Are you curious what the top TechSoup products were that members needed most during these strange pandemic days? Most of them are very suitable to the new ways that nonprofits, libraries, and religious organizations have been working this year. We suspect that some of them will surprise you. Here they are (in alphabetical order).
Adobe Acrobat Pro
A huge number of TechSoup members found Adobe Acrobat Pro 2020 really useful during these days of working virtually. It is publishing software for viewing, creating, combining, and controlling Adobe PDF digital documents for distribution, collaboration, and data collection. Members use it to create and publish outreach materials or professional reports that combine multiple types of content. It is also great for collecting data with fillable PDF forms. It also ensures document accessibility for people with disabilities. No wonder it has been so popular.
Note: If you're looking for a cloud-based version of Acrobat, you should check out Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
Avast Business CloudCare
Avast is a new TechSoup partner that many members have already discovered. It offers easy-to-deploy, all-in-one cloud cybersecurity business solutions at super-affordable prices. It protects your IT against all forms of malware and other cyberthreats coming from email, websites, or the Internet. Avast CloudCare consists of four services delivered through a single cloud-based console:
- CloudCare Managed Antivirus for protecting devices, data, and employees
- CloudCare Content Filtering for regulating access to objectionable websites known to deliver spyware, malware, and other web threats.
- CloudCare Secure Web Gateway for blocking web threats before they get into the network
- CloudCare Patch Management for deploying patches across all endpoints to protect against application vulnerabilities.
GrantStation
Fundraising got more challenging this past year. TechSoup members have had to dig deep to find new sources of funding. More members than ever took advantage of TechSoup’s periodic GrantStation promotions in which we offer deeply discounted one-year memberships. We have two of these promotions each year — so be on the lookout.
GrantStation is a web-based funder prospecting service. It helps you find and contact grantmakers who are most likely to fund your specific project or program in your specific locale. It also has step-by-step tutorials on how to secure available funding. Keep an eye out for our next GrantStation promotion!
Microsoft
Of course Microsoft donations have long been favorites of TechSoup members. Here are the most popular ones during the pandemic.
Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365
Microsoft Office Standard 2019 for Windows and Office for Mac are still all-time favorites for all types of TechSoup members. Both are on-premises and perpetual license versions of Microsoft Office and are still as popular as they ever were.
For those already on cloud solutions and moving to cloud-based offers, Microsoft 365 Business Premium is the Microsoft cloud license favorite. You get both online and desktop versions of the Office applications that you're used to, the latest versions of Windows, and many other applications to help your organization collaborate effectively and securely. Best of all, the first 10 licenses are free.
Windows 10 Operating System Upgrade
Windows 10 now accounts for over 75 percent of the Microsoft operating system universe. However, so many TechSoup members are still operating older PCs that originally had Windows 7 on them. Windows 7 is now unsupported and is a cybersecurity risk. The solution? Just upgrade to Windows 10 like so many members have. It works just fine on most older PCs.
Windows Remote Desktop Services
Windows Remote Desktop Services is a technology that lets users remotely execute applications on Windows Server. This can be done from a wide range of devices over virtually any type of network connection. The popularity of this application is of course due to so many organizations transitioning to remote work.
Microsoft Digital Skills Center
Microsoft applications have long been TechSoup's most popular donated products. Now we bring you the knowledge on how to use them. TechSoup launched a new collection of powerful online courses that combine great skill-building content from experts at Microsoft. These courses have been a big hit with over 25,000 learners worldwide.
We feature lots of free training for nonprofit staff and volunteers on Microsoft Teams, Word, and PowerPoint, and also very affordable courses on Excel, the powerful data visualization tool Power Bl, and more. Be sure and check out the free course on Pivoting to Remote Work — COVID-19 Response Course Track for Nonprofits, where you can learn how to use Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, and also cybersecurity techniques.
Mobile Beacon
Mobile Beacon hotspots were in such huge demand this past year that we couldn't keep them on the shelves. Of course hotspots are key to libraries loaning out the Internet to patrons, to educational organizations ensuring that students have reliable home broadband, and to employees and volunteers now working from remote locations. Each mobile hotspot from Mobile Beacon costs $15, and you can receive up to 11 hotspots by requesting multiple quantities of this donation. Unlimited mobile broadband is $120 per hotspot for a 12-month Mobile Beacon service plan. The hotspots can be used at any location within the Mobile Beacon coverage area.
Refurbished Computers
During this past year, we experienced a huge jump in our members ordering our refurbished laptop and desktop computers. All of our refurbished hardware is tested, cleaned, and comes with a full version of Windows 10, full warranties, and free end-of-life recycling. Our computers are commercial-grade IT equipment and are a fraction of the cost of new. Our library, church, and faith-based members particularly liked our Dell OptiPlex and HP EliteDesk desktop computers. Our nonprofit members favored our laptops, particularly our Lenovo ThinkPads. Also, don't forget to check out our new offers of smartphones and tablets in the Mobile Devices section.
QuickBooks
TechSoup's Intuit for Nonprofits offerings are perennial favorites with our members. QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Premier Editions 2021 have not surprisingly been some of our most requested product donations during the pandemic.
QuickBooks Premier Editions is Intuit's on-premises offering. It has the option of selecting nonprofit as your industry type to make the application fit your needs. QuickBooks Online is of course Intuit's cloud-based version of their state-of-the-art accounting software. Both versions are super affordable.
Zoom
Last alphabetically, but certainly not least is Zoom for Nonprofits. It is a relatively new product offer on TechSoup. Starting in March, requests for Zoom Meetings Pro Plan Bundle went through the roof and haven't calmed down much since. Zoom of course has video and audio conferencing, simple online meetings, and group messaging in one platform. Each meeting can have one host and up to 100 participants. We also offer a heftier Business Plan Bundle if you need to host up to 300 participants. Both plans offer 50 percent discounts on one-year subscriptions. Subscribe to TechSoup’s Boost Program to save even more on Zoom.
We hope you like our list of top TechSoup pandemic products from our ever-expanding TechSoup catalog. As always, check your eligibility for all the TechSoup product offerings on our Check Your Eligibility page.
Additional Resources
- Matching Donation and Discount Requests with Cloud Strategy
- Using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC to Secure Documents at Your Nonprofit
- The Top 3 Benefits of Virtualization for Nonprofits
- How the Microsoft Digital Skills Center Can Benefit Your Nonprofit
- Comparison Guide: Video Conferencing Tools for Your Nonprofit
