Discontinuation of Microsoft 365 Grant for Non Profit and Charities
Microsoft has announced in May 2025 that they are no longer providing the Microsoft 365 Grant for Non Profit and Charities to cover the Microsoft 365 E1 and Microsoft 365 Business Premium Licences. Previously these Microsoft 365 Licences were completly 'free of charge' to Non Profit and Charities and supported through a Microsoft Grant system.
1st July 2025 Deadline - Latest Date
The new Non Profit and Charity offering from Microsoft 365 state, 'they will offer Non Profits and Charities up to 300 Licence of Microsoft 365 Basic and Discounts of up to 75 percent on many other Microsoft 365 products to nonprofits and charities, inluding Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Office 365 E1 Licences'
Century IT Services provide affordable, cost effective, tailored IT Services, IT Advice, IT Strategy Planning and IT Support to Non Profits, Charities and Social Enterprises across Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and West Sussex.
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With some proper assessment and planning, you may be able to move your Microsoft 365 Non-Profit or Microsoft 365 Charity Licences onto a Microsoft 365 grant plan that is just as cost effective as your current Microsoft 365 Billing Plan
There are some alternative Microsoft 365 Non-Profit Licences or Microsoft 365 Charity Licence that may suit your organisation. Or other options suitable for your Non-Profit or Charity could be donated Microsoft Office Desktop Software and Licences.
The deadline of the 1st July 2025 is rapidly approaching, talk to us from some advice on your Microsoft 365 Non-Profit Licencing.
Empower your organisation with Microsoft 365—a powerful suite designed to enhance collaboration, security, and productivity. Microsoft 365 licensing for non-profits, charities, and social enterprises offers cost-effective solutions that enable mission-driven organisations to maximise their impact while minimising expenses.
Affordable Licensing for Non-Profits, Charities, and Social Enterprises
Understanding the financial constraints of non-profits, charities, and social enterprises, Microsoft provides discounted and donated licensing through its Microsoft Non-Profit Program. Eligible organisations can access Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Microsoft 365 E3, and Microsoft 365 E5 at reduced costs, ensuring they benefit from enterprise-grade tools without exceeding their budgets.
Benefits of Microsoft 365 for Non-Profits, Charities, and Social Enterprises
- Enhanced Collaboration & Communication
With Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive, teams can work remotely, collaborate in real-time, and securely share documents—improving efficiency for non-profits, charities, and social enterprises. - Robust Security & Compliance
Microsoft 365 offers advanced security features such as Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), endpoint protection, and data encryption—crucial for safeguarding sensitive donor and operational data. - Productivity & Innovation
Access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and automation tools like Power Automate streamlines processes, helping non-profits, charities, and social enterprises focus on their mission rather than administrative burdens. - Scalability & Cloud Accessibility
As non-profits, charities, and social enterprises grow, Microsoft 365 scales effortlessly, offering cloud-based solutions that support expansion and remote work flexibility.
Get Started with Microsoft 365 Licensing
Eligible organisations can apply for Microsoft 365 non-profit licensing through Microsoft's official portal, gaining access to essential tools tailored to support their cause. With affordable pricing and powerful features, Microsoft 365 equips non-profits, charities, and social enterprises to work efficiently while driving meaningful change.
Setting up new hardware or software can be daunting. Let our experts handle it for you. We provide:
- Hardware Installation: From servers to workstations, we ensure proper setup.
- Network Servers: We have performed hundreds of Server Installations, we know what works, and is going to be reliable
- Microsoft 365: Experts in everything Microsoft 365 and performed many migrations, including securing your data properly. Microsoft Cloud Solutions & Microsoft 365 Support
- Software Deployment: Install and configure software tailored to your business needs.
- Network Infrastructure: Design and implement reliable networks for seamless communication
- Experience: Our support team have years of experience in the IT industry, and are trusted IT experts
- Professionalism: We treat your business as our own, providing impartial advice and account management
- Independence: We’re not tied to any specific vendors, so our recommendations are unbiased.
- Local Presence: As a local company, we understand the unique challenges faced by businesses in our community.
- Peace of mind: Many business in a wide range of industries types trust us, and renew year on year
- Recommendation: 100% of our Customers wouldn't hesitate to recommend us
- Consider Us: Think of us as a natural extension of your business, a friendly team, dedicated to your success.
- Customer Service: Our business ethos is providing outstanding customer service each and every time
Managed IT Services play a crucial role in today’s business landscape. As organizations increasingly rely on technology for their day-to-day operations, partnering with a specialized third-party vendor for fully managed IT support offers several key advantages:
1. Proactive Monitoring and Maintenance: A managed service provider (MSP) continuously monitors your IT infrastructure, preemptively addressing issues before they impact your business. This proactive approach ensures optimal performance and minimizes downtime.
2. Expertise and Specialization: MSPs bring in-depth expertise that many in-house IT teams may lack. From cybersecurity to network infrastructure management, they offer specialized services tailored to your organization’s needs.
