Microsoft to end nonprofit ad grant program in December

 

Microsoft will end its Ads for Social Impact grant program in December, leaving nonprofits to either pause campaigns or pay out of pocket.

Microsoft Advertising is shutting down its Ads for Social Impact grant program, which provided free ad credits to nonprofits. Final grants will be issued November 30, 2025, with a 45-day window to spend them.

Why we care. The decision ends a program that helped nonprofits amplify their missions through free advertising dollars. Starting in 2026, nonprofits that don’t pause campaigns risk being automatically charged on the payment methods tied to their accounts.

Driving the news:

• The program officially ends December 2025, with campaigns required to be paused by early January if funds are exhausted.
• Microsoft says nonprofits will still have access to discounted tools through its broader Tech for Social Impact offerings, including Azure, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft 365.
• Employees can continue supporting nonprofits through Microsoft’s volunteer and donation matching programs.
• If you forget to pause your campaigns, Microsoft will automatically start charging your credit card on Jan 1.

What they’re saying. George Weiner, Founder of digital agency Whole Whale, who also posted the message he received on LinkedIn, argues the cut sends the wrong signal at a company worth over $3 trillion, especially given Microsoft’s $13 billion investment in AI. He sees it as a cost-savings move tied to AI priorities and that the goodwill generated from free ads didn’t justify the spend.

Microsoft Ads Liaison Navah Hopkins confirmed the news, acknowledging disappointment but emphasizing Microsoft’s other nonprofit initiatives.

The bottom line. Nonprofits will need to pivot—either budgeting for Microsoft Ads or shifting spend elsewhere—as one of the few big tech ad grant programs winds down