Renew your Azure grant

Once your organization is approved for Microsoft’s nonprofit program and has an active Azure Sponsorship, you must renew the grant each year to continue receiving $2,000 USD in annual credits. This article explains how to renew, what happens if your grant expires, and how to troubleshoot common renewal issues.

Renewal Overview

Before you begin the renewal process, be aware of the following requirements and conditions:

• All Azure Sponsorships renew at $2,000 USD per year.
• If you do not renew by your end date, your Azure usage might convert to pay-as-you-go, and charges will be applied to the payment instrument on your billing profile.
• Renewal is separate from initial eligibility; only organizations with an existing active Azure grant that prefer to keep benefitting from Azure grant credits may follow this process.
• Renewals can occur only on or up to 30 days before the grant’s annual expiration date. Early consumption of the $2,000 balance does not trigger or permit early renewal.

Renew your Azure Sponsorship grant

Renewing your Modern Azure Sponsorship:

1. Sign in to the Nonprofit Hub by using your validated Microsoft account or use the renewal link in the email you received regarding the Azure grant renewal, you may proceed to step 3 using the link.
2. In the Nonprofit Hub, select Nonprofit grants from the top navigation menu. Locate your $2,000 Azure Grant offer.
3. Select the Renew Now button next to the Azure grant. The page will display the email that was used to claim the grant, which will also be the one to be used for renewal. Follow the guided steps to confirm your eligibility and accept the renewal terms.
4. Upon activating renewal, you will receive an email confirming your renewal.

Manage Your Billing Profile in Azure

1. Sign in to the Azure Portal by using the administrator account tied to your grant.
2. From the left-hand navigation, select Cost Management + Billing.
3. Review the billing profile linked to your Azure Sponsorship. If needed, create a new profile:
   • Select Cost Management > Billing > Billing Profiles
   • Select Add
   • Enter a profile name (for example, Nonprofit Sponsorship Profile).
   • Provide legal entity information.
   • Add a valid payment method (a credit card is required for verification and to cover any overages).
4. Verify that the Account Owner or Billing Admin role is assigned so the correct people can manage invoices and payment methods.
5. Link subscriptions to the billing profile:
   • For new subscriptions: select the sponsorship billing profile when you create the subscription.
   • For existing subscriptions: please submit a product transfer request to move a grant within your eligible tenant.

Verify Your Credits After Renewal

To learn how to check your Azure grant balance, or verify credits after renewal, please navigate to track Microsoft Customer Agreement Azure credit balance

If the balance doesn't appear:

• Ensure that you selected the correct billing account or billing profile.
• If necessary, follow the steps in Billing accounts and scopes in the Azure portal to confirm that the right scope is active.

Renewing Azure Sponsorships under the Microsoft Online Services Agreement (MOSA)

If your organization’s Azure grant is still operating under a MOSA billing account, you can view your balance and renew through the Azure Sponsorships portal. You must sign in using the account owner credentials, which are typically the .onmicrosoft.com email address used during grant setup. The portal shows your remaining balance, usage, and expiration details.

When you renew, you will receive an email prompting you to activate your grant again to complete the renewal process. This step applies only if your organization is still using a MOSA billing account. For reference, see understand your invoice for your Microsoft MOSA billing account.

View all available grants and discounts

To access all offers available to you:

1. Sign in to the Nonprofit Hub.

2. Select Nonprofit Grants.

   The Nonprofit Grants page in the Nonprofit Hub is your central dashboard for accessing and viewing available grants and discounts. It shows:

   • A list of current nonprofit offers.
   • The status of your Azure benefits.
   • Activation prompts for unclaimed benefits.
   • Expiration dates for time-limited offers.

3. Choose any available benefit to review details or renew on the link to Microsoft Admin Center.

FAQ

Do unused credits roll over?

No. Any remaining balance expires at the end of the grant year.

Can I increase the annual $2,000 amount?

No. If your organization exceeds the $2,000 credit, additional usage is billed at standard pay-as-you-go rates, considering the associated Payment Instrument.

Can I renew after the expiration date?

Yes. You can renew your Azure Sponsorship at any time after your annual grant period ends. However, credits are not applied retroactively, and any usage during the gap between expiration and renewal is billed at standard pay-as-you-go rates.

What are the terms of the grant?

• Your credit does not roll over from year to year.
• A valid credit card might be required during setup, but you won't be charged if you stay within the $2,000 grant limit. When you get close to your limit or end date, you receive a notification email before your account converts to pay-as-you-go pricing.
• Microsoft reserves the right to suspend or terminate Azure usage that violates nonprofit terms.

Can I increase or extend my grant?

Currently, Microsoft does not increase or extend nonprofit grants (such as the Azure $2,000 allocation) beyond the standard annual amount. The grant is intended to provide foundational cloud access. If your organization exceeds the grant amount, standard Azure pay-as-you-go pricing will apply for additional consumption.

Can I roll over my grant or sponsorship?

Unused Azure grant credits do not roll over into the following year. To retain eligibility for renewal, organizations must remain active and compliant with Microsoft's nonprofit program requirements. Not meeting M365 utilization grant requirements might result in notifications or ineligibility for renewal.

To avoid loss of benefits:

• Use your grant credits throughout the year.
• Regularly review usage patterns and optimize costs.
• Keep your nonprofit profile and contact information current in the Nonprofit Hub.

Can I transfer ownership to a different billing profile?

If you activated your Azure grant under the wrong billing profile or you need to change ownership within the same tenant, see Create a product transfer request.

Transferring ownership ensures that the credit continues to apply properly and prevents conversion to pay-as-you-go billing.

Still need help?

If you encounter errors or are unsure which benefits apply to you, submit a support request through our Contact Us form.