Just Starting Out - Need Expert Advice for Managing iPads at Senior Center

[Debsus]

Hello,

I manage the iPad learning program at a non-profit active senior center and need some expert help on managing our devices.  Our main issue is managing the Apple ID's and streamlining the provisioning process of each iPad.  Right now, we are doing it all manually.  I have been using my own cell number for the trusted phone number and need to end doing this as soon as possible.  Being a non-profit, we have zero budget for purchasing any software at this time.

1.  First, we have 25 iPads that were donated to us.  We did not purchase them.  We have 20 more iPads that we did purchase.  What tools do I need to manage the Apple ID's and image each iPad with the apps we provide our seniors?  Which tools involve purchase of licenses and what are the associated costs?  Can I use Apple School Manager and Jamf with iPads that were donated to us?

2.  Will Apple School Manager enable me to assign all the iPads Apple ID's and use 1 trusted phone number?

Thank you for any advice you can offer and I hope this is the right forum on which to ask these questions.  Please let me know if I should redirect my query.

[Lasse]

I might be wrong, but my approach to this would be to look into the cheapest version of securing the iPads, in this case, probably Jamf Now. 3 first units free, but for your setup, the $2 per device per month might still be too much, ending up on $1080 for 45 units per year. Jamf Pro has a start-up cost that prohibits your non-profit from even going there. Jamf Now should be combined with Apple Business manager( no cost for the service), and then set up with supervised Apple IDs owned by the organisation. This requires a domain verification between your domain provider and Apple Business manager. You will then be able to obtain licenses, and distribute to the supervised devises, as well as re-distributing licenses as the need arises. Enrollment of the donated ones would have to be done with Apple Configurator, since your units probably are preowned. DEP enrollment can be configured before the purchase of the next 20, then you will get those added automatically into Apple Business manager.

You could ask Jamf if they have any discounts for non-profit organisations.