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Nonprofits · head to head

Microsoft Nonprofit Program vs Submittable

Microsoft Nonprofit Program logo

Microsoft Nonprofit Program

Nonprofits

Free Microsoft tools for nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Submittable logo

Submittable

Nonprofits

Application, review and grant management for funders running open calls at volume

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Nonprofit Program has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Nonprofit Program schools, universities, government agencies, banks, insurers, professional associations, sports bodies and political and labour groups are all ineligible; Submittable pricing is not published and tier jumps are steep, so an organisation that grows past a submission or form limit can face a renewal quote well above the previous year with limited negotiating room mid-programme.
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Nonprofit Program covers Office Suite, Submittable covers Configurable application forms.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Nonprofit Program and Submittable differ
AttributeMicrosoft Nonprofit ProgramSubmittable
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, IOS, Android, DesktopWeb
Founded1975Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Microsoft Nonprofit Program

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

Only in Submittable

  • Configurable application forms
  • Blind and multi-stage review
  • Reviewer management
  • Grant payments
  • Impact reporting
  • Applicant messaging
  • API and integrations

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Nonprofit Program

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

Submittable

  • A foundation running an open grant round where a volunteer panel must score hundreds of applications without seeing applicant identitiesnot Microsoft Nonprofit Program
  • A corporate giving team collecting employee-nominated grant requests and needing an audit trail for financenot Microsoft Nonprofit Program
  • An arts council managing fellowship and residency applications with multi-stage juriesnot Microsoft Nonprofit Program
  • A city agency distributing relief funds and required to show equitable review and decision recordsnot Microsoft Nonprofit Program

Where each one falls short

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

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

Submittable

  • Pricing is not published and tier jumps are steep, so an organisation that grows past a submission or form limit can face a renewal quote well above the previous year with limited negotiating room mid-programme.
  • It is built around the application funnel rather than the funder's relationship with grantees, so long-term relationship management, pledge tracking and multi-year commitments are weaker than in a purpose-built grants CRM.
  • Applicant-facing forms are constrained by the platform's templates, and organisations wanting a fully branded application experience on their own domain will find the customisation shallow.
  • Reporting is serviceable for programme counts but limited for board-level financial reporting, so many finance teams still export to spreadsheets to reconcile awards against the general ledger.
  • Payment disbursement capability varies by tier and region, and organisations funding recipients outside the United States often still pay grants through their bank rather than through the platform.

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Nonprofit Program

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

Submittable

On request
  • Submittable$undefined/year
    • Application forms and applicant portal
    • Reviewer workflow and scoring rubrics
    • Grant award and reporting modules on higher tiers

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Submittable if

  • You need configurable application forms.
  • You also want blind and multi-stage review.
Submittable review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Nonprofit Program or Submittable better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Nonprofit Program starts at Free and Submittable at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Nonprofit Program or Submittable?
Microsoft Nonprofit Program has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Nonprofit Program and On request for Submittable.
Does Microsoft Nonprofit Program or Submittable run on more platforms?
Microsoft Nonprofit Program runs on Web, IOS, Android, Desktop. Submittable runs on Web.
Can I use Microsoft Nonprofit Program for free?
Yes. Microsoft Nonprofit Program has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Submittable starts at On request.
What is Microsoft Nonprofit Program best used for?
Microsoft Nonprofit Program is most often used for nonprofit organization technology needs, educational institutions, charitable organizations, eligible 501(c)(3) organizations. Of those, nonprofit organization technology needs and educational institutions are not what Submittable is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Nonprofit Program do that Submittable cannot?
Microsoft Nonprofit Program covers Office Suite, Cloud storage, Email and collaboration, Analytics. Submittable covers Configurable application forms, Blind and multi-stage review, Reviewer management, Grant payments.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Submittable: What does Submittable actually cost?

It is not published. Reported entry points are in the low thousands of dollars a year, with price driven by submission volume, number of forms and seats. Get the tier limits written into the contract before signing.

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
Submittable: Is it a grants management system or a submission manager?

Both, depending on tier. The review side is its strength. Award tracking, payments and grantee reporting sit on higher tiers and are less deep than a dedicated grants CRM.

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
Submittable: Can reviewers work anonymously?

Yes. Blind review, staged rounds and conflict of interest flagging are core features rather than paid extras.

Submittable: Is there a nonprofit discount?

Nonprofit pricing exists but is applied inside the quote rather than published as a percentage, so compare quotes rather than assuming a standard rate.

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