Here are ways that your non-profit organisation can increase its social impact using Microsoft Azure Technologies, and how ANS can help you to do this

2022 has been a challenging time for all, with those just recuperating from the COVID-19 pandemic, now facing the risks of a possible recession – and non-for-profit organisations are bearing the brunt of this. While this time of economic uncertainty may have you tightening your organisation’s operations, this period can alternatively serve as a pivotal opportunity to adapt how you work, facilitating a digital service that modernises consumer engagement. This can boost your donation rate, optimise server experience, and increase marketability, enabling your non-profit (NPO) to stay afloat during this turbulent period, all while ensuring increased future capabilities.

But how exactly can you do this?

Microsoft Tech for Social Impact

In 2017, Microsoft launched a new initiative called Microsoft Tech for Social Impact, which utilises cloud technologies to operationalise the digital transformation of not-for-profit organisations on a global scale. By setting up a division to support this, Microsoft are helping non-profits and charities to capitalise on their technologies, with the ultimate goal of increasing social impact. This is achieved by automating operations, implementing the latest security measures, and directly engaging with both employees and donors – creating an innovative and efficient digital structure.

As ANS is an Azure Expert MSP and Advanced Specialisation Partner, we provide trusted consultancy on three of Microsoft’s cloud frameworks, including Microsoft Azure Public Cloud, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and Power Apps / Power Platform. We can use our knowledge to connect you with a solution that’s compatible with your charity or NFP, as well as your main organisational aims going forward. Each of these frameworks offer their own unique advantages to increasing your social impact:

Microsoft Azure Public Cloud

Microsoft Azure Public Cloud provides an end-to-end solution that expands your organisation’s capabilities almost instantly, developing greater security networks, improving online efficiency, supporting customer relationship management systems, and facilitating an increase in donations through targeted and well-timed marketing campaigns. By opting for this framework, you’ll be maximising your organisation’s potential while minimising the downtime you spend sourcing tools. This approach to your NPOs digital transformation engages ANS as a third-party partner, and we’ll be dedicated to adapting your online infrastructure to your needs and preferences, while offering our expert advice and services.

This service is a fantastic solution for those wanting high site availability while maintaining low latency for optimal online performance. The scalability of the public cloud is a great benefit for organisations hosting network events, such as online fundraisers, where large volumes of traffic are expected. With robust data security and ensured reliability through ANS, Microsoft Azure Public Cloud is the perfect solution for those wanting a low maintenance yet transformative digital expansion.

 Microsoft Dynamics 365

Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers a largely administrative function, predominately serving as a customer relationship management system (also referred to as a CRM). The Microsoft Dynamics 365 framework consequently centres upon building and managing your organisation’s pipeline – gathering personal data to deepen the relationship you hold with your volunteers, stakeholders, and donators.

By speeding up the process by which you gather data, and organising this per your preferences, you’re able to improve your methods of consumer interaction, provide useful data to your marketing team, and generate more leads. The AI technology and automation additionally creates lead nurturing sequences, enabling you to grow this outreach with optimal engagements based on past client data. In today’s economic environment, this is imperative for reviving consumer participation and boosting your network reachability, helping to maximise the likeliness of donations.

Overall, this is a cost-effective framework if you’d prefer to build your own finance system independently or optimise your consumer relations.

Power Apps / Power Platform

This framework encompasses numerous apps and services to provide your organisation with the capabilities to build your own digital applications, and you may be using some of these already!

With these tools, your organisation can build strong capabilities within common, but key, processes – from lead generating to tracking invoice data. With the power platform, you can combine these applications and functions into one shared database, curating a 360 view of your organisation.

Without the limitation of coding, this framework is accessible, and you can create automated processes and apps that are customised to your organisation, utilising state of the art Microsoft tools to help you. On each of these applications you can add tweakable and sharable data for real-time collaboration.