When Windows 7 launched in October 2009, Microsoft made a special extra donation of it or Windows Vista available to nonprofits and public libraries through TechSoup. The Microsoft Software Donation Program allows organizations one opportunity to place a donation request each year. This special extra donation lets eligible organizations place another donation request outside of the program limitations as long as the request includes only Windows 7 or Vista. If you have not yet used your special extra donation opportunity, you have until June 30, 2010, to do so. For details, see Special Extra Donation of Windows 7 or Windows Vista.

Also, in case you were not previously aware, the TechSoup admin fees for many of Microsoft’s most popular software offerings, including Windows and Office products, will be increasing effective July 1, 2010.  For example, the admin fee for Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007, which is currently $20, will increase to $31.  So if you are planning to upgrade or add any Microsoft products over the summer, you can save money by placing the requests this month. And if you have been waiting for Office 2010, it is now available through TechSoup.

How to order donations, and where to find how-to videos:

• Are you considering upgrading to Windows 7, but have already used your MS donation for the year? No worries! Through TechSoup, Microsoft is allowing nonprofits an extra donation for Windows 7. You need to place your order by June 30th, and you can read the other “fine print” here .
• Thank you to Microsoft Community Affairs for assisting with our Windows 7 presentation last month. If you missed the presentation, check out Microsoft’s helpful Windows 7 How-To videos  .

The Confluence Gallery and Art Center has flourished since 1988 as a hub of the arts community in Twisp, Washington. The nonprofit gallery holds seven group and individual exhibits each year, showcasing the work of local and regional artists from North Central Washington. Special exhibitions draw from farther afield, highlighting noteworthy artists from the Pacific Northwest.

As participants in NPower’s statewide training and technology support program funded through the Greater Everett Community Foundation in 2008 and 2009, Confluence Gallery completed a Stable and Secure Assessment which pointed to a severe need to upgrade aging hardware. NPower consultants assisted Gallery staff in selecting a new desktop system, provided funds to cover the purchase (thank you GECF!), and procured software donations (Microsoft Windows and Office — thank you Microsoft!) to support key accounting and grant writing functions. In an “extreme makeover” story, Executive Director Sybil Macapia says Confluence Gallery is now in a much stronger position to support the administrative needs of the organization, and recently procured a much-needed grant that she links directly to the availability of that single new computer system.

Congratulations, Confluence staff! And thank you to the Greater Everett Community Foundation, Microsoft and our other supporters who make miracles like this one possible for nonprofits in Washington state.

Join Microsoft (and NPower alumnus Lindsay Bealko) on Wednesday, January 27th for a free webinar on getting the most from Windows 7:

Event Title: Meet Windows 7: Your Nonprofit PC, Simplified

Event Time: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 10:00 AM PST

Event Description: Windows 7 is designed to make PCs faster, more secure, and more reliable. Unlike its predecessors, it is leaner and less busy. It simplifies tasks and makes the things you do everyday easier, leaving you with more time to focus on what really matters: Your mission.
In this brief but information-packed webinar, you’ll hear from Microsoft Community Affairs about what matters to nonprofits in Windows 7. We’ll review how eligible nonprofits can request a donation of Windows 7 Upgrade software and highlight some of the new features that nonprofits especially like. The webinar is not technical and is open to all nonprofit staff, regardless of what operating system they are currently running.
Whether you’re already using Windows 7 or just curious to learn more, this FREE webinar will definitely help you get better acquainted with Microsoft’s latest operating system.

Register now!

Happy New Year!  Hope that 2010 is off to a good start for everybody.

Before all the decorations are packed away and the last of the eggnog has been drunk, here are December’s most viewed posts from the NPowering: Nonprofit Technology blog:

• The Hierarchical Nature of Data: Discussion on how to take advantage of data hierarchy when using accounts and campaigns in Salesforce.
• Snow Day: Here are Suggestions for readying yourself for a work from home day due to inclement weather.
• Choosing a Future of Rejuvenation: Takeaways from Paul Light’s presentation at October’s Nonprofit Governance Conference in Tacoma.
• The Path to End of Year Fundraising Success: Resources and advice for improving the message and strategy of your end-of-year appeal.
• Windows 7 Evaluation & Upgrade Resources: Online nonprofit resources for evaluating and planning a Windows 7 upgrade for your organization, including guides from TechSoup, TechFlash, and Lifehacker.

