Choose a provider that already supports charities and can show it, understands Microsoft's nonprofit licensing, holds recognised security certifications itself, publishes its response times, can handle phones and connectivity as well as IT, and reports in a way trustees understand. Compare what's included and the outcomes, not just the monthly price, and ask the ten questions below before you sign.
Seven things to look for
1. Charity experience
Volunteers, trustees, safeguarding data, funder reporting and nonprofit licensing are areas many business-focused providers have little experience of. Ask how many charities they support and for a case study or reference from one your size.
2. Licensing knowledge
A good provider will check your Microsoft nonprofit eligibility, explain the July 2025 changes and put each person on the right licence. That alone can save more than the cost of support.
3. Security they practise themselves
Check whether they hold Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO 27001. Ask how they protect Microsoft 365, whether monitoring runs 24/7, how backups are tested and whether they can take you through Cyber Essentials.
4. IT, phones and connectivity together
Separate suppliers for IT, broadband, phones and mobiles tend to blame each other when something breaks. With the PSTN switch-off on 31 January 2027, a provider who can handle your lines as well as your laptops saves time.
5. Published response times
Ask for their average first response time and their service levels by priority. Ask who answers the phone and whether you'll have a named contact.
6. Reporting for trustees
You should get regular reports you can take to the board: tickets, security status, licence use, risks and a costed plan.
7. Value, not just price
Compare what's included, response times, security, advice and customer satisfaction. The cheapest provider is rarely the best value, and every pound lost to downtime or a breach is a pound not spent on services.
Ten questions to ask an IT provider
- How many charities do you support, and can we speak to one?
- How will you check our Microsoft nonprofit licensing?
- What cyber security is included as standard?
- Do you hold Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO 27001 yourselves?
- How do you back up Microsoft 365?
- How do you handle volunteers, starters and leavers?
- Can you manage our phones, helpline and connectivity too?
- What's your average first response time?
- What will you report to our trustees, and how often?
- What does success look like after 12 months?
Signs you've outgrown your current IT provider
- They only contact you when there's a problem
- Nobody has reviewed your licences since the 2025 Microsoft changes
- Security advice only comes after an incident
- You chase them for ticket updates
- Suppliers blame each other when things go wrong
- There's no plan for your phone lines before January 2027
- Trustees ask questions about IT that nobody can answer
How Indigo does this. Here are our answers. Indigo Unified Communications supports more than 30 charities and third sector organisations, including Erskine, from Glasgow. We hold Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO 27001:2022 and are a Microsoft Solutions Partner for Modern Work. Every ticket gets a first response in under 30 minutes (13 minutes on average in September 2026, with 65% of tickets resolved within two hours), we keep 95% of our clients and score 4.98/5 from post-ticket surveys. Our Charity package includes a 24/7 security operations centre and helpdesk hours of 09:00–17:00, Monday to Friday.
"This review has been transformative. Not only did we uncover significant savings, but we now have full visibility over our IT and telecoms estate." Eddie Foy, Digital Change Consultant, Erskine
Frequently asked questions
Do IT providers offer discounts for charities?
Some do. Indigo's Charity package is close to our top Platinum package, adapted for charities and priced at charity rates, and it includes Microsoft 365 Business Premium licences and a 24/7 security operations centre. Whichever provider you choose, ask whether charity pricing applies and whether it covers the same service as their business packages.
How long does it take to switch IT provider?
With Indigo, onboarding usually takes about two weeks. The new provider documents your systems, takes over admin access and monitoring, and checks backups. A good handover from the old provider helps, so give notice in line with your contract and ask for passwords and documentation in writing.
Sources: DSIT, Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025/2026, 30 April 2026 · Microsoft, Microsoft for Nonprofits: updates (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/nonprofit/microsoft-for-nonprofits/updates) · Indigo service desk data, September 2026.
Chapter 7 of 8 · All chapters
Get a free technology assessment
One of our consultants will review your IT, security, connectivity and phones, then give you practical recommendations. No obligation.