Microsoft Donation Programme ─ Eligibility, Allotments, and Returns

• Quantity: Organizations receive an allotment of Microsoft software donations that is reset every two years. An organization's two-year cycle begins with its first donation request after July 27, 2011. After two years, a new cycle begins, and a new allotment is available.
  • During its two-year cycle, an organization can request
    • Up to 50 of each donated desktop product or CAL.
    • Up to 25 donated Windows Server Standard.
    • Up to five donated server products total that are not Windows Server Standard.
  • For further details, see Quantity and Frequency of Microsoft Requests on the Microsoft Eligibility, Allotments, and Returns page.
• Budget: Organizations with annual operating budgets of any size are eligible for products in this program.
• Nonprofits and public libraries only:
  • Donated products are available to nonprofits with NPO or NPC Certificate, PBO status, or operating as a Charitable Trust.
  • Special Rules for Public Libraries:
    • Public libraries may request Microsoft donations through this programme for public-access computers only. Donated software is available only for use on public access computers or computers used directly in the management of the public access computers or the library's public access programme.
    • Participating libraries must also make their collection and basic services available to the population of their legal service area without charges to individual users (excluding incidental fees such as printing charges). If they so choose, libraries may impose charges on users outside the legal service area, and they may provide products and services (beyond basic services) to the public at large, with or without individual charges.
    • Participating libraries must also make their collection and basic services available to the population of their legal service area without charges to individual users (excluding incidental fees such as printing charges). If they so choose, libraries may impose charges on users outside the legal service area, and they may provide products and services (beyond basic services) to the public at large, with or without individual charges.
  • Microsoft reserves the right to grant or deny an organization's request at any time, for any reason.
• Eligible organization types: Only nonprofit organizations whose missions benefit the local community are eligible for donated Microsoft products. This could include organizations with the following missions:
  • Providing relief to the poor
  • Advancing education
  • Improving social welfare
  • Preserving culture
  • Preserving or restoring the environment
  • Promoting human rights
  • Establishment of civil society
• Ineligible organization types: Not all nonprofits are eligible for donated Microsoft products. Ineligible organizations include the following:
  • Governmental organizations or agencies.
  • Educational institutions, including K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and trade schools.
  • Healthcare organizations, including hospitals, healthcare networks, health plans, ambulatory healthcare services, home healthcare and assisted living healthcare organizations, health research organizations, and laboratories. Exceptions include independent nonprofit organizations with the following missions: community, behavioral and women's health clinics; hospices; emergency services; and blood, tissue and organ banks.
  • Professional, commerce, and trade associations.
  • Professional and semiprofessional sports organizations.
  • Political, labor, and fraternal organizations.
  • Refurbishers that will be installing the software on refurbished computers to be distributed or donated to nonprofits or schools. Please visit the Registered Refurbisher Program.
  • Nonpublic libraries, including private libraries, school libraries, specialty libraries, armed forces libraries, and libraries in government agencies.
• Terms of service: Organizations that request Microsoft products must agree to any applicable terms of service.
• Amendments: Microsoft reserves the right to supplement or amend these eligibility guidelines at any time without notice.
• Anti-discrimination policy: Microsoft values and respects individual and cultural differences and is committed to providing an inclusive environment that is welcoming and free from discrimination. Therefore, organizations are not eligible to participate in this program if they have a policy or mission of discrimination in hiring, compensation, promotion, termination, retirement, training, programs, and/or services based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, political affiliation, union membership, or veteran status. The only exception to this policy is for religious organizations that are exempt from laws that prohibit such discrimination.
• FAQ: For more information about Microsoft's resources for nonprofits and program eligibility, see its Nonprofit FAQ.
• Product distribution:
  • Products will be distributed under this program to qualifying organizations and libraries only, not to individuals.
  • Products are intended only for use by paid nonprofit employees and unpaid full-time equivalent (FTE) staff who have material day-to-day managerial, operational, and fiduciary responsibilities, and who will not use the license for personal income generation. Volunteers, members, and beneficiaries of the nonprofit are not eligible for nonprofit licenses and subscriptions
  • Recipient organizations may not transfer or resell Microsoft products to other organizations, including partner nonprofits or legally independent sister organizations.
  • Microsoft products may not be installed on computers that will be given to or sold to other organizations or individuals, even as part of a charitable program.

Refunds and Returns

If you want to return or exchange the Microsoft donated products you have received, you will need to return all Microsoft products in the request and place a new request for the Microsoft items you want.

Since all Microsoft products are download-only, returns will be accepted only if none of the software has been installed, and you received the donation no more than 60 days previously.

If you want to return or exchange your Microsoft software donation, please call TechSoup South Africa Client Services for review and approval on 010 007 2734.

The donation limits on your account will normally be reset within eight business days after a return is complete.

Note that products available through the Get Genuine Windows Agreement for Small and Medium Organisations have different policies than products available through the standard Microsoft Donation Programme. Read more about Get Genuine products.