Microsoft 365 for Nonprofits: Real-World Migration Led by TheRavenLabs

Overview

The client, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting children with life-limiting conditions and their families across Australia, was facing digital challenges. Their Google Workspace environment had become disconnected across departments and regional teams, leading to communication gaps and inefficiencies. With a growing need for better collaboration, standardisation, and security, the organisation needed a more unified and scalable platform.

After relying on Google Workspace for several years, the organisation outgrew its capabilities. Raven Labs supported a smooth migration to Microsoft 365, helping the team enhance communication, improve security, and operate more efficiently.

Background

Raven Labs led a full-scale migration project for the not-for-profit organisation. The client delivers critical care and support services across Australia, including efforts to build children’s hospices. As they expanded their operations and outreach, their fragmented digital setup became a barrier to efficient service delivery and internal collaboration.

The organisation had separate accounts for different teams and locations, which created information silos, administrative difficulties, and security risks. A centralised, secure, and easy-to-manage solution was essential to support their ongoing growth and mission.

The Challenge

Operating across various departments and regions with multiple disconnected Google accounts, the organisation faced several key issues:

• Disconnected Systems: Teams struggled to share documents and collaborate effectively due to siloed accounts.
• Lack of Standardisation: Inconsistent system setups across locations made IT management harder.
• Limited Collaboration Tools: Google Workspace could no longer meet the growing need for integrated teamwork.
• Security Concerns: The organisation needed better control over sensitive data.

These issues made daily operations inefficient and increased the risk of miscommunication and data loss.

The Solution

Raven Labs performed a full discovery to understand the organisation’s digital workflows, infrastructure, and needs. We then designed a tailored migration plan to move them from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365.

The project included:

• Migrating emails, calendars, documents, and contacts from multiple Google accounts to Microsoft 365 using MigrationWiz.
• Unifying fragmented accounts into one central Microsoft 365 tenant.
• Mapping user roles to appropriate Microsoft 365 licenses.
• Ensuring data integrity and minimising business disruption during the transition.
• Conducting personalised training sessions and providing post-migration support.
  

Microsoft Office 365

Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based platform that brings together essential tools like Outlook for email, Teams for communication, OneDrive and SharePoint for file storage and sharing, and Office apps like Word and Excel—all in one place. It allows teams to work together in real time, whether they’re in the office or on the go. For this not-for-profit, Microsoft 365 meant staff could quickly access documents, collaborate across locations using Teams, and securely manage sensitive information. With everything synced and centrally managed, day-to-day operations became faster, easier, and more connected.

The Result

Following the migration, the organisation experienced major improvements in efficiency, communication, and security:

• Unified Collaboration: Staff and volunteers across locations can now work together seamlessly using Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive.
• Better Security & Compliance: The organisation can now control access to sensitive data and use advanced threat protection features.
• Cost Savings: Thanks to Microsoft’s nonprofit pricing, IT costs decreased while operational efficiency increased.
• Future-Ready Platform: Microsoft 365 offers scalable tools that support long-term growth and integration with other platforms.

A team member shared: “The move to Microsoft 365 has brought us closer together as a team. We can now work faster and help more families when they need us most.”

Migration Challenges and How They Were Overcome

Like any major technology shift, the project faced a few hurdles:

• Ensuring sensitive donor and client data was securely transferred.
• Helping staff adapt to new tools and workflows.
• Working within a limited nonprofit budget.

Through close collaboration and thoughtful planning, Raven Labs ensured the organisation could smoothly transition without interrupting critical operations.

Conclusion

This migration story demonstrates how not-for-profits can benefit from modern digital solutions to scale their impact and improve internal operations. With Microsoft 365, the organisation now has a secure, centralised, and efficient workspace to better serve children and families across Australia.

Raven Labs’ approach focused not only on technical delivery, but on understanding the unique mission of the organisation and building a solution that supports both their people and their purpose.

Looking to Migrate to Microsoft 365? Let Raven Labs Help You Make a Smooth Transition.

📞 Call us at: +61 432 913 392

📧 Email: info@ravenlabs.com.au

🌐 Visit: Raven Labs