Cybersecurity-first IT for Scottish charities and nonprofits
Protect your mission, support your people and make every technology investment count
Stratiis helps nonprofit organisations across Scotland improve managed IT, Microsoft 365, cybersecurity, staff and volunteer access, backup, continuity and strategic planning—without unnecessary complexity or unpredictable costs.
What IT support does a nonprofit organisation need?
A nonprofit needs responsive user support, secure Microsoft 365 and identity management, protected devices and sensitive stakeholder data, controlled access for staff, volunteers and trustees, dependable backup and recovery, coordinated suppliers and a practical technology roadmap that balances service impact, cyber risk, funding and budget.
Technology in service of your mission
Reliable IT for employees, volunteers, trustees and the people you support
Good nonprofit technology reduces administrative friction while protecting information and keeping services available.
More productive teams
Give people reliable access, appropriate tools and responsive support wherever they contribute.
Protected trust
Strengthen identity, devices, email, sharing and recovery around sensitive information.
Better value
Match licences, devices and services to real roles rather than applying one standard to everyone.
Clear governance
Give leaders and trustees understandable insight into risk, priorities, investment and progress.
Nonprofit technology pressures
Common IT challenges facing charities and nonprofits
The right response connects each technical issue to services, people, trust and responsible use of funds.
| Challenge | Potential organisational impact | How Stratiis helps |
|---|---|---|
| Limited budgets | Technology is delayed, duplicated or purchased without a long-term plan. | Prioritise investment by service impact, risk, lifecycle and measurable value. |
| Changing users | Former staff or volunteers retain access, while new starters wait for what they need. | Create role-based joiner, mover and leaver processes. |
| Cyber threats | Exposure of donor, employee or service-user data, fraud and service disruption. | Layer identity, endpoint, email, awareness, backup and monitoring controls. |
| Hybrid and multi-site work | Inconsistent access, unmanaged devices and poor support away from the main office. | Manage identities, devices, applications, connectivity and access policies. |
| Microsoft 365 gaps | Account compromise, uncontrolled sharing, collaboration sprawl and licence waste. | Review security, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Intune and Entra ID. |
| Unclear recovery | Extended disruption after deletion, cyberattack or service failure. | Define backup scope, recovery priorities, responsibilities and testing. |
| Trustee risk visibility | Leaders cannot make informed decisions about cyber risk and technology investment. | Provide strategic reviews, roadmaps, budgets and clear reporting. |
A joined-up service
Core IT services for nonprofit organisations
Daily support, security, continuity and planning are stronger when responsibilities connect.
Managed IT support
Helpdesk, monitoring, patching, user administration, network support, vendor liaison and onsite or remote assistance.
Cybersecurity
Identity, endpoint, email, awareness, vulnerability, monitoring and governance controls.
Microsoft 365
Secure management of Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Intune, Entra ID and Defender.
Cloud, backup and recovery
Protect critical information and services and clarify how recovery will work.
Staff and volunteer access
Match accounts, devices, applications and permissions to role, duration and risk.
Communications and connectivity
Support reliable internet, networks and business communications across locations and teams.
Projects and transformation
Deliver migrations, office changes, collaboration improvements and service-modernisation projects.
vCIO and trustee reporting
Give leaders a roadmap, budget, lifecycle plan, supplier view and cyber-risk reporting.
Co-managed IT
Add specialist skills, project capacity and escalation support around an internal IT resource.
People and access
How should nonprofits manage staff, volunteer and trustee access?
Start with the role, not the person
Access should reflect what someone needs to do, the sensitivity of the information, the device they use and how long they will be involved.
Avoid shared accounts and forgotten access
Named accounts improve accountability and allow access to be removed without disrupting other people. A joiner, mover and leaver process should cover employees, volunteers, trustees, temporary users and partners.
Microsoft 365 for nonprofits
Match collaboration, security and licensing to different user roles
Microsoft 365 can support flexible teams, but configuration and licence decisions should follow how people work and what information they handle.
| User or service need | Typical requirement | Planning question |
|---|---|---|
| Core employees | Email, collaboration, installed applications, managed devices and secure access. | Which productivity and security capabilities does each role genuinely need? |
| Front-line or mobile teams | Simple access from appropriate managed devices across service locations. | Can users work securely without storing sensitive information in personal tools? |
| Volunteers and temporary users | Limited, time-bound access to selected services and information. | Who approves, reviews and removes access? |
| Trustees | Secure access to governance papers, meetings and communications. | Are personal devices, sharing and confidential board information controlled? |
| Teams and SharePoint | Structured collaboration, documents, policies and organisational knowledge. | Who owns each workspace and how is external sharing governed? |
| Licensing | A role-based mix of plans and add-ons. | Has eligibility, current nonprofit licensing and total cost been checked against current provider terms? |
Cybersecurity and trust
Protect donor, employee, volunteer and service-user information
Nonprofits can be targeted through trust and urgency
Attackers may exploit fundraising, payment requests, senior-person impersonation, public contact details and overstretched teams. Controls should protect identities and devices while helping people recognise suspicious activity.
Give trustees a clear view of risk
Reporting should explain the most important risks, affected services or data, current controls, planned actions, accountable owners and decisions required—without unnecessary technical detail.
Support model
Should a nonprofit outsource IT or hire internally?
