volunteer and engagement opportunity information with coworkers
• Organize and share onboarding and frequently used documents
• Make important team and event announcements

Program impact dashboard

Understanding how all your organization's efforts roll-up to outcomes and success measures is the final piece of the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit solution set. Program Impact Dashboard is a Microsoft Power BI (a separate app provided with discounted license options for qualifying nonprofits) report to enable greater visibility into your organization's outcomes, and a starting point for building more complex reports over time.

• Streamline the preparation of external reports with overall summary numbers
• Compare metrics across all programs including funding, budgets, and people served
• Track performance over time with a view of outcomes by month, year, and year to-date
• Track progress to key program objectives and results
• Break down silos between fundraising and program priorities by reporting on a donor’s program impact

How much does the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit cost?

Microsoft is providing a unique SKU specifically for their new offering. With Microsoft's broad product offerings, it might feel a bit overwhelming to determine what this might cost your organization. At the lowest pricing, it's free! At the highest pricing, it really depends on the custom needs of your organization, the Microsoft product licenses needed to run the free solutions, and support needs for your team.

Gaining access to the right pricing will require a three step process.

1. Confirming your nonprofit eligibility
2. Reviewing the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit industry solution capabilities
3. Determining the appropriate Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit license prerequisites

Microsoft provides a guide to determining the pricing for a Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit solution.

When will Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit be available for purchase?

The general release of the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit was November 2, 2021.

How can I get the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit?

Well, that's a complicated question. You see, there really isn't a thing to get or download. The Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit is more akin to a suite of software and professional services that leverage Microsoft's existing technology stack and apply it to the most common use cases for our nonprofit community.

Most of the specific Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit license offerings will be available not on the Microsoft AppSource, but rather through a separate hub specifically for purchasing and deploying the solutions.

Which types of organizations can use the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit?

The Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit is available for organizations of all types and sizes. As of November 2021, the solution focuses mostly on fundraising, volunteer management, case management, and program management. If your organization finds itself in need of technology to help manage any of those areas, the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit is likely worth exploring.

Any organizations already in the Microsoft ecosystem, using tools like Microsoft 365, Microsoft Dynamics, etc, will likely find the solution easier to understand and deploy than those not already in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Plus, when it comes down to it, with the underpinnings of this solution rooted in the Nonprofit Common Data Model, all the data you enter into the solution will have a common repository that can be used to access that data across your organization's use of Microsoft.

How does the launch of Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit impact the existing Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement solution?

The Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement solution is a part of the broader Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit. So, if you're interested in using Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement, you'll find it in its new home within the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit solution set.

On a more technical level, there have been a few changes made by Microsoft with the rollout of this solution.

First, the Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement solution is no longer available via AppSource. Instead, partners and organizations will go to the new solution center for the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit, choose the Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement solution, and install it into the environment of your choosing.

Second, Microsoft has lowered the barriers to technical adoption by removing the requirement to use Visual Studio and Server Management Studio (SSMS) for building the appropriate packages needed to deploy the full Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement solution.

Finally, this will likely mean that Microsoft will be providing more direct support of the Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement solution. With the new advanced training benefits and support services included in the new paid Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit Plan 1 and Plan 2 offerings, Microsoft will be directly supporting organizations using these solutions.

Do I need a consultant to help us get started with Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit?

Since the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit is really a mix of different Microsoft products, solutions, licenses, and services, it's likely best paired with a skilled consulting team that can guide you in the right direction. Think of this as less about buying a model home as-is, and more like building a new home from the foundation up with some pre-configured walls, plumbing, etc.

Our team can help get you in touch with great folks that can help you determine your next steps and answer any questions you might have about the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit. Just drop us a line, and let us know how you're thinking about using this solution for your organization.

How can I run my online fundraising efforts with the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit?

Funny that you ask! Our Soapbox Engage for Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement is the first solution on AppSource built specifically for organizations that want to do online fundraising with the new Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit. Since the Soapbox Engage Donations app is integrated directly into the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit, your organization can raise money online in a variety of ways, including the following.

• Traditional online fundraising campaign pages
• Peer-to-peer fundraising
• Team fundraising
• Individual fundraising
• Virtual activity fundraising
• ...and much more!

Want to get a sneak peek of how your organization can boost your online fundraising and tie it into your Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit solution? Take a look at our Soapbox Engage for Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement demo video to learn more! And if you like what you see? You can start a two week free trial of our apps at any point.