Although you may be an avid user of Microsoft’s products and services, you may not know about the Microsoft Global Community Initiative (MGCI). But you should.
MGCI came about in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which fundamentally affected Microsoft’s long-standing in-person community programs, like SharePoint Saturdays. Even though in-person events were already evolving to integrate more Microsoft 365 services, the collective of company employees, product aficionados, and other tech enthusiasts that shared their love, insights, and best practices about Microsoft’s products was disrupted. As a result, this led to a re-thinking of how to cultivate community and support within the Microsoft ecosystem while adjusting to an altered societal landscape.
Out of these conversations was born the Microsoft Global Community Initiative. The philosophy at its heart is simple: Microsoft does not pull the strings. Rather, community leaders around the world lead the Initiative, with the backing of Microsoft’s resources and expertise.
The Initiative works in three main ways:
Microsoft Community Advisory Board
The Microsoft Community Advisory Board is a collection of Microsoft employees and volunteer community leaders from across the globe. This includes Crush Networks’ David Leveille, who is a regional lead for Mexico and the United States.
Together, the Microsoft staff and community leaders on the Community Advisory Board gather and voice the feedback from the Microsoft community-at-large to guide the approach, resources, and management of Microsoft 365 community programs. They also offer support for community-driven events, user group services, as well as curate best practices and training for community leaders.
Due to the Community Advisory Board featuring representation on a regional level, it guarantees a diverse range of viewpoints and a fair allocation of resources. It also encourages the input of any Microsoft enthusiast who wants to get involved.
Community Support Program
The Community Support Program offers fundamental assistance to aid the return of in-person, educational events like hackathons, bootcamps, and SharePoint Saturdays.
Community Days
Through Community Days, Microsoft Global Community Initiative members can find, attend, and organize community events in any location they desire, from Vancouver to Mumbai. All the while, Microsoft will be on hand to help and empower community organizers to create the best events possible.
To find or create an event, visit the Community Days site here.
Want to get involved?
To get involved with the Microsoft Global Community Initiative, you can do so in one of two ways:
Sign up to the Initiative here. This will give you access to the Community Initiative team on the Microsoft Teams Community Tenant, through which you can attend General Sessions meetings, access the Community Initiative Newsletter, network, promote or find an event, and much more.
Join the Community Days Pilot Program as an event volunteer or organizer. You will then have the chance to join events with others in your region, or create your own.
If you would like to talk about the Microsoft Global Community Initiative with regional lead and Crush Networks President David Leveille,,or any of your Microsoft needs, feel free to schedule a chat with Crush Networks today.
