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SMS FUNDRAISING

Turn a text message into a donation

Text to donate lets people give money by sending a simple text — no website, no form, no app. A donor texts a keyword to a short code, and the donation is either charged to their phone bill or processed through a linked payment method. It’s the fastest way to convert intent into a contribution.

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WHY TEXT TO DONATE WORKS

Meet donors when they want to give

The biggest enemy of fundraising is friction. Someone sees your appeal, feels moved to give — and then has to find a website, fill out a form, and enter payment details. By the time they’re halfway through, the moment has passed. Text to donate removes every step between “I want to help” and “I just did.”

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Instant giving from any phone

Donors text a keyword and they’re done. No smartphone required, no app to download, no account to create.

Real-time contributions during live moments

When a speaker makes an appeal at a gala, a pastor asks the congregation to give, or a news broadcast shows a disaster — donations flow in immediately, not hours later.

Higher conversion on impulse generosity

The fewer steps between intent and action, the more people follow through. A single text message is the shortest path.

Works everywhere mobile phones work

Text to donate reaches donors who don’t have reliable internet, don’t use apps, or aren’t comfortable with online payment forms — expanding your donor base beyond digital-first audiences.

WHO IT’S FOR

Built for organizations that rely on public generosity

Text to donate is used by any organization that collects contributions from a broad audience — especially when timing and ease of giving matter:

Nonprofits and charities running annual campaigns, capital drives, or membership appeals. Disaster relief organizations that need to mobilize donations in hours, not weeks. Religious organizations collecting tithes and offerings from their congregation. Live event fundraisers — galas, telethons, concerts, and walkathons — where you have a captive audience and a narrow window. Political campaigns collecting grassroots contributions from supporters.

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HOW IT WORKS

One text. That’s the whole donor experience.

The whole interaction takes less than a minute.

Here’s what happens when someone donates by text:

  • Your organization promotes a keyword and short code — for example, “Text GIVE to 12345”

  • The donor sends that text from any mobile phone

  • They receive a reply confirming the donation amount or prompting them to complete payment

  • The donation is either charged to their phone bill (carrier billing) or processed through a linked payment method

  • The donor gets a confirmation message, and you get the contribution

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POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS

Additional setup for political use cases

If you’re using text to donate for political campaign contributions, messaging program registration may require additional verification. This can include a Campaign verify token, FEC Committee ID, or state-level equivalent, depending on the registration form and jurisdiction.

IN ACTION

How organizations use text to donate

Disaster relief

A hurricane hits and a relief organization broadcasts “Text RELIEF to 90999.” Within hours, thousands of donations pour in from people watching the news. Mobile carriers often waive processing fees during major disasters to speed up the flow of funds.

Nonprofit campaigns

A children’s hospital runs its annual giving campaign. Supporters text a keyword to donate $25 — from the waiting room, the parking lot, or their couch at home. No gala ticket required.

Religious tithing

A church adds text-to-give as an option alongside the offering plate. Members who don’t carry cash can contribute during the service with a quick text, and recurring givers can set it up once.

Live event fundraising

A telethon host says “Text HOPE to 56789 right now.” The audience responds in real time, and a running total on screen creates momentum that drives more giving.

Political contributions

A candidate sends a rally crowd to “Text DONATE to 40404.” Small-dollar contributions come in during the speech, and the campaign captures donor contact information for future outreach.

HOW TO DO IT

The building blocks of a text-to-donate program

Every text-to-donate campaign runs on a few core components:

  • Keyword 

    The word donors text to initiate a donation — like “GIVE,” “DONATE,” or your campaign name. Keep it short, memorable, and easy to spell.

  • Short code 

    The five- or six-digit number donors send the keyword to. Short codes are designed for high-volume messaging and are easier to remember than a full phone number.

  • Carrier billing 

    In this model, the donation is charged directly to the donor’s mobile phone bill. The industry term for this is a “charitable short code campaign” (used by CTIA and mobile carriers). It’s the simplest experience for donors — no payment details needed.

  • Linked payment method 

    Some programs route the donor to a payment page after the initial text, where they complete the donation with a credit card or other payment method. The text message initiates the flow, but payment happens outside the carrier billing system.

GETTING STARTED

How to set up a text-to-donate campaign

Decide whether donations will be carrier-billed (charged to the donor’s phone bill) or processed through a linked payment method. Carrier billing is simpler for donors but has fixed donation amounts. Linked payment gives you more flexibility on amounts.

Choose a keyword that’s easy to say out loud, spell correctly, and remember. Your short code should be dedicated to your campaign or shared through a provider.

Map out exactly what happens after someone texts in: the confirmation message, any follow-up prompts, the thank-you message, and how you capture donor information for receipts and future outreach.

Text to donate only works if people know the keyword and number. Put it on stage screens, social media, direct mail, email footers, event signage, and broadcast graphics.

If your campaign is political, be prepared to provide a Campaign verify token, FEC Committee ID, or state-level equivalent during messaging program registration.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

A fundraising method where donors contribute by sending a text message — usually a keyword to a short code. The donation is either charged to their phone bill or processed through a linked payment method. It’s also called text-to-give.

The donor texts a keyword (like “GIVE”) to a short code. They receive a reply confirming the donation or prompting them to complete payment. The whole process takes less than a minute from any mobile phone.

With carrier billing, the donation is added to the donor’s phone bill — no credit card needed. With a linked payment method, the text message starts the process but the donor completes payment on a separate page. Carrier billing is simpler for the donor; linked payment offers more flexibility on amounts.

No. Text to donate works on any phone that can send a text message, including basic and feature phones.

It’s the industry term (used by CTIA and mobile carriers) for a carrier-billed text-to-donate program where the donation is charged to the donor’s phone bill.

They mean the same thing. Both terms — along with their hyphenated forms — are used interchangeably across the industry.

Yes. Political campaigns commonly use text to donate for grassroots fundraising. The registration process may require additional verification details like a Campaign verify token, FEC Committee ID, or state-level equivalent.

Put the keyword and short code everywhere your audience will see it: stage screens, broadcast graphics, social media posts, email signatures, direct mail, event signage, and website banners. The simpler the call to action, the better — “Text GIVE to 12345” is all people need.