If you are a Non-profit, just do Standard, it costs you basically nothing.

So it’s better than nothing, but I always lead with Azure AD Connect on Windows Server Standard, falling back to Essentials if Standard just isn’t in the budget. Instead, you just have “cloud-only” accounts, and on-premises ones, which just so happen to be editable from the same on-premises UI. With Essentials, you don’t get true SSO, you don’t have the option for password write-back, and in fact you don’t even have a true directory sync. Not to mention, you can light up password write-back and self-service password resets for on-premises accounts with Azure AD Premium (P1) or Enterprise Mobility & Security E3. Unlike Azure AD / Office 365 integration from the Windows Server Essentials Dashboard, Azure AD Connect is a true directory synchronization engine, and can provide a seamless Single Sign-On experience (SSO) to end users. However, when it comes to synchronizing user accounts and passwords into Azure AD / Office 365, I don’t like Essentials–Azure AD Connect is the clear winner, and my most preferred tool (and the market’s as well). On the one hand, Remote Web Access, Client PC backup, the Azure Recovery plugins, and so on, add a TON of value to Windows Server in the small (and even larger/mid-sized) business space. It’s a great product with a lot of goodness baked in, but there are some real limits to it as well. I have a love-hate relationship with Windows Server Essentials.

Server essentials