Compliance Made Easy for NFPs

How Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 can help Australian Nonprofits meet their legal and ethical requirements

In January's Microsoft ANZ partner newsletter, we saw the official launch of Partner with Purpose. This is the latest in comprehensive focus from Microsoft to address the opportunity we have in the channel to make a social impact with technology. If you are Sydney based, you can join us in an upcoming live bootcamp at the Reactor (Martin Place, Syd) were I'll be speaking to channel executives across Microsoft, Dicker Data and our valued partners about the role we can all play in supporting the Nonprofit sector.

One of the key areas, in particular I see nonprofit businesses really benefit from Microsoft technologies is compliance.

Nonprofits in Australia have a number of compliance requirements that they must adhere to in order to operate legally and ethically. These include compliance with laws and regulations related to data privacy, financial reporting, and governance. To help nonprofits meet these compliance requirements, Microsoft offers a range of solutions, including Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365, that can help organisations manage their data, finances, and operations in a compliant and secure manner.

One of the key compliance requirements for nonprofits in Australia is data privacy. Organisations must ensure that they are complying with laws such as the Australian Privacy Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by protecting personal data and ensuring that it is used only for authorised purposes. Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 can help organisations meet these requirements by providing robust security and data protection features, such as encryption, multi-factor authentication, and data loss prevention.

Another important compliance requirement for nonprofits in Australia is financial reporting. Organisations must maintain accurate and transparent financial records and comply with accounting and tax laws. Dynamics 365 can help nonprofits meet these requirements by providing integrated financial management capabilities, including financial reporting, budgeting, and forecasting.

In addition to data privacy and financial reporting, nonprofits in Australia also have governance requirements that they must meet. These include maintaining accurate records of meetings and decisions and ensuring that the organisation is being run in an ethical and transparent manner. Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 can help nonprofits meet these requirements by providing tools for collaboration, communication, and document management.

Becoming more prevalent is also compliance relating to ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance). More than just a tool for enhancing organisational reputations, ESG is now viewed as a critical component of nonprofit's viability.

"ESG provides a way to express your institutional values, the research by the Boardeffect shows; Your employees, volunteers, donors, and stakeholders take notice of the companies you favour and those you don't, especially in the area of investing.

A focus on ESG can help your nonprofit avoid long-term investment risks that could be associated with climate change concerns. Your nonprofit's fidelity to ESG will also demonstrate your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. For many donors, ESG matters a lot. Several national grants are only awarded to nonprofits that invest in ESG funds."

The Microsoft cloud platform helps organisations meet these requirements by providing robust security and data protection features, integrated financial management capabilities, and tools for collaboration, communication, and document management. By implementing these solutions, nonprofits can ensure that they are meeting their compliance requirements and operating in a compliant and secure manner.

Microsoft are aware of the role they can play in this sector and have a range of donation offers and discounts that partners can leverage to build viable solutions in this space. To learn more about these offers, how you can target this industry to support social and community change, join us at our Sydney Bootcamp on Wed 1st March from 12:30pm. Register Here.