P.S. Remember to check us out on Facebook.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving leftovers, it’s time for the monthly review of the top posts from the NPowering: Nonprofit Technology blog (based on page views):

• Choosing a Future of Rejuvenation: Takeaways from Paul Light’s presentation at October’s Nonprofit Governance Conference in Tacoma.
• The Path to End of Year Fundraising Success: Resources and advice for improving the message and strategy of your end-of-year appeal.
• Windows 7: Discussion on evaluating and planning for the upgrade to the latest version of Microsoft’s flagship operating system.
• 7 Ways to Change the World Video Contest: Announcement of Microsoft’s Windows 7 video contest.  The contest has ended, but you can read more about the winners in this updated blog post.
• Windows 7 Evaluation & Upgrade Resources: Online nonprofit resources for evaluating and planning a Windows 7 upgrade for your organization.  Includes guides from TechSoup, TechFlash, and Lifehacker.

Happy Holidays!

The top seven have been announced in the Windows 7 Ways to Change the World contest.  Congratulations to the winning agencies, including two with local connections:  Mid Puget Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group and Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound, Bremerton Branch.  To read more about these organizations and view their videos, check out Microsoft’s Unlimited Potential blog.

P.S. You can also find NPower Seattle’s entry, Who Changes the World?, posted on the NPower Seattle Media Network.

Fresh from the video editing room, NPower Seattle’s entry in Microsoft’s 7 Ways to Change the World contest is now available for public consumption.  Check us out in the Idea Gallery: http://www.7waystochangetheworld.com/gallery.aspx.

And after that, for those old enough to remember (or young enough to be curious about) the title reference, take a stroll down memory lane with The Buggles:

Before putting the close on October, we thought it would be fun to revisit the top five NPowering: Nonprofit Technology blog posts (based on page views) from last month:

• Doing More with Less: Suggestions for some smart investments that may help your nonprofit raise capital or provide you with resources that go beyond a large check.
• Group Calendars and Salesforce: Discussion on reasons to use a group calendar and the group calendaring available to organizations using Salesforce.
• Windows 7: Discussion on evaluating and planning for the upgrade to the latest version of Microsoft’s flagship operating system.
• The Path to End of Year Fundraising Success: Resources and advice for improving the message and strategy of your end-of-year appeal.
• Create Cool Text in Illustrator: Tutorial from Layers Magazine for creating fun, eye-catching text with Adobe Illustrator.  (This one is a blast from the past.)

Following up on last week’s Windows 7 release, below are some online resources for evaluating and planning an upgrade for your organization.

As always, our friends at TechSoup have a wealth of information available, including upgrade guidance, migration checklist, and product donation.  Their Windows 7 homepage is a great starting point, but here are a couple of things to call to your attention:

• Special Extra Donation: Microsoft is allowing qualified nonprofits to place an extra donation request for Windows 7 or Vista.  (Much better than double secret probation.)
• Software Compatibility: A consolidated summary of Windows 7 compatibility statements from the companies that provide desktop software donations through TechSoup.

As referenced in my earlier Windows 7 post, Microsoft has helpful tools for upgrade evaluation and preparation:

• Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor: A downloadable program that will scan your PC for potential issues with your hardware and software and provide recommendations on how to proceed.
• Windows 7 Compatibility Center: A collection of compatibility information for popular devices and software titles to help you easily identify what will or won’t work with Windows 7.
• Windows 7 Features: Explore Windows 7’s new features and functionality through online videos.

In addition, TechFlash and Lifehacker have both assembled very comprehensive Windows 7 guides:

• TechFlash Windows 7 Resource Guide: Includes a plethora of links to reviews and other resources.
• Lifehacker’s Complete Guide to Windows 7: Includes an extensive review of new features and mouse/keyboard shortcuts.

Hope you find this information useful.  If you have come across other helpful Windows 7 resources, please share them with the rest of community.

Happy weekend!