Microsoft goes quiet after church groups ask for 1% of data center costs

Indiana church groups say Microsoft offered only $1 million after they sought a share of data-center costs.

We Make Indiana, a coalition of about 25 congregations, asked Microsoft to fund community needs around its $1 billion, 900-acre Granger data center in St. Joseph County. A liaison said Microsoft would approve only one-time nonprofit donations totaling up to $1 million. The group proposed a binding Fair Share Agreement contributing a small share of annual data-center costs. Critics contrast that with large state tax exemptions, including Georgia giving up $474 million in sales tax in one year and an Indiana equipment exemption covering up to $13.2 billion in purchases.