Text-to-Give vs Text-to-Donate: The Complete Guide

Text-to-give is a carrier-based mobile fundraising method that allows supporters to give via text message. Supporters simply text a keyword to the short code and the donation amount is added to the supporters’ phone bill.

Once an organization qualifies for text-to-give:

1. The organization sets up a short code, campaign keyword, and donation amount – limited to $5, $10, $15, $20, $25, $30, $40 or $50. Depending on the platform they use, sometimes they can also set up recurring donation options.
2. When a supporter feels inspired, they text the campaign keyword to the short code.
3. The predetermined donation amount is billed to the supporter’s cell phone bill by their carrier.
4. The phone carrier processes the donations and transfers the total donations to the organization.

The text-to-give process is attractive because it’s so simple for donors. A gift can be completed through a few text messages, requiring little effort from your supporters. 

However, your organization must first meet a few requirements to be eligible. Organizations have to submit an application and meet the qualifying criteria. Once you qualify for text-to-give, you only need to set up a short code, keyword, and donation amount.

Text-to-donate is a form-based mobile fundraising method that is initiated through a text message either from the organization or the supporter. Supporters are then sent a link to the mobile giving form. The gift is successful when supporters finish entering their information.

After an organization signs-up for text-to-donate:

1. The organization will set up a short code, campaign keyword, and mobile giving page.
2. When a supporter feels inspired, they text the campaign keyword to the short code.
3. Supporters enter the amount they’d like to donate and receive a link to the mobile giving page.
4. Supporters complete the process by entering their information on the mobile giving page.

Unlike text-to-give, there are no minimum requirements for text-to-donate. This way, organizations of all sizes and missions can use the text fundraising effort. Text-to-donate also allows supporters to make custom donation amounts, set up recurring donations, and offset processing fees.

Your donors love text fundraising because it’s so easy to use. In just a few steps, even the least tech-savvy supporter can quickly make a gift to your organization.

Because this method walks users step-by-step through the giving process, you can quickly and dramatically boost donor conversion and reduce attrition.

Text-to-give and text-to-donate are two of the most convenient fundraising methods out there. These days, nearly everyone has their phone on them at all times. In 2019, 56% of all website traffic worldwide was generated just from mobile phones.

Mobile-friendly platforms allow the user to access the internet and all its offerings wherever they are! Your donors can make a donation to your cause at home, in the office, at a fundraising event, or on the go.

With text fundraising, your nonprofit can accept an unlimited number of donations and create as many fundraising keywords as you need, making text-to-give and text-to-donate two of the best ways to reach your cause’s fundraising potential.

When setting up your text-to-give or text-to-donate campaign, you also need to choose a keyword for your donors to use. Your keyword is how your donors’ text donations find their way to your organization specifically. It couldn’t be more important to optimize it!

While your keyword will need to be somewhat unique to work (basics like “DONATE” and “CHURCH” are likely already taken), you should still choose a common word.

If your keyword is too difficult or hard to remember, autocorrect will likely adjust it or donors will mis-type it. Those blunders will reduce the chances that donations will actually make it to your organization.

When donors use text-to-donate, they’ll access your giving page on their phones. It’s crucial that your organization designs your form with mobile users in mind.

While most services will automatically make your page mobile-responsive, there are a couple of key steps you can take to ensure your page looks and functions great on any screen size.

By minimizing the required fields, using large text, and not cramming your page with design elements, you can ensure your form is easy to complete (and maximize conversion rates!).

Another part of maximizing completed gifts is keeping your donation form as short as possible. No one likes an overly long and complicated giving process—especially mobile users—and too many questions can lead to donation form abandonment. Brevity is especially important for mobile, where forms are more difficult to fill out.

Although it can be tempting to collect additional information about your donors, keeping required fields to an absolute minimum will help you raise more through your text-to-donate campaigns.

Your donors’ names, contact information, and payment information should all be required. If you want to include other fields, make sure they’re optional or, better yet, include them in a follow-up donor survey instead.

With some text fundraising services (Qgiv included), nonprofits can place a field on their donation form for donors who want to set up automated recurring gifts.

If your nonprofit has access to this feature, take advantage of it! You can even set a variety of giving schedules to provide donors with more flexibility.

Automating recurring gifts makes it much more convenient for your donors to give on a regular basis—and there’s no risk of them forgetting to do so! On top of that, having a stream of steady and consistent gifts will provide significantly better support to your organization in the long run.

Many text-to-donate platforms will also let nonprofits take advantage of outbound texts. This is simply when the organization uses their text giving platform to reach out to donors, whether it’s to remind them of a campaign or thank them for their gift.

Since text messages have an open rate of 98%, outbound texts are a great way to engage your supporters outside of your regular interactions. Easily update them on news, their gift’s impact, and event reminders. 

You can even take advantage of outbound texts to quickly send appeals during a crisis or for natural disaster recovery.

Every nonprofit organization understands the importance of data. With more data from your donors, events, and various outreach efforts, the better your organization can improve operations and future engagements.

Ensure your text fundraising tool is integrated with or a part of your larger fundraising system. This way, you can take advantage of reporting tools to give you the insight you need.

Always keep track of your text-to-give and text-to-donate efforts with reports to see which keywords best drive action and to learn how your supporters like to give. This way, you can evaluate your current campaign, make adjustments if needed, and better plan future text fundraising events.

Most nonprofit professionals will tell you that the best way to encourage giving from donors is to meet them where they already are.

Whether you market to them on social media, invite them to events, or send them a fundraising email, there’s no better way to connect with donors than through their smartphones.

Not only are text-to-give and text-to-donate popular fundraising methods among donors, they’re also two of the best ways to boost giving to your cause.

Your donors can give more frequently because they’ll have a wider, more-accessible selection of giving methods to choose from.

Since making a donation is as simple as sending a text, donors can give as soon as they’re inspired without spending time searching for a web-page or waiting to give on their desktop.

With other methods, there’s always a delay between getting inspired to give back and completing a gift. Eliminate that delay and empower supporters to make their gift as soon as inspiration strikes.

Churches often feel that there’s a disconnect between their missions and the outside world. They want to grow the gifts they receive from their congregation, but it can be tough to connect with members without the right technology.

Text-to-give and text-to-donate (which churches often call “text-to-tithe”) provide churches with a modern, convenient way to engage members as well as reach out to new individuals who may be inspired by your mission and interested in learning more.

Traditionally, a large part of a church’s fundraising revenue has come through collection plate gifts during services. However, in an increasingly cashless world, congregants are more and more likely to skip Sunday giving if they can’t give digitally.

Give your tech-loving congregation a way to give back by leveraging text-to-give or text-to-donate as a digital collection plate! Encourage members to text right from their pew to maximize the number of gifts to your church.

By giving congregants a way to give back that fits into their daily lives, they’ll be more likely to give regularly, even if they’re on vacation or have to miss a service. Your members will always have a direct line to your fundraising, so they can give whenever they’re called to support outside of the weekly collection during services.

Because it offers individuals a fundraising channel on their smartphones, there’s no better way for your church to raise funds than through text-to-tithe technology.