Understanding the Key Differences Between Text-to-Donate Versus Text-to-Give

In the last decade, we have witnessed significant advancements in mobile communication. People who support your cause are spending more time on their phones — scrolling through social feeds, browsing the web, and communicating with their family and friends. So, why not use this opportunity to raise funds and spread awareness for your mission through text-to-donate or text-to-give?

Text fundraising is an excellent way to reach your donors, regardless of location. But what’s the difference between text-to-donate and text-to-give?

Both terms sound similar, but their approaches are entirely different. Let’s understand the difference between the two and help you decide the right strategy for your nonprofit.

What Is Text-to-Donate?

It is the form-based fundraising method. In it, either your organization sends an outbound text message to donors, or your donor texts a keyword to your shortcode. For example, a donor might text “GIVE” to 50555.

After that, your donors will receive the donation form link and fill out the form to complete the donation process.

What Is Text-to-Give?

It is popularly known as bill-to-carrier, which is a carrier-based fundraising method. It lets donors donate through a text message. Donors will text a keyword along with the donation amount to the shortcode. That donation amount will be added to the donor’s bill.

Text-to-Donate Versus Text-to-Give

Here are some of the key differences between text-to-donate and text-to-give.

• While text-to-donate is a form-based mobile fundraising method via text message, text-to-give is a mobile fundraising method that solicits and collects donations through text messages.
• Text-to-donate lets donors choose how much they want to contribute, but text-to-give lets donors contribute a predetermined amount suggested by the nonprofit.
• Text-to-give is a quicker process than text-to-donate, as it only involves replying to a text message. Text-to-donate, on the other hand, requires the donor to fill out a form to complete the donation.
• Payment processing for text-to-donate is done through the payment gateway, while the payment processing for text-to-give is done through the mobile carrier.
• Text-to-donate is perfect for targeted fundraising and ongoing campaigns, while text-to-give is the best fit for emergency fundraising and broad appeals.

Which Is the Right Fit for Your Nonprofit?

If you’re trying to decide whether text-to-donate or text-to-give is the right fit for your organization, consider your campaign goals, target audience type and desired engagement level. 

Text-to-donate is a better fit for a long-term fundraising campaign due to its flexibility. You can collect more donations and engage with donors through personalized messages. However, if you need fundraising for urgent needs, go for the text-to-give route. This simple method encourages quick participation, which is necessary in emergency situations.

If your donors are younger and more tech-savvy, they might prefer text-to-donate because of its familiarity with payment gateways and online forms. However, if the donors are not as comfortable with online transactions, text-to-give is the perfect pick, as donors only have to text a keyword, and the donation amount will be added to their phone bill.

Text Fundraising Tips

Whichever method you choose, keep these simple tips in mind to get the most out of your fundraising campaign:

• Promote your campaign across multiple channels, including social media, website, email newsletters, etc. More visibility equals a higher participation rate.
• Include a clear CTA. For example, “Help us provide food for people in need. Text ‘FOOD’ to 12345 to donate $5 today!”
• Track your results and add a personal touch to text messages. You can even offer rewards to encourage donations.

In short, the best strategy is the one that matches your nonprofit’s mission and donor’s preferences. So, experiment with both and choose the one that best suits you.

The preceding blog was provided by an individual unaffiliated with NonProfit PRO. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of NonProfit PRO.