Navigating MCAPS 2025: Unlock New Funding, Tackle Tighter Criteria & What’s Changing
- Marnie Fulmer
- Aug 12, 2025
- 4 min read
Now that the glitter dust has settled, here’s a quick summary of the latest updates from
MCAPS for Australian Services and MSPs. This overview highlights key takeaways, including new workshop funding for Copilot, Power Platform, and Azure, stricter eligibility criteria tied to performance and specialisations, and retired investments mostly in Business Applications with specialisation status now required .
Save time and get the essential details to align your strategy with these updates.
QUICK LINK: Microsoft Commerce Incentive Resources
KEY SECTIONS:
New Investments Announced
Microsoft announced boosting funding for workshops, focusing on envisioning,
deployments & accelerator workshop funding per customer engagement that drive customer adoption and usage. Key initiatives include:
Copilot and Power Platform Workshop Funding MCI
Partners will now have funding opportunities to offer workshops centred around Copilot and Power Platform. Keep in mind that program access is invitation-only via the Jumpstart initiative. It's worth reviewing the entry criteria to see if this aligns with your goals below.
Azure Accelerate MCI (for SMB Partners)
SMB partners with an active Azure Solutions Partner Designation now qualify for Azure
workshop funding per customer engagement. These are designed from migrations through to AI Services migrations and new service deployments.
• Tip 1: Ensure that your business falls under the Azure SMB track within its
designation to access these opportunities.
• Tip 2: Create lead opportunity for customers early in your sales cycle to ensure you get Microsoft to provide an MSX ID to unlock the customers, and you can do your claims.
Azure Enterprise Track Partners and Azure Specialisation Requirements
If you find yourself added into the Azure Enterprise track, automatically done from
Microsoft looking at your customer base and total ACR in the last 12 months, you will
need an Azure specialisation on top of your Azure Solutions Partner Designation for
eligibility for Azure funded workshops.
Program Eligibility Criteria Insights
Understanding whether to pursue specific status &/or investments can save time down
the line. Here’s what you need to know:
All Incentives Tied to Ongoing Performance Requirements
All incentive programs are now tied to maintaining a minimum score of 25 points. This means you’ll need to have a consistent, year-round plan for customer attachments and new workload adoption—not just ramping up a few months before your renewal period.
Copilot Jumpstart Program
The invitation-only Copilot workshop funding program requires a Modern Work, Business Applications or Security Specialisation and 50,000 monthly active users of Copilot (as confirmed by Microsoft Partner Support, though not publicly documented). This information can help you decide if pursuing entry is worthwhile. Hopefully, we’ll see expanded access for mid-market and SMB adoption in Australia in the near future.
Azure Designation Track-Specific Access
Be mindful of which track your partnership aligns with. SMB partners will need Azure SMB designation to unlock funded workshops, while enterprise-focused partners must secure an advanced Azure specialisation to capitalise on programs.
Retired Investments
This year, we’ve seen several retired investments, mostly in Business Applications with specialisation status now required for customer workshop funding, and Azure renaming with funding opened at the Solution Designation level for SMB partners. As at end of July unfortunately, the latest guide lacks details on CSP incentive transaction incentives past 30 September 2025, leaving some gaps in clarity.
Update as at 12 August: New CSP Transaction incentives has landed in the resource deck, we have since a drop in core workloads across Modernwork and Azure , please ensure you review the changes.
Upcoming Developments
Looking ahead, here are a few initiatives and updates you’ll want to monitor closely:
Copilot specialisation
This highly anticipated specialisation has landed in Partner Centre; it’s a good time to begin strategising how your business could align its offerings with this specialisation. Currently, there are no additional benefits or programs associated, but likely this will come.
New Designations
Microsoft is introducing fresh designations, including Cloud Sovereignty Designation and Industry Software Certified Application Designations for businesses catering to specific industries with SAAS offerings.
Mini Suite Cloud Solutions Provider (CSP)
While details remain limited, updates surrounding CSP rates changes — this offering is
live and open to any partners with a specialisation in security.
Time-Saving Action Plan
For busy Australian partners, here’s how to cut through the noise and focus on what matters:
Cloud & AI Platforms: Azure Focus
• Check you are in the SMB Track for Azure, prioritise securing Azure SMB designation if you operate within the SMB space.
• If you have your Azure Designation, test out the incentives claiming with an existing customer, if it states that it’s not eligible, you will need to submit a lead in – Referrals.
AI Business Solutions: Modern work & Business Application focus
For Modernwork outside of CSP transaction incentives, it’s only Copilot
COPILOT
Review eligibility above for Jumpstart to assess Copilot workshop viability.
Keep tabs on the Microsoft Partner Blog for updates on specialisations and new designations.
Double-check your alignment with incentive criteria before allocating resources to ensure new investments remain accessible.
BUSINESS APPLICATIONS
In FY25, funded workshops were a great opportunity, requiring only a Solution Designation. However, this has now shifted, with specialisations becoming the key requirement for customer-funded workshops.
SECURITY
Funded customer workshops continue, but specialisations are still required, with a minimum customer eligibility of 300 paid seats for most programs.
Closing Thoughts
MCAPS 2025 brings exciting opportunities with increased funding for workshops and specialisations to drive growth for Australian partners. However, our perspective is that most investments, like workshops, remain focused on enterprise-level entry points (300+ license seats) for Modern Work, Security, and Business Applications. For Azure partners just starting out may see financial benefits in FY26 by leveraging the funded workshops in the Azure SMB Track.
To make the most of your Microsoft partnership investments, align your business transaction motion with CSP accelerator benefits and ensure your designation tracks matches your business priorities.
We are here to assist you in saving time and help map their focus areas in partnership with Microsoft, even if it's just to direct you to sections they might find interesting to watch.
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