OneDrive for charities is a cloud-based storage and file-sharing service provided by Microsoft and is part of a suite of cloud services that they offer. Nonprofits can significantly benefit from using Microsoft OneDrive. It allows organisations of any size to store and share documents, collaborate in real-time, access files anywhere with an internet connection, keep important data safe and secure, and manage different versions of the documents they’re working on.
OneDrive for Charities File Storage and Sharing
Firstly, one of the main features of OneDrive for charities is file storage and sharing. Starting with file storage, OneDrive can store up to 1TB of data. This allows ample storage for your staff and volunteers. OneDrive also provides document scanning and encrypts all data during transit, meaning you can share your files internally and externally from your organisation without the worry of security. Following on from file sharing, OneDrive makes it easy to collaborate on the same files and documents as your team as you can access them from any remote location with an internet connection. OneDrive for nonprofits also lets the admin within your organisation set file permissions for individual staff and volunteers.
Security for Nonprofit Staff and Volunteers
OneDrive for Nonprofits invests in systems and processes to reduce the likelihood of sensitive data breaches and to quickly detect and mitigate them before they occur. Find out more about the different security procedures and automation OneDrive facilitates below.
Security monitoring systems and automation
OneDrive is constantly monitoring your activity on the platform. This is so it can detect any suspicious activity and warn your organisation. It also provides automation monitoring for viruses. This is so when one of your staff or volunteers goes to download files to their OneDrive, it is automatically scanned to check for viruses. In addition, OneDrive detects and recovers your files and folders from ransomware attacks with ease.
Personnel and processes
In addition to the automation and monitoring systems described above, OneDrive for charities makes sure that all files are recoverable. If your staff or volunteers send you a file to collaborate on but you accidentally delete the file or delete some crucial information within the file, OneDrive has geo-located data centres that will notify and recover files within seconds. OneDrive also provides a feature of password-protected files with expiring sharing links. This means your organisation can keep shared files more secure by requiring a password to access them or setting an expiration date on the sharing link.
OneDrive Account Set-up
Setting up a OneDrive account for each of your nonprofit staff and volunteers is simple. Below you can see a straightforward step-by-step of how to set up a OneDrive account for your charity.
- Open up your web browser and head to the Microsoft OneDrive homepage.
- Choose whether you want to sign in with an existing account or create a new one. If you choose to create a new account, fill in the form with your email address and other relevant information, then click ‘Create account’.
- You will then be asked to review the terms and conditions of using OneDrive. Read through these carefully before accepting them and clicking ‘Next’.
- Once you have accepted the terms and conditions, you will be taken to the page prompting you to select your storage plan. Choose the plan that best suits your charity’s needs and click ‘Continue’.
- You will now be directed to the OneDrive homepage where you can start accessing and managing your cloud storage space by uploading files or folders, creating shortcuts, syncing devices, sharing files or folders or just exploring newly available features like Microsoft Office applications synchronisation etc.
As you can see, setting up your OneDrive account is a breeze. However, if you are looking for assistance, head to the bottom of this blog where you will find a link to our free Microsoft OneDrive consultation. Our IT experts have much experience setting charities and nonprofit organisations up on OneDrive and can assist.
Do you need Microsoft 365 for Charities to access OneDrive?
If your organisation is currently set-up on Microsoft 365 for Charities, then you will be able to access OneDrive with ease. It is also the most cost-effective way to access OneDrive and will mean your charity has access to lots more office apps on the Microsoft 365 suite. If your nonprofit organisation isn’t currently set-up with a Microsoft 365 nonprofit plan, then this would be the first step to gaining access to OneDrive.
How Much Does OneDrive Cost with Microsoft 365?
One of the attractive benefits of using Microsoft is that they offer discounts for eligible nonprofits on many of their services. This can prove invaluable for registered charities searching for high performing solutions at minimal cost. Even though OneDrive offers a free version to charities, it’s much more beneficial to get it through Microsoft 365 for Charities as an eligible nonprofit for free. Microsoft 365 Business Basic (Nonprofit Staff Pricing) licensing provides your charity with free access to OneDrive for up to 300 users accompanied by a Microsoft grant. Alternatively, you can also get OneDrive with Microsoft 365 Business Standard (Nonprofit Staff Pricing) at a cost of £2.30 per user per month plus VAT or with Microsoft 365 Business Premium (Nonprofit Staff Pricing) at a cost of £4.10 per user per month plus VAT. All these plans offer 1TB of storage per user.
Final Thoughts on OneDrive for Charities
In conclusion, Microsoft OneDrive is a powerful cloud service offering storage that can benefit charities in many ways. With its security processes and unique tools, charities can access and store data quickly and easily. It also allows collaborators to share files with each other, reducing the need for on-site meetings. On the other hand, there are several other cloud storage solutions for nonprofits on the market, so take the time to research the best cloud storage for your organisation. OneDrive is one of the most popular cloud-based storage solutions for charities.
Do you need some advice on how to use Microsoft cloud based storage solutions for your charity? Book your free Microsoft OneDrive consultation with our IT experts by clicking the button below.
