Microsoft taps Barhead to deliver new software for charities

Sydney-based Microsoft specialist Barhead Solutions is the first in Australia and one of a select few in the world tapped by Microsoft to deliver its new Fundraising and Engagement solution on the Dynamics 365 software platform.

Built on the back of Mission CRM - a software platform developed on the vendors Dynamics 365 platform by Microsoft partner of the same name - the new offering is targeted at charities and is designed to manage donor engagement and maximise funding.

The solution will be made available free of charge through GitHub but Barhead has been trained and certified to deliver support and implementation and integration services for the software.

"The new Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement solution will enable Barhead to provide an accessible, proven and scalable solution to many more not-for-profits,” Barhead’s NFP director Amanda Stenson told CRN.

“We will be able to focus on helping organisations fulfil their mission by providing proactive tools and insights that complement the core solution and tailor how they engage with donors and supporters."

As part of the project Barhead worked with Erik Arnold who is CTO of Microsoft’s Tech for social impact project based in the US.

Barhead’s NFP business is one of the largest divisions within the organisation and was the only Australian Microsoft FastTrack recognised solution architect for Dynamics 365 in 2020.

In a blog post last week, Microsoft business applications president James Phillips said the offering “enables deeper understanding of customer intent and behavior with cross-channel analytics from their websites, mobile apps, and connected products”.

He also touted the integration with Azure Synapse Analytics which could unlock “powerful AI-driven insights”. The solution also integrates with AutopilotHQ, Bing ads, dotdigital, Facebook, Google Ads, HubSpot, LiveRamp, Marketo, Mailchimp and SendGrid.

In addition, data protection controls facilitate the storing and classification of sensitive data which could benefit organisations looking to capitalise on the ACCC's recent ruling on third-party data collection.