IT Support for Charities and Third Sector Organisations in Scotland
Reliable, secure IT that puts more of your budget into your mission.
Indigo Unified Communications provides managed IT support, cyber security, Microsoft 365 and cloud telephony to charities and third sector organisations across Scotland from our Glasgow base. We help charities make full use of discounted and donated charity licences, protect beneficiary and donor data, and support staff and volunteers wherever they work. We support more than 30 charities, including Erskine, Scotland's leading veterans care charity, and we hold Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO 27001.
Technology challenges facing Scotland's charities
Charities deliver essential services on tight budgets, with growing expectations from funders, trustees, regulators and the people they support. Technology should make that easier, but it often adds cost and risk instead. The challenges we see most are:
- Tight budgets. Every pound spent on IT is a pound not spent on services, so licences and hardware need to work hard. We charge a fixed monthly cost per user rather than call-out fees, so trustees and funders can see exactly what IT costs.
- Unused charity licensing. Many charities miss out on Microsoft's non-profit offers: Microsoft 365 Business Basic is free for eligible charities (up to 300 users) and Business Premium is available at a heavily discounted non-profit price.
- Sensitive data. Beneficiary, safeguarding and donor records need strong protection under UK GDPR.
- Cyber attacks. 28% of UK charities reported a breach or attack in the past year, most often phishing, yet only 38% use two-factor authentication (Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2026).
- Staff and volunteers. People join and leave often, work from home and in the community, and use a mix of devices.
- Funder and trustee scrutiny. Boards and funders increasingly ask about cyber security and data protection.
How Indigo supports charities
Managed IT support
Our dedicated Charity package is close to our top Platinum package, adapted for charities and priced at charity rates. It includes a proactive helpdesk, monitoring and updates for every device, Microsoft 365 management for staff and volunteers, and fixed monthly costs that are easy to budget and report to trustees. IT support for charities →
Microsoft 365 and charity licensing
We check your eligibility for Microsoft's non-profit offers, move you onto the right licences and set up Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive properly. Indigo is a Microsoft Solutions Partner with more than 100 Microsoft 365 migrations completed.
Cyber security and data protection
We put in multi-factor authentication (a second check when people sign in), endpoint protection, email filtering, backup and staff awareness training, and support you to achieve Cyber Essentials. That's the evidence funders and trustees increasingly ask for.
Phone systems and connectivity
We provide cloud phone systems on 8x8, 3CX or Teams Phone for helplines, bookings and remote staff, with call queues and call recording, plus reliable connectivity for offices and community sites. Phone systems for charities →
Why charities choose Indigo
- 30+ charities and third sector organisations supported
- 95% client retention
- 13 minutes average first response (September 2026)
- 4.98/5 customer satisfaction
- Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO 27001:2022 certified
- Armed Forces Covenant signatory and ERS Gold award holder
Case study: Erskine
Erskine, Scotland's leading veterans care charity (founded in 1916), had multiple legacy IT and telecoms contracts, rising costs and some suppliers raising prices by up to 1,200%. Indigo reviewed the whole estate. We moved Erskine onto Microsoft's charity pricing, introduced a zero-usage policy for business mobiles, replaced suppliers with extreme price rises, and prepared phone lines, alarms and faxes for the PSTN switch-off.
"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
Charities we support in the community
Alongside our charity clients, Indigo supports good causes in our own community:
- Gifts for Glasgow: our annual toy drive, which raises toys for Spirit Aid's work with families
- Blameless: donated equipment
- Gartcairn: front-of-shirt sponsor
Free guide
The Complete Guide to Technology for Charities in Scotland
Practical, plain-English chapters on the challenges, cyber security, connectivity, Microsoft 365 and choosing an IT partner, plus a 20-question readiness checklist.
Latest insights for charities
How should charities manage volunteers' personal phones and laptops?
How charities protect data on volunteers' own phones and laptops without managing their devices: app protection, browser-only access and a simple BYOD policy.
What do funders, insurers and trustees now expect from a charity's cyber security?
What OSCR, insurers, councils and funders now expect from a Scottish charity's cyber security, and a simple template for reporting it to trustees.
What should a Scottish charity do in the first 72 hours after a data breach or cyber attack?
Hour-by-hour guide for Scottish charities after a data breach or cyber attack: containment, ICO reporting, OSCR, Police Scotland, insurers and funders.
Frequently asked questions
Can charities get Microsoft 365 for free?
Eligible charities can get Microsoft 365 Business Basic free for up to 300 users, and discounts on Business Premium and other plans through Microsoft's non-profit programme. Microsoft ended the free Business Premium grant in 2025, so many charities need to review their licences. We check eligibility and set up the right mix.
Do charities need Cyber Essentials?
It isn't a legal requirement, but it's increasingly expected by funders, local authorities and public sector commissioners, and required for some government contracts. Cyber Essentials covers five basic controls that block the most common attacks. With 28% of charities reporting a breach or attack in the last year, it's a sensible baseline.
How much does IT support for a charity cost?
Managed IT support is usually priced per user per month, so costs scale with your team. For charities, the biggest saving often comes from licensing: moving onto Microsoft's non-profit offers can cut software costs significantly. Indigo also has a dedicated Charity package priced at charity rates. A free assessment gives you a fixed monthly quote.
Can you support volunteers as well as staff?
Yes. We set up secure accounts and devices for volunteers with access only to what they need, and remove access quickly when they leave. Shared or personal devices can be protected with Microsoft Intune, so charity data stays secure without volunteers needing a company laptop.
What phone system is best for a charity helpline?
A cloud phone system with call queues, out-of-hours routing and call recording suits most helplines, and lets staff and volunteers answer from home or the office. We recommend 8x8, 3CX or Microsoft Teams Phone depending on call volumes, budget and whether you already use Teams.
Book your free charity technology assessment
We'll review your IT, licensing, cyber security, data protection and phone system, then give you practical recommendations that make the most of your budget.