Churches and religious organisations looking to reduce their IT costs can order donated products from Microsoft - a big change from previous years.
Through our technology donations and discounts program (previously known as DonorTec) we helped over 11,000 not-for-profits receive over $200 million worth of the latest technology by partnering with corporate organisations such as Microsoft, Adobe, Symantec and Cisco through their relationship with TechSoup Global to offer high quality products to the sector.
Microsoft has extended the offer of donated products to religious organisations including local parish and district offices. Previously, only activities deemed non-religious in nature, such as community services and op-shops, were eligible for donated software.
This will provide thousands of organisations access to a wide range of donated Microsoft software including popular desktop products such as Windows 8. and Office 2013 along with other products such as Microsoft SharePoint, Dynamics, Lync and Windows Server 2012.
“Microsoft’s products have become a standard for many workplaces, but retail costs often mean that staying up-to-date can be out of reach for many community organisations,” says Anne Gawen, CEO of Connecting Up. “Now that Microsoft donations are available to religious organisations, there is greater opportunity to reduce IT costs, increase efficiencies and most importantly, direct funds out of IT and back into the community.”
Trevor Tregoweth, Information & Communications Technology Manager for Lutheran Community Care (LCC) has already seen the difference Microsoft donations can make. With ten offices across South Australia and the Northern Territory, over 90 staff and 600 volunteers, Trevor understands the value of up-to-date ICT.
“It is imperative that Lutheran Community Care has the appropriate Information & Communications Technology resources and equipment for the work that we do”, Trevor explains. ‘‘Everything works in collaboration with the other – without one we would be unable to have the other.”
“The donated Microsoft technology has helped to spread ICT across all of our sites and allows our ICT team to provide support to staff easily and economically.”
“Without Microsoft donating their technology, Lutheran Community Care would be required to take drastic measures across our sites including cutting workstations and staff thus limiting the amount of programs we offer ultimately affecting the community.”
Microsoft’s change in eligibility now offers the same benefits to local congregations and church offices across Australia.
Trevor also provides ICT support to the Lutheran Church SA/NT District offices and explains that like Lutheran Community Care, Microsoft products are used heavily in the day-to-day operations including communication with approximately 200 congregations. “The main benefit will be a reduction in cost for upgrading these systems to remain compatible with other organisations, this would otherwise be unaffordable.“
“We are incredibly thankful for the Microsoft donations program because it allows money that would otherwise be spent on technology to instead go directly to helping people in the most need.”
Churches and other religious organisations can see the full range of donated Microsoft products through our donations program and place an order for a small administration fee.