The short answer
Rather than stitching together point solutions, many non-profits are consolidating on the Microsoft cloud. Business Central holds the finances, GrantFlow 365 adds grant management, and Power BI, the Power Platform, Microsoft 365 and Entra ID cover analytics, automation, collaboration and security around them.
Digital transformation has become an operational necessity for international NGOs. They face donor demands for real-time visibility, strict security requirements in sensitive regions and pressure to lower overhead so that more of each donation reaches the mission.
It looks at Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform for NGOs, and nonprofit digital transformation.
The Microsoft cloud stack for an NGO
Business applications
The system of record.
Data and analytics
Insight from the same data.
Low-code automation
Extend the workflow around finance.
AI
Assistance inside daily work.
Collaboration and security
Where people work and how access is controlled.
Four advantages of building on Microsoft
1. One connected data picture
Fundraising, grants and finance stop living apart.
- GrantFlow 365 publishes grant, budget, disbursement, programme and indicator data through API pages
- Power BI reads that data for donor and burn-rate views
- Documents link to grants through SharePoint
- Dynamics 365 Sales connects to Business Central through Microsoft's standard integration, so the pipeline and the ledger share customers and orders
2. Extending ERP with the Power Platform
Every NGO has its own field workflows.
- Power Apps can capture field data that reads from and writes back to Business Central through its APIs
- Power Automate can route approvals through Teams
- Power Pages can give partners a portal for their reports
3. AI that assists, with control
Copilot works inside Business Central.
- Business Central includes Copilot features, such as help with bank reconciliation
- Availability depends on your region and release, so we check before we plan around it
4. Security and compliance built on the platform
Many NGOs work in sensitive jurisdictions.
- Sign-in through Microsoft Entra ID, with multi-factor authentication and conditional access
- Choice of region for the Business Central environment
- Role-based permission sets, including administrator and finance officer sets in GrantFlow 365
Microsoft's non-profit offers
Microsoft supports eligible non-profits with discounts and grants on its cloud products. Offers, amounts and eligibility vary by country and change over time. Business Central licences have been advertised at 60% off in the US, and other offers cover Microsoft 365 and Azure.
We confirm the current offers for your registration before we plan the budget, so the figures in your business case are the ones Microsoft will honour.
The path forward for technology leaders
Moving to one Microsoft cloud lets an international NGO retire legacy maintenance, replace manual compliance routines and show institutional donors a clear financial picture.
- AnchorBusiness Central and GrantFlow 365 as the system of record.
- ConnectPower BI and SharePoint on the same data.
- ExtendPower Apps and Power Automate for field and approval workflows.
- SecureEntra ID, roles and the environment region.
To plan this for your organisation, book a GrantFlow 365 strategy session or read the GrantFlow 365 product page.
Keep reading
Salesforce to Business Central
A one-way proposal sync into the grant contract. Read the guide
Business Central for NGOs
The core guide to fund accounting, grants and multi-currency control. Read the guide
Business Central vs QuickBooks and Sage Intacct
A practical comparison for non-profits. Read the guide
Frequently asked questions
Why use the Microsoft cloud for a non-profit?
It brings finance, grants, analytics, automation, collaboration and security onto one platform, so data is not split across disconnected tools.
Can GrantFlow 365 connect to Power BI and the Power Platform?
GrantFlow 365 publishes API pages that Power BI and the Power Platform can read, and documents can link to grants through SharePoint.
Do non-profits get Microsoft discounts?
Microsoft offers eligible non-profits discounts and grants. Offers and eligibility vary by country and change, so we confirm them before quoting.