3. Cost-Effectiveness: Outsourcing IT support allows you to focus on your core business while benefiting from cost-effective solutions. Instead of maintaining an internal IT department, you can rely on the expertise of an MSP at a predictable monthly cost.
4. Effective Support: Fully managed IT services provide an effective IT Support Service. Whether it’s technical fixes, help desk assistance, or cybersecurity monitoring, MSPs ensure your systems are always up and running.
5. Data Security and Backup: MSPs safeguard your data against cyber threats, ensuring business continuity. They also handle backup and disaster recovery, protecting your critical information.
In summary, a fully managed IT support service frees up your time, enhances business operational efficiency, and provides peace of mind, allowing you to focus on growing your business
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Proactive monitoring is an essential part of any IT infrastructure.
It ensures that your business stays up and running properly and efficiently. By actively anticipating and addressing potential issues before they impact performance or cause disruptions, proactive monitoring minimizes system downtime.
Critical business processes continue without interruptions, and optimal performance is maintained.
Unlike reactive solutions, where problems are dealt with after they arise, proactive monitoring takes network management to the next level. It aims to prevent potential issues before they become real network problems. For example, it helps identify and fix security issues when breaches are less costly
Ransomware is a pernicious type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid. It can cause significant disruption to individuals, businesses, and organizations. However, there are several steps that you can take to reduce the risk of falling victim to a ransomware attack.
Firstly, maintaining regular backups is one of the most effective ways to protect your data. Ensure that you have at least three copies of your critical data: the original data, a backup stored locally on a different device, and another backup stored offsite or in the cloud. Regularly verify that your backups are complete and functional. In the event of a ransomware attack, you can restore your system to its pre-attack state without paying the ransom.
Secondly, keep your operating system and software up to date. Cybercriminals often exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software to deliver ransomware. By installing updates and patches as soon as they become available, you can close these security gaps and protect your system from ransomware and other threats. Additionally, use reputable antivirus and anti-malware solutions to detect and block ransomware before it can cause harm.
Finally, educate yourself and your employees about the dangers of ransomware and safe computing practices. Phishing emails are a common delivery method for ransomware, so it's crucial to be vigilant about the emails you receive. Avoid opening attachments or clicking on links from unknown or suspicious sources. Implementing email filtering and blocking known malicious sites can further reduce the risk of ransomware.
By following these steps, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of a ransomware attack and protect your valuable data and systems. Stay informed about the latest threats and continuously review and update your security measures to stay ahead of cybercriminals.
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Working from home has become increasingly common, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it’s essential to address IT security considerations to protect sensitive data and maintain a secure work environment. Here are some tips for both employees and organizations:
1.Secure Your Home Office:
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- Treat your home workspace as you would your regular office. Lock your home office when not in use, and take your laptop inside when you step away.
- Physical security matters, even at home.
2.Secure Your Home Router:
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- Change the default password on your home router. Cyber Criminals often exploit default passwords, leaving your home network vulnerable.
- Use a unique, strong password to protect your home network.
3.Use Company-Provided Equipment:
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- Whenever possible, use a company laptop for remote work. If you must use personal equipment, align it with office security standards.
- Avoid mixing personal browsing and activities while working on your own machine.
4.Implement Network Segmentation:
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- Consider splitting your home network into segments. Keep work-related devices separate from personal devices.
- This helps prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.
5.Backup Solutions:
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- Prepare a backup solution at home. Regularly back up your work files to prevent data loss.
- Cloud storage or external drives are excellent options.
6.Stay Vigilant Against Scams:
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- Be cautious of online scams, phishing emails, and suspicious links.
- Verify the legitimacy of any communication related to work.
Remember, cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. Organizations should set policies, provide training, and monitor remote workstations. By following these guidelines, both employees and companies can enhance IT safety during home working
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Router:
- A router is a networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks.
- Its main purpose is to connect various networks simultaneously, selecting the best route for data packets to reach their intended destinations.
- A router operates at the physical layer, network layer, and data link layer of the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model.
- Unlike a firewall, a router does not protect your network from unwanted intruders.
- It includes a sharing provision to allow internet connection sharing between networks.
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Firewall:
- A firewall acts as a security guard for your network, monitoring and controlling incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.
- All data packets entering or leaving the network pass through the firewall, which checks whether they are authorized or not.
- Firewalls work primarily at the network layer of the OSI model.
- They use encryption to secure data before transmission.
- Unlike routers, firewalls do not share the network but provide protection against threats.
In summary, a router directs data packets to their destinations, while a firewall inspects and filters network traffic to enhance security
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Endpoint Security Software: Endpoint security software is a critical component of any organization’s cybersecurity framework.
It specifically targets the devices connected to the corporate network, known as endpoints, including laptops, desktops, smartphones, tablets, servers, and even Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The primary function of this software is to detect, prevent, and respond to threats that these devices may encounter.
