September 11, 2013
Many nonprofits lack the resources to invest in state-of-the-art cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools. But now, thanks to Microsoft, charitable organizations don't need to carefully construct their budgets to afford such innovations. The software, services and technology solutions provider recently announced the global availability of Office 365 for Nonprofits for qualifying nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations through its donation program.
"Nonprofits operate in the same way as any other organization or business; however, many lack the resources to implement the latest technology," said Jean-Philippe Courtois, president at Microsoft International. "The donation of Office 365 allows them to be more effective and efficient in the work they do."
According to a survey by Microsoft's software donation partner TechSoup Global, nonprofits can greatly benefit from these tools. Sixty-two percent of charitable organizations can experience vast cost savings when using the cloud, 61 percent see higher levels of collaboration and 54 percent feel better about data security. Using Office 365 for Nonprofits may dramatically help nonprofits sustain higher levels of productivity among the entire team.
A blog post for JustMeans written by Lori Harnick, general manager of Microsoft Citizenship and Public Affairs, stated these tools can be especially worthwhile for nonprofits that have multiple locations, as well as staff members who work outside the office. A few of the helpful aspects of Office 365 for Nonprofits include the ability to access employees' calendars to plan meeting times, document-sharing opportunities to streamline collaboration and use to high-definition video conferencing to keep everyone in the loop when making important decisions.
Nonprofit decision-makers who are able to trust a cloud-based system can properly plan for risk management, while also ensuring that all members of their team are staying productive.
Ready to chat? Get in touch today to request a no-obligation savings evaluation.
CCSCT was approached by First NonProfit to discuss its Unemployment Savings Program and ways the program could significantly reduce the amount of unemployment taxes we were paying. At the time, our agency was paying approximately $80,000 per year. First NonProfit conducted an analysis to determine if making the switch would be in our best interest, and it clearly was based on our circumstances. The first year on the program, CCSCT saw a 70% reduction in its unemployment costs and each year, continues to experience further reductions as a result of having minimal claims. Some additional benefits of the program including having a fixed annual cost, an interest-baring reserve account, professional unemployment claims management and representation at all unemployment hearings. This has been one of the best decisions we have made.
We first started using First Nonprofit’s Unemployment Savings Program when we were a small startup nonprofit. We didn’t have an HR department and needed expertise in the event that an unemployment claim was made. We knew we were eligible to be a reimbursing employer, but weren’t sure how to navigate that process. They made it easy to set things up, plan for, and then manage claims when they came at a very reasonable cost. The amount of time and stress they’ve saved us dealing with all this has been worth way more than the cost. We’ve now grown to a large nonprofit and do have an HR department but have no plans to stop using their services. I highly recommend them to every nonprofit I come into contact with!
Throughout our membership in the Unemployment Savings Program, First Nonprofit understood our demands, community dynamics, and the importance of seamless services; that allowed us to serve our constituents better.
Because INCS advocates for the operating conditions that allow charter public schools to provide high quality public education, partnering with First Nonprofit was an easy decision. First Nonprofit’s unemployment programs provide our member schools two operating elements crucial to their ability to provide high quality public education: savings and budget certainty. Capable, committed teachers are the key to student success. By participating in the unemployment insurance savings plan, charter public schools gain peace of mind and are able to invest more money in their teachers.
It has been our sincere pleasure to maintain a strong, vibrant business partnership with First Nonprofit. We greatly admire their strong industry knowledge, technical expertise, constant professionalism, knowledgeable and dedicated staff. They are always extremely responsive, personable and provide us with the necessary guidance and recommendations on a numerous variety of employment scenarios.
NYCON members who use First Nonprofit’s programs enjoy enduring savings and improved efficiency. Our association knows that success, because from the beginning, we achieved the same great benefits. Great savings, seamless technology, and responsive service. NYCON highly recommends First Nonprofit’s remarkable unemployment solutions.
Visually Impaired Preschool Services has been a client of First Non-Profit since it was first offered as a benefit of VisionServe Alliance. We completed a thorough evaluation of cash savings to our agency before taking advantage of this wonderful benefit and it has been a very wise decision. Our experience with the processes from accounting to claims have been professional, expeditious and easy.
Luckily for us, our interactions regarding any issues with staffing has been very minimal! I can say that all other interactions with regards to billing, 941 reporting, etc. have been extremely pleasant, accommodating and easy to work with. Kim Ghanayem is always prompt, professional and friendly. Thank you so much!