Volunteer Week in the UK is a great time to reflect on the invaluable contributions of volunteers in the not-for-profit sector. As an IT Managed Service Provider, we understand the unique challenges that come with managing and supporting devices used by volunteers. These are often personal laptops and phones which can pose significant security risks…
Welcome to the Smartdesc May newsletter. This month, we are delighted to release our third annual Charity Technology Leaders Report, in collaboration with Charity IT Leaders. Get your copy below. We also feature a webinar on the report unpacking the key trends, an important update on Microsoft licence grants, and more exciting nonprofit IT events. Charity…
Do you have unorganised shared files across Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive? Charities manage large volumes of sensitive data – from personal and financial details, to funding activities – which must be properly governed to ensure security, compliance, and operational efficiency. While many organisations have adopted cloud platforms like Microsoft 365, poor information management often hinders…
Microsoft have announced some important changes that may affect your nonprofit’s licensing. The Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Office 365 E1 grants (free licences) will be discontinued starting July 1, 2025. These changes apply only to free grant licences — paid licences are not affected. What this means: Your 10 x free Business Premium or…
We are delighted to release our 2025 Charity Technology Leaders Report. From February to April 2025, we conducted a comprehensive survey of charity technology leaders to understand the sector’s strategic priorities, risks, challenges and opportunities around IT. Now in its third year, the report presents the key industry insights, sector trends around technology, and comparisons…
Welcome to the Smartdesc April newsletter. This month, we are excited to host a webinar on 20 May on the key findings from our Charity Tech Leaders Report 2025 alongside Charity IT Leaders, with the report due to launch mid May. We also feature our Charity Summer Social, highlights from Microsoft’s Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit, and…
Smartdesc is proud to announce that we have achieved the prestigious Microsoft Security Solutions Partner designation. This recognition highlights our deep capabilities around the Microsoft security stack, including Defender, Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), and more. By earning this badge, we demonstrate our commitment to providing top-tier security solutions that protect our customers’ digital environments.…
We are delighted to be back for the third year of our Charity Technology Leaders Report! We held a webinar on 20 May with Tree Hall, CEO at Charity IT Leaders, who led a discussion on the 2025 report, alongside Adam Monks, CEO & Co-founder and James Field, Customer Strategy Director, from Smartdesc. Together, we…
Last week, Adam and I had the pleasure of attending the 2nd annual Microsoft Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit in Seattle. This brought together charity leaders from over 1,000 organisations, to hear the latest updates and roadmap for Microsoft’s AI capabilities in the sector. The mood at this year’s summit was really positive. There was a sense…
Welcome to the Smartdesc March newsletter. We are nonprofit IT specialists who enable organisations to deliver more through better use of technology. This month, we are excited to share details of our Charity Leaders Summer Social on Thursday 5 June at Microsoft London. This is a brilliant opportunity to get to know charity peers in…
