The Microsoft Azure nonprofit grant explained

Running Gibberly on Azure costs money — but for many churches, that cost is zero thanks to Microsoft’s nonprofit program.

What is the grant?

Microsoft offers registered nonprofits $2,000 USD per year in Azure credits through its Microsoft for Nonprofits program. The credits renew annually and can be used for any Azure service, including the two that Gibberly relies on: Azure Speech Services and Azure Web PubSub.

Does Gibberly fit within $2,000/year?

For most congregations, yes. A typical Sunday service using Gibberly consumes roughly:

• Azure Speech AI: ~$0.50–$2.00 per hour of audio
• Azure Web PubSub: ~$0.20–$0.50 per 1,000 message units

A congregation with one two-hour service per week costs approximately $150–$250/year — well within the $2,000 grant.

Who qualifies?

To receive Azure nonprofit credits, your organization must:

1. Be a registered nonprofit (501(c)(3) in the US, or equivalent in your country)
2. Apply through Microsoft for Nonprofits
3. Be approved — approval typically takes a few business days

How to apply

1. Visit nonprofit.microsoft.com
2. Click “Get started” and verify your organization
3. Once approved, create a free Azure account linked to your nonprofit status
4. Your $2,000 credit appears in the Azure portal

Questions about the grant or setting up Gibberly? Get in touch.