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Nonprofits · head to head

Give Lively vs Microsoft Nonprofit Program

Give Lively logo

Give Lively

Nonprofits

Fundraising software given free to nonprofits, funded by its founders rather than by fees

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Nonprofit Program logo

Microsoft Nonprofit Program

Nonprofits

Free Microsoft tools for nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Give Lively eligibility is limited to US 501(c)(3) organisations, so charities registered in the UK, Canada, Australia or the EU cannot use it at all regardless of fit.; Microsoft Nonprofit Program schools, universities, government agencies, banks, insurers, professional associations, sports bodies and political and labour groups are all ineligible
  • They diverge on capability: Give Lively covers Branded donation pages, Microsoft Nonprofit Program covers Office Suite.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Give Lively and Microsoft Nonprofit Program actually diverge.

Attributes where Give Lively and Microsoft Nonprofit Program differ
AttributeGive LivelyMicrosoft Nonprofit Program
Pricing modelFree to nonprofits, card processing charged by the processorfree
PlatformsWebWeb, IOS, Android, Desktop
FoundedUnknown1975

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Nonprofits).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Give Lively

  • Branded donation pages
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising
  • Text-to-donate
  • Event ticketing
  • Donor database
  • DAFpay
  • Multiple processors

Only in Microsoft Nonprofit Program

  • Office Suite
  • Cloud storage
  • Email and collaboration
  • Analytics
  • CRM
  • Data analytics
  • Teams
  • SharePoint

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Give Lively

  • A US nonprofit currently paying a percentage platform fee on every gift and wanting that money back in programme budgetnot Microsoft Nonprofit Program
  • Running a peer-to-peer campaign where thin margins make a per-donation platform cut painfulnot Microsoft Nonprofit Program
  • A small organisation with no software budget that still needs branded, mobile-ready donation pagesnot Microsoft Nonprofit Program
  • Adding donor advised fund giving at checkout without paying for a separate DAF integrationnot Microsoft Nonprofit Program

Microsoft Nonprofit Program

  • Nonprofit organization technology needsnot Give Lively
  • Educational institutionsnot Give Lively
  • Charitable organizationsnot Give Lively
  • Eligible 501(c)(3) organizationsnot Give Lively

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Give Lively

  • Eligibility is limited to US 501(c)(3) organisations, so charities registered in the UK, Canada, Australia or the EU cannot use it at all regardless of fit.
  • The platform is funded by its founders' personal philanthropy rather than by revenue, so there is no contractual commitment to a roadmap or a service level and no paying customer base to keep it alive if that funding stops.
  • Support is email based with no paid escalation tier, so an organisation mid-campaign with a broken form has no way to buy faster attention.
  • The donor database is adequate for gift tracking but thin compared with a real CRM, so most organisations still pay for Bloomerang, DonorPerfect or Salesforce alongside it and maintain a sync.
  • Optional donor tips appear at checkout to fund the platform, which some boards object to because it puts a second ask in front of a donor who has already decided what to give.

Microsoft Nonprofit Program

  • Schools, universities, government agencies, banks, insurers, professional associations, sports bodies and political and labour groups are all ineligible
  • Free granted licences cover paid employees and unpaid executive staff only; volunteers and temporary staff get discounts rather than grants
  • Organisations must keep at least 85 percent of granted licences actively used
  • Licence counts vary by country and a group of organisations can hold only one grant account

Pricing, plan by plan

Give Lively

Free
  • Give LivelyFree
    • All fundraising products included
    • No platform fee on donations
    • No setup or subscription charge

Microsoft Nonprofit Program

Free
  • Nonprofit ProgramFree
    • Office 365
    • Azure
    • Dynamics 365

Which should you pick?

Choose Give Lively if

  • You need branded donation pages.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want peer-to-peer fundraising.
Give Lively review

Choose Microsoft Nonprofit Program if

  • You need office suite.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want cloud storage.
Microsoft Nonprofit Program review

Questions people ask

Is Give Lively or Microsoft Nonprofit Program better?
Neither clearly leads. Give Lively starts at Free and Microsoft Nonprofit Program at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Give Lively or Microsoft Nonprofit Program?
Give Lively starts at Free and Microsoft Nonprofit Program at Free.
Does Give Lively or Microsoft Nonprofit Program run on more platforms?
Give Lively runs on Web. Microsoft Nonprofit Program runs on Web, IOS, Android, Desktop.
Can I use Give Lively for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Give Lively best used for?
Give Lively is most often used for a us nonprofit currently paying a percentage platform fee on every gift and wanting that money back in programme budget, running a peer-to-peer campaign where thin margins make a per-donation platform cut painful, a small organisation with no software budget that still needs branded, mobile-ready donation pages, adding donor advised fund giving at checkout without paying for a separate daf integration. Of those, a us nonprofit currently paying a percentage platform fee on every gift and wanting that money back in programme budget and running a peer-to-peer campaign where thin margins make a per-donation platform cut painful are not what Microsoft Nonprofit Program is typically brought in for.
What can Give Lively do that Microsoft Nonprofit Program cannot?
Give Lively covers Branded donation pages, Peer-to-peer fundraising, Text-to-donate, Event ticketing. Microsoft Nonprofit Program covers Office Suite, Cloud storage, Email and collaboration, Analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Give Lively: Is it genuinely free, or free with a percentage taken?

Genuinely free. Give Lively takes no cut of donations and charges no subscription. You pay only the card processing fee, which goes to Stripe, Shift4 or PayPal, starting around 1.99% plus $0.25.

Microsoft Nonprofit Program: How much does Microsoft 365 cost for nonprofits?

Microsoft offers 75% discount on Microsoft 365 Business Premium for eligible nonprofits, with exact pricing depending on organization verification. Additional nonprofit discounts include 15% on Microsoft 365 Copilot and 60% on Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Source
Give Lively: How does the company make money?

It does not, in the ordinary sense. Operating costs are covered by its founders as a philanthropic commitment, plus voluntary tips donors can add at checkout.

Microsoft Nonprofit Program: What Azure benefits do nonprofits receive?

Eligible nonprofits receive $2,000 USD in annual Azure services credits with access to the complete Azure product portfolio. Exact annual allocation depends on nonprofit verification and registration status.

Source
Give Lively: Can a UK or Canadian charity use it?

No. Give Lively requires US 501(c)(3) status.

Microsoft Nonprofit Program: How do I verify my organization is eligible for nonprofit discounts?

Organizations must register through Microsoft's nonprofit portal and confirm eligibility to access published discounts. Nonprofits typically include 501(c)(3) organizations and other government-recognized charitable entities, requiring verification before accessing discount rates.

Source
Give Lively: Does it replace a donor CRM?

Not for most organisations. It stores donors and gift history, but fundraisers running major gift or grant pipelines usually keep a dedicated CRM and sync to it.

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