Cost-of-living crisis: how to buy cheap software

Charities are among the organisations hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis, as they face a raft of threats across their finances. Chief among those challenges is meeting rising costs, including fuel bills as they travel to support communities and utility costs to keep support facilities open.  

 

Almost six in ten charities, which belong white goods redistributor In Kind Direct’s network, said in a 2022 survey they are concerned about increasing costs to keep services running.

 

Charities also face surging demand for their support, as double-digit inflation in 2022 takes its toll families, leaving some of the most vulnerable people, struggling to heat their homes, or feed their children.

 

Food bank charity the Trussell Trust reports that two in five people claiming Universal Credit are skipping meals to survive.

 

The impact of inflation is also impacting on charity staff themselves. A survey carried out by London Funders reveals some charities are referring their own employees to food banks.

 

Another challenge amid the cost-of-living crisis is dwindling donations, as the public cuts back on their spending.

 

Analysis by think tank Pro Bono Economics of public attitudes to donating found that one in four donors in 2022 are reporting that “the cost-of-living crisis has caused them to give less money to charities”.

 

Separate analysis by Pro Bono Economics, with the Charities Aid Foundation, estimates inflation could wipe off half a billion pounds in the value of donations by the end of 2022.

 

Clearly charities are going to have to adjust their spending commitments amid this financial uncertainty, including how they purchase software.

 

With the need to ensure software is up-to-date, secure, and effectively supporting teams to maximise income and support communities, ignoring IT needs is simply not an option.

 

Here we look at some of the ways charities can access cheap software.

 

 

Charity Digital Exchange

 

Several software developers are aware of the need to offer discounts and other deals to charities, to ensure that they can use their products on a limited budget.

 

Many of these deals are available through Charity Digital’s Exchange in areas such as security, customer and relationship management, social media scheduling, travel, finance, and marketing.

 

For example, charities can receive discounted subscriptions to Microsoft 365 services through the Exchange. This includes discounted deals, starting at £2.20 per user per month for small- to medium-sized charities for up to 300 users, as well as for deals for those with a larger workforce.

 

Another popular piece of kit is the Adobe Creative Cloud suite of design, graphics, video, and audio apps. Through the Exchange charities can receive a 60% discount for the first year and a 40% reduction for subsequent years.

 

Among other software suppliers to make their products available to charities via the Exchange is social media platform Lightful. This includes a free plan for charities working on a shoestring budget amid the cost-of-living crisis.

 

 

Second-hand options

 

There are a raft of other organisations and charities offering second hand, refurbished IT options for good causes.

 

For example, Computer Aid offers cheap, refurbished technology products to charities. Through its deals it can offer refurbished hardware 80% cheaper than new equipment. In addition, it is offering software from 10 times cheaper than the market price.

 

Another is Computers for Charities that is offering discounts on refurbished IT for charities, schools and churches. This includes desktops, laptops, and software.

 

 

Free software for charities

 

There are also several organisations offering charities free access to a range of software. Red Cloud is among software developers to do this for its CRM and donation management software.

 

Another is Grant Seeker.Fluxx, which is offering free entry level access to its CRM software.

 

Benchmark Business Software is another provider offering charities free deals on software package. It also offers discounted software support deals of £10 a month.

 

 

Buying in bulk

 

Another money saving tip for charities looking to access software is to buy in bulk. Often software providers, such as Microsoft, can offer further deals to charities who are buying licenses and access to technology in bulk.

 

 

Renting

 

Software can also be ‘rented’ by buying it for a limited time, or for a limited number of uses. This is much cheaper than buying year or multi-year licences, especially if a charity only wants to use specific software, such as for design or video editing, for a short period of time.

 

 

Seek advice

 

Sector body the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) offers a raft of useful information online on accessing software easily and cheaply.

 

It advises charities that software companies often have dedicated non-profit teams, offering deals such as bulk purchase discounts to charities. The NCVO advises searching software suppliers’ websites or calling them direct.

 

Other advice includes the importance of planning what software is needed, including what it is needed for, comparing different software tools, training options as well as rolling software across the charity’s workforce. The NCVO works with Phoenix software to help charities develop a software strategy that best fits their budget and circumstance.