The right model depends on size, complexity, service hours, specialist skills, risk and the level of operational ownership the organisation needs.
| Model | Common fit | Key consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Fully managed IT | Organisations without an internal IT team that need one provider to own daily support and management. | Confirm scope, response targets, security, projects, reporting and exclusions. |
| Internal IT | Organisations with enough scale and workload to sustain broad in-house operational and specialist capability. | A single employee may still need cover, escalation and specialist support. |
| Co-managed IT | Organisations with an IT manager or team that needs extra capacity or specialist expertise. | Document who owns helpdesk, Microsoft 365, security, infrastructure, projects and suppliers. |
| Project support | Organisations that manage daily IT but need help with migration, security or transformation. | Include handover, documentation, adoption and post-project support. |
| vCIO guidance | Leadership teams needing roadmaps, budgets, risk and trustee reporting. | Strategy needs an operational owner and a regular review rhythm. |
Backup and continuity
Plan recovery around the services people depend on
A successful backup job is not the same as a tested ability to restore operations.
| Recovery question | Why it matters | Useful evidence |
|---|---|---|
| What is critical? | Service delivery, communications, finance and safeguarding processes may have different priorities. | A prioritised system, data and dependency inventory. |
| What is backed up? | Microsoft 365, servers, databases and cloud applications can have different coverage. | Documented scope, exclusions, retention and accountable owners. |
| How much loss is acceptable? | Data change and manual re-entry affect service and administrative impact. | Agreed recovery point objectives. |
| How long can services wait? | Recovery times should reflect people and processes, not only technology. | Agreed recovery time objectives and interim workarounds. |
| Has it been tested? | A backup report does not prove data, applications and access can be restored. | Test results, issues, corrective actions and retest dates. |
How we work
From nonprofit technology review to continuous improvement
The process addresses immediate support and cyber risk while building an affordable longer-term plan.
Assess
Review users, devices, Microsoft 365, systems, suppliers, security and recovery.
Prioritise
Compare service impact, risk, urgency, dependency, funding and cost.
Stabilise
Resolve immediate issues and establish clear support and supplier ownership.
Secure
Implement agreed identity, device, email, backup and monitoring controls.
Plan
Create a roadmap for lifecycle, licensing, resilience, projects and investment.
Improve
Support teams and update priorities as services, people and funding change.
Indicative investment
How much should a nonprofit budget for IT support?
The existing Stratiis ranges are retained as indicative guidance. A proposal should define scope and account for user types, devices, locations, licensing, security, backup, reporting and continuity requirements.
| Users | Indicative monthly managed-support range | Factors that can change total investment |
|---|---|---|
| Per user | Approximately £35–£60 per user per month. | Support coverage, response commitments, device count and included management. |
| 25 users | Approximately £875–£1,500 per month. | Microsoft licensing, cybersecurity, backup and application responsibilities may be additional. |
| 50 users | Approximately £1,750–£3,000 per month. | Sites, volunteer access, service hours, governance and continuity needs affect scope. |
How can a nonprofit control IT costs?
Start with an inventory of users, devices, licences, systems and suppliers. Remove unused access, match licence levels to roles, replace equipment through a lifecycle plan, prioritise risk and service impact, and make inclusions, exclusions and project rates explicit in every support agreement.
Why Stratiis
A technology partner for service impact, cyber risk and responsible investment
Cybersecurity first
Security is considered across support, Microsoft 365, devices, systems and strategy.
Cost-conscious planning
Prioritise practical improvements and match services to real organisational needs.
Joined-up capability
Connect support, cloud, communications, projects, security and vCIO guidance.
Trustee-ready insight
Explain technology risk and investment in clear governance and service terms.
Coverage
IT support for nonprofit organisations across Scotland
Stratiis supports charities and nonprofits operating from one location, multiple sites and distributed teams.
Glasgow
Managed IT, cybersecurity and technology planning across Glasgow and the west.
Edinburgh & Lothian
Support for nonprofit teams, offices and hybrid employees across the east.
Lanarkshire
Local and remote technology support across North and South Lanarkshire.
Ayrshire
Secure IT services for organisations operating across Ayrshire.
Dumfries & Galloway
Remote and planned onsite support for organisations across southern Scotland.
Perthshire
Managed support and strategic guidance for nonprofit teams in Perthshire.
Multiple locations
Consistent identities, devices, access and support across sites.
Hybrid and volunteer teams
Secure, proportionate access for different roles and working arrangements.
Frequently asked questions
IT support for nonprofits explained
Do nonprofits need managed IT support?
Organisations that depend on technology but lack broad internal IT capability can benefit from managed support that covers users, devices, Microsoft 365, security, suppliers and planned improvement.
How much should a nonprofit budget for IT support?
Stratiis’ indicative range is £35–£60 per user per month for managed support, with licensing, cybersecurity, backup, projects and complexity potentially changing the total.
Should a charity outsource IT or hire internally?
It depends on size, workload and risk. Outsourcing can provide broader cover; internal IT provides local ownership; co-managed IT combines internal knowledge with external capacity and specialist skills.
Can Stratiis help with Cyber Essentials?
Yes. Stratiis can assess the current position, explain technical gaps and help plan remediation. Certification scope and evidence requirements should be agreed before work begins.
Can Stratiis support remote and hybrid nonprofit teams?
Yes. Support can cover managed identities and devices, Microsoft 365, connectivity, secure access and consistent help across offices, homes and service locations.
Can volunteers and trustees use Microsoft 365 securely?
Yes, when they have named accounts, appropriate licences, MFA, role-based permissions, suitable device controls and a prompt process for reviewing and removing access.
Do nonprofits need independent Microsoft 365 backup?
It depends on retention and recovery requirements. Microsoft provides service resilience, but independent backup may add protection against deletion, compromised accounts, ransomware and retention gaps.
What happens during a nonprofit technology review?
Stratiis reviews users, devices, Microsoft 365, systems, suppliers, security, backup, costs and priorities, then explains risks and recommended next steps.
Protect your mission and make technology spending clearer
Book a nonprofit technology review
Understand the gaps in support, user access, Microsoft 365, cybersecurity, backup, costs and future technology planning.
Book a technology reviewExplore managed IT services
Call 0141 348 7960 or email hello@stratiis.com.