1.Comprehensive Protection Beyond Malware Detection:
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- While traditional antivirus software primarily focuses on detecting and removing known malware, endpoint security goes beyond that. It offers a broader range of security features, including:
- Threat Detection: Identifying suspicious behavior and zero-day threats.
- Firewall Management: Controlling network traffic and access.
- Data Loss Prevention: Safeguarding sensitive information.
- In essence, endpoint security provides a more holistic approach to safeguarding endpoints.
- While traditional antivirus software primarily focuses on detecting and removing known malware, endpoint security goes beyond that. It offers a broader range of security features, including:
2.Advanced Techniques and Behavioral Analysis:
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- Endpoint security often incorporates advanced features like machine learning and behavioral analysis. These techniques help identify and neutralize zero-day threats—new, previously unseen attacks that traditional security measures might miss.
- By analyzing patterns and behaviors, endpoint security solutions can proactively respond to emerging threats.
3.Data Integrity and Compliance:
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- Effective endpoint security is pivotal in ensuring data integrity and compliance with regulatory standards. It monitors and controls data access and transfer across devices, preventing data breaches and loss of sensitive information.
- Industries subject to stringent data protection regulations, such as healthcare and finance, rely heavily on robust endpoint security.
4.Adaptability to Remote Work and Digital Transformation:
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- As organizations embrace remote work and digital transformation, the number and variety of endpoints increase. This expansion creates a larger attack surface for potential cyber threats.
- Continuously updating resilient endpoint security solutions is indispensable for safeguarding organizational assets and maintaining operational continuity.
In summary, deploying endpoint security software significantly reduces the risk of cyberattacks, enhances data protection, and ensures the integrity of your organization’s network and devices
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Cyber Essentials is a government-backed scheme designed to help organizations protect themselves against common online threats. Here’s what you need to know:
1.Purpose:
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- Guarding Against Cyber Attacks: Cyber Essentials helps your organization defend against a wide range of common cyber attacks.
- Demonstrating Commitment: By obtaining Cyber Essentials certification, you demonstrate your commitment to cybersecurity.
2.Certification Levels:
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- Cyber Essentials: This self-assessment option provides protection against basic cyber attacks. It ensures that your organization has essential technical controls in place to prevent common threats.
- Cyber Essentials Plus: Similar to Cyber Essentials, but with an additional hands-on technical verification.
3.Benefits of Getting Certified:
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- Reassure Customers: Certification reassures customers that you are actively securing your IT against cyber attacks.
- Attract New Business: Promote your cybersecurity measures to attract new clients.
- Clear Picture of Security Level: Understand your organization’s cybersecurity posture.
- Government Contracts: Some government contracts require Cyber Essentials certification.
4.Getting Certified:
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- IASME Consortium: Our Cyber Essentials partner, the IASME consortium, can assist you in obtaining certification.
- Readiness Toolkit: Use the Cyber Essentials readiness toolkit to create a personalized action plan for meeting the requirements.
If you’re bidding for central government contracts involving sensitive information or technical products/services, Cyber Essentials certification is essential
Founded back in 2008 by three IT professionals with extensive previous careers in corporate and small business environments, Century IT's team understands the needs of organisations both small and large.
Our focus was and has always been our customers and their businesses, we actively listen to our customers and take the time to understand their business and IT issues. We take the time to understand their business aspirations.
In a world where good customer service often takes a back seat, Century IT Services culture is always Customer First. Our typical type of customer tends not to like large customer call centres and nameless people, and much prefer their IT Service Provider to be accessible, consistent and responsive and take a genuine concern in the day to day running of their business.
We offer each of our customers a Personal IT Service, working as a natural extension of their business, we know our customers by name and what their business does.
Customer Service: Our business ethos is providing outstanding customer service each and every time
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a European Union (EU) law that was approved by the European Parliament on April 14, 2016, and went into effect on May 25, 2018. Here are some key points about GDPR:
1.Individual Privacy Rights: GDPR gives people more control over their data. Individuals have the right to access their personal data, rectify inaccuracies, and even erase their data when necessary.
2.Accountability for Organizations: Organizations that process personal data are held accountable under GDPR. They must implement measures to protect data and demonstrate compliance with the regulation.
3.Transparency and Trust: GDPR enhances transparency by requiring organizations to clearly communicate how they collect, use, and store personal data. This transparency builds trust in the digital economy.
In summary, GDPR is essential for ensuring responsible data handling, and maintaining trust in the digital world
It is becoming increasingly common that Business Insurance renewals are coming with complex exclusions and waivers if certain IT Security and Business Continuity conditions, and staff training awareness are not met.
A properly configured IT System can provide a good framework to discuss your Business Insurance renewal, whereas a poorly configured IT System will make the likelihood of a data loss or data breach event more likely.
We are familiar with Business Insurance requirements with regards to the Business IT Systems and the impact of how those IT Systems are configured
Discuss with us in depth how we can better secure your IT Systems and ensure your Business Insurance conditions are met.
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