Since 2007, Microsoft and Symantec have donated brand new licences for a huge range of software required by not-for-profit (NFP) organisations and charities including Windows, Office and Norton anti-virus software. Cisco also donates a range of popular networking equipment, including wireless access points and network switches, allowing NFPs to upgrade their networks to be at their most efficient.

Now a wide variety of IT companies have joined Microsoft, Symantec and Cisco in donating to Australian NFPs, including Adobe, NetSuite, Bitdefender, Box, and more. Australian companies have also joined in with the generosity, such as Calxa and NetLeverage who have begun donating their software to charities.

The impact of these technology donations is immense. These companies have donated over $200 million worth of product in total so far. Not only has this saved Australian charities the $200 million they would have otherwise had to spend on IT, a social return on investment analysis evaluated that $40 million worth of technology donations to 2,800 not-for-profits resulted in $100 million worth of benefits. These benefits included; reduced IT costs, improved efficiency, effectiveness and adaptability.

Globally, these donations are facilitated by the TechSoup Global Network in around 100 countries. TechSoup are a US based NFP, and all the members of the TechSoup are NFP organisations in their respective countries. In Australia and New Zealand, TechSoup’s partner is Connecting Up, a 30-year-old Adelaide-based NFP.

At this point you’re probably thinking that this all sounds too good to be true. Donated technology which is keeping organisations up to date, that is run by NFPs. Where’s the catch?

The closest thing to a catch involved in the program is that each donation incurs an administration fee – typically 5 to 10 per cent of retail price – which funds the donations program. This keeps the whole program sustainable, and supports the NFP organisations that run the program. Registration, however, is free.

Case study: PEER VEET

PEER VEET is a NFP Group Training Organisation dedicated to the education and employment of Apprentices and Trainees, upskilling over 4,500 students ever year. For PEER VEET, technology donations enable apprentices on low incomes to access online resources and gain valuable experience in the latest technology.

“In having these products available to us, it provides the organisation with relevant and up to date licensing, computer hardware, and software at an unparalleled quality and price,” says Training Manager, David Cocks.
“Therefore PEER is able to keep up with the latest technology and software available.”

Case study: Cerebral Palsy Education Centre Australia

For an organisation like Cerebral Palsy Education Centre Australia (CPECA), technology donations play a dual role: they are critical in increasing office efficiency and keeping servers up to date and secure, but more importantly, the technology is used to help children with cerebral palsy communicate and participate in life.
Thanks to recent technology donations, the management team at CPECA can focus less on IT and more on helping their children – the exact outcome donor partners work towards.
“I now don’t have to panic when there’s an upgrade. Microsoft’s contribution not only saves a lot of worry but also time – I otherwise would have to try and source new software from other places such as retailers,” says CPECA’s Administration Manager, Sue Kennedy.

Case study: Floreat Surf Lifesaving Club

For some organisations, technology donations provide new capabilities. Floreat Surf Lifesaving Club in Western Australia was able to acquire Adobe video editing and design software to assist them in creating educational videos.
Adobe Premiere Pro was then able to be used to create engaging training videos about vital life saving techniques, which were used in conjunction with an e-learning platform to provide prospective lifesavers with a self-paced learning environment. This had the added bonus of reducing the teaching, coaching and assessment time required by trainers and facilitators.

An additional benefit of the Adobe donations and new capability was the opportunity to up-skill members in video editing, directly contributing to a member securing employment.
“The real benefit will be better trained and skilled lifesavers on our beaches. After a period of trial and evaluation the video library may get released to a wider audience, being all clubs in WA, and then there are all the lifesavers in Australia who may benefit from a National release,” says John King, Member Education and Training Coordinator, Surf Live Saving WA.

Some small organisations even use technology donations simply to ensure all their computers are on the same version of Microsoft Office and Windows. This relatively small step has prompted significant efficiency gains for many organisations, as staff can share files and switch computers knowing they are all compatible and work together.

If your organisation uses technology, and who doesn’t these days, technology donations are a must have to save your organisation money and boost your organisational capacity.