How do we communicate and collaborate even while in the field? How do we keep information entrusted to us safe yet easily accessible to staff? How do we improve our operations while saving on limited resources?
What is the role of technology in delivering better services to more people in need?
With the world on the cusp of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, these are some of the questions many nonprofits are asking themselves. Operating in an environment in which the ability to maximize the impact of funding and extend the reach and effectiveness of services is essential, nonprofits are starting to look to cloud computing for answers.
Microsoft hopes to be able to provide support and help nonprofits serve their communities better through the Modern Nonprofit campaign, and Tech4Good initiatives.
Empowering the Modern Nonprofit
As part of its commitment to building a global cloud for good, Microsoft is offering a comprehensive set of cloud services to nonprofit organizations worldwide by donation or at a significant discount. These include Office 365, Dynamics 365, Enterprise Mobility, Power BI, and Microsoft Azure.
Nonprofits, such as the Child Protection Unit in Cambodia and the Crossroads Foundation in Hong Kong, have already started using these tools to maximize the impact of their programs.
Exploring Technology for Good
As part of the campaign, a series of Tech4Good events will bring mid-sized nonprofits together to discover how they can use technology to achieve greater social impact. The events will showcase how nonprofits can unlock benefits such as better intelligence, agility and efficiency through cloud-based tools and services.
The events will largely take place from late February to early April 2017 across Asia Pacific. Here’s a sneak preview of a few of them:
Hong Kong (Mar 21):
Microsoft Hong Kong is organizing a series of Tech4Good events around the theme of using the cloud to achieve more social good. Around 120 nonprofit staff have already attended four hands-on training sessions organized with the Information Technology Resource Centre (ITRC) of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS), where they learned how to implement Azure and other Microsoft cloud solutions.
Upcoming is a full-day conference where nonprofits can learn how to leverage cloud solutions to achieve their missions. Nonprofits who have implemented Microsoft technologies will share their experiences and best practices, and Microsoft experts will lead breakout sessions and provide a deep dive into solutions such as PowerBI, Azure, Office 365 and Dynamics.
Indonesia (Mar 22, Apr 13, May 4):
Three half-day Tech4Good workshops, tailored to different nonprofit staff and their needs, will be held in Indonesia.
The first workshop will showcase how the likes of YCAB Foundation, Indonesia Student and Youth Forum and Habitat for Humanity have implemented cloud initiatives to improve their services, and provide insights into how nonprofits can leverage the cloud to modernize their operations.
The second workshop is designed to help IT staff of nonprofits to improve their cloud deployments, while the third workshop is to support nonprofit staff—operational, IT and management alike—to make the most out of their cloud solutions.
Taiwan (Feb 21, Mar 21, Apr 12):
The Taiwan Tech4Good events aim to train over 230 employees from around 100 different nonprofits. The first two Tech4Good events, held in Taipei and Kaohsiung, will look at supporting nonprofit employees in their daily work with technology tools such as Azure, and provide best practices from nonprofit partner Frontier Foundation. The third event will gather senior C-suite executives in the nonprofit sector to discuss the challenges nonprofits face in managing an internal cloud, and explore ways to resolve them.
Thailand (Feb 24):
The Tech4Good workshop in Thailand will showcase different cloud solutions used by nonprofits serving a variety of communities. Hands-on sessions supported by Microsoft experts will empower nonprofits to learn more about using the cloud to unlock endless possibilities. Nonprofit Friends of the Arts Thailand will also be at the event to share its cloud transformation experience with Azure. Interested nonprofits can register for the event here.
Other events in the region:
- Australia: Apr
- China: Mar
- India: Feb
- Japan: Jan – Jun
- Korea: Apr
- Malaysia: Mar – Apr
- Philippines: Feb – Mar
- Singapore: Mar – Apr
- Vietnam: Feb, Apr, May
Do more good with Microsoft Cloud Offerings for Modern Nonprofits. Learn more at www.microsoft.com/nonprofits
