Microsoft Fabric for Australian not-for-profits and charities: a practical guide

What's the data challenge facing not-for-profits?

If you work for a not-for-profit, you probably know what it’s like to have data spread across different systems. This might mean having client records in one system, financial data in another, and program outcomes spread across several spreadsheets. When your board wants to understand how the organisation is performing, or a funder asks for evidence of impact, someone ends up spending hours pulling data together manually. Demonstrating impact becomes far more time-consuming than it needs to be.

According to Infoxchange's 2025 Digital Technology in the Not-for-Profit Sector report, data and reporting for evidence-based decision making is now the sector’s top priority, rising from 17% to 44% in just two years. Yet, on average, NFPs are using three separate platforms to store information about their clients, members, and stakeholders.

Microsoft Fabric is designed to address exactly this kind of problem. This article explains what it is, how not-for-profits are using it, and whether it might be the right fit for your organisation.

What is Microsoft Fabric?

Microsoft Fabric is an end-to-end data and analytics platform. Rather than using separate tools for collecting, storing, and reporting on data, Fabric brings all of these capabilities together in a single solution built on Microsoft Azure.

The key components are:

• OneLake – a centralised data storage layer that gives your organisation one place to access and manage data from across its systems.

• Data pipelines – automated processes that move data into OneLake on a schedule, replacing the need for manual exports and imports.

• Power BI – the reporting and visualisation tool that many not-for-profits already know and use.

Importantly, for not-for-profits handling sensitive client data, Fabric supports data residency within Australian Azure regions.

How does Fabric fit in with Power BI?

In a standard Power BI report, each report typically has its own dataset, and data is imported and transformed for that report’s specific purpose.

With Fabric, data lives in OneLake rather than inside individual report models, so a single centralised data layer can serve many different reports across your organisation.

Take a charity that already uses Microsoft 365 and wants Power BI for reporting. If data lives in one or two systems, Power BI on its own may be sufficient. But if the aim is to bring together data from many systems (e.g. a CRM, a finance system, a website, and a newsletter platform) and produce multiple reports from all of them, that’s where Fabric provides the foundation to make this possible.

Interested in learning more about Power BI? Read our guide on Power BI for not-for-profits, or explore our Power BI consulting services.

How can not-for-profits use Microsoft Fabric?

Unifying data across systems

This is the most common use case for organisations starting out with Fabric. Not-for-profits can use Fabric to bring together data from their CRM, finance system, program databases, and communications platforms, without anyone needing to compile it manually.

Eliminating manual reporting work

Not-for-profits can use Fabric to automate data pipelines, reducing the time spent on manual reconciliation and spreadsheet consolidation and freeing up staff for more valuable work.

Reporting tailored to different audiences

The same data often needs to be presented differently depending on the audience. Not-for-profits can use Power BI to create different views (e.g. board, funder, and operational views) from the same underlying Fabric data layer. This avoids rebuilding the same data model for multiple reports.

Building toward AI and advanced analytics

Fabric can also support longer-term goals. By investing in a clean, unified data foundation, organisations can lay the groundwork for AI and advanced analytics capabilities that can be applied to use cases like understanding donor retention or identifying clients who may need additional support.

A real-world example

A healthcare not-for-profit supporting patients across multiple regional communities was struggling with data spread across separate systems, significant manual reporting, and delayed visibility into performance.

After adopting Microsoft Fabric, the organisation moved to a more unified data approach that reduced reliance on manual processes and improved access to timely information. Staff who had previously spent six to eight hours a day on manual data tasks were freed up for more meaningful work. Care coordinators went from receiving day-old data to updates every few hours, contributing to a significant improvement in patients adhering to care plans. With Power BI connected to Fabric, teams can quickly create reports for specific offices or regions. These insights are now being used to inform decisions such as where to expand services.

Is Microsoft Fabric right for your organisation?

Fabric is a powerful platform, but whether it’s the right fit depends on your organisation’s needs and data maturity.

Fabric is likely a good fit if your organisation:

• Has data spread across multiple systems that don’t easily connect

• Is spending significant time manually preparing data or reports

• Needs a single source of truth for reporting

• Wants to build toward more advanced analytics or AI over time

• Is already using Microsoft 365

Fabric may be more than you need if your organisation:

• Has data in a small number of systems

• Has straightforward reporting needs that Power BI alone can meet

For many smaller not-for-profits, Power BI on its own is often sufficient. Fabric becomes a better fit as reporting needs grow and data becomes too fragmented to manage with Power BI alone.

Is Microsoft Fabric affordable for not-for-profits?

Microsoft Fabric requires a Fabric capacity licence (known as an F-SKU), with Power BI licences typically required for people building or viewing reports. A free 60-day Fabric trial is available to explore the platform, and Microsoft's Fabric Capacity Estimator can help organisations work out the right tier.

Fabric is not limited to large organisations. Many organisations begin with a small Fabric capacity and scale over time as their data and reporting needs grow.

Fabric capacity starts from approximately AU$256 per month for Fabric’s entry-level tier, with pricing scaling up based on your organisation's needs. Eligible not-for-profits can access USD $2,000 in annual Azure credits through the Microsoft Nonprofit Hub, which can offset a significant portion of ongoing Fabric costs.

As with all Microsoft licensing, pricing can change, so it’s best to check Microsoft's pricing page for the latest costs.

How can you get started with Microsoft Fabric?

A good starting point is to look at your current data landscape, including what systems you’re using, what data they hold, and what information you need to bring together for reporting.

For NFPs using Salesforce or Dynamics 365, Microsoft has developed the Nonprofit Data Solutions in Microsoft Fabric. These include sector-specific data models and pre-built Power BI dashboards that can significantly reduce the time and cost of getting started.

At Motive Consulting, we work with not-for-profits and healthcare organisations across Australia to improve reporting and make better use of tools like Power BI and Fabric. If you’re looking to move to Microsoft Fabric, get in touch and we can help you get started.