Software Assurance for SA NPOs: Do You Need It?

If your organisation receives Microsoft software through TechSoup
South Africa’s donated programme, the licence is perpetual — meaning you
own it outright and can use it indefinitely. But there is something it
does not include: Software Assurance.

For most NPOs, this is fine. For some, it is a genuine gap worth
paying to close. Here is how to tell which situation you are in.

What Software Assurance
actually covers

Software Assurance (SA) is Microsoft’s maintenance programme,
typically bundled with commercial and CSP licence purchases. It
covers:

• Upgrade rights — when Microsoft releases a new
  major version, SA entitles you to upgrade at no additional licence
  cost
• Microsoft support entitlement — access to
  Microsoft’s support services for technical issues
• Training vouchers — e-learning and classroom
  training credits for staff
• Deployment planning services — Microsoft-assisted
  planning for larger rollouts

These are designed for organisations with IT departments that can use
them. For a large enterprise, SA is standard practice.

Why donated licences don’t
include it

TechSoup’s donated programme covers the licence cost only. Software
Assurance is a separate commercial product — it cannot be added to a
donated licence after the fact. The two programmes do not combine.

This means your organisation owns Windows Server 2022 or SQL Server
2022 permanently, but on the version you received. When Microsoft
releases Windows Server 2025, you would need to submit a new donation
request through TechSoup — subject to that version appearing in the
catalogue and your organisation’s annual quantity limits.

Is this a problem in
practice?

For most SA NPOs, no — at least not immediately.

Windows Server 2022 is supported by Microsoft until October
2031. SQL Server 2022 until January 2033. Both
products will receive security patches throughout that period. You have
five to seven years of supported use on a donated licence before an
upgrade becomes urgent.

When newer versions do appear in TechSoup’s catalogue, your NPO can
request them as a new donation. The process resets, rather than
requiring a commercial purchase.

When SA is worth paying for

There are two scenarios where the donated route’s SA exclusion
becomes a real limitation:

1. Your organisation has no dedicated IT staff

SA includes Microsoft support entitlement — direct access to
Microsoft’s technical support team. For an NPO running a server
environment without an in-house IT person, having that support line
available has genuine value. A production server issue at month-end when
your donor management system is inaccessible is not the time to be
without support.

2. You are on a faster upgrade cycle

Some NPOs — particularly those managing sensitive data, running
regulated platforms, or handling significant financial transactions —
may want to stay on more current software versions than a
TechSoup-donation cycle provides. If staying current matters more than
minimising licence cost, CSP with SA bundled is the more appropriate
route.

The honest trade-off

The donated route saves the most money on licence cost. CSP with SA
costs more but removes the operational burden of managing Microsoft
support independently.

TechCloud quotes both routes for every NPO assessment — so you see
the real numbers for your specific product mix before deciding.

Get a licensing assessment: call 010 590
0090 or email info@techcloud.co.za.

See also: Microsoft Licensing for SA
NPOs — Complete Guide | On-premises vs cloud for SA
NPOs

Last updated: May 2026.