To the Staff of Microsoft,
We write to you today with deep concern and disappointment regarding the decision to discontinue Microsoft’s nonprofit grant program under Tech for Social Impact.
For years, Microsoft has been a trusted partner to nonprofits, enabling grassroots organizations—many of them under-resourced and community-led—to access essential digital tools that help them serve the public good. These tools have been more than just software; they have been a backbone for mental health support, disability advocacy, crisis response, educational outreach, and so much more.
The elimination of this grant program is not simply a policy change. It is a profound disruption to the work of countless organizations who have depended on Microsoft’s support to operate. Many of these nonprofits are now forced to divert already limited funds away from direct services to pay for licensing and infrastructure—resources that should be going to people in need.
Among those most affected are organizations supporting neurodivergent individuals and those living with conditions like misophonia—a little-understood disorder that causes severe sound sensitivity and emotional distress. Without access to affordable digital platforms, these nonprofits may no longer be able to sustain their services, research, and community support programs. These are not luxuries; they are lifelines.
It is especially disheartening because Microsoft has long positioned itself as a global leader in accessibility, equity, and social responsibility. This decision undermines that reputation and creates real harm for the very communities Microsoft has claimed to champion.
We understand that business decisions must evolve. But we also believe in the possibility of balance—where impact and profit can coexist. We urge Microsoft to reconsider this decision or create a viable alternative that reflects the company’s stated commitment to empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
We believe in the integrity and compassion of the people who make up Microsoft’s workforce. We are asking you to listen—to hear not just the outcry, but the quiet unraveling of support that this decision has set in motion.
Sincerely,
The International Misophonia Foundation
To add insult to injury, Microsoft has still not fixed the issue with a blinking text caret | on Apple devices regardless of system settings. We remain vigilant in advocating for this feature.