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Everyone’s on their phones—including your donors. With 53% of website traffic and 45% of online donations coming from mobile, smartphones have become the primary platform for giving. This shift in behavior means your fundraising strategy needs to meet people where they are, and move just as fast. That’s where text-to-donate comes in.
Text-to-donate bridges the gap between intent and action and makes giving feel as easy as sending a message.
This guide shows you how to set up and run a successful text-to-donate campaign.
Let’s get going.
What is text-to-donate?
Text-to-donate is a mobile fundraising tool that lets people donate by sending a keyword via SMS. Once they text in, they immediately receive a link to your donation form, allowing them to complete their donation.
Text-to-donate vs. Text-to-give: What’s the difference?
While the terms are often used interchangeably, text-to-donate and text-to-give are two distinct methods with key differences:
| Feature | Text-to-donate | Text-to-give |
| How it works | Sends a link to the donation form via SMS. | Charges a fixed amount to the donor’s phone bill. |
| Payment method | The donor enters card/bank details on the form. | Amount is added to the donor’s mobile carrier bill. |
| Donation amount | Flexible – donor chooses how much to give. | Fixed – usually $5, $10, or $25 |
| Processing | Via a donation platform (e.g., Raiser’s Edge, ActBlue). | Handled by the mobile carrier. |
Also read: Text-to-Give Vs Text-to-Donate: Which one Should Your Nonprofit Use?
Why is text-to-donate so popular?
It meets donors where they are – on their phones, and removes the friction that often gets in the way of giving.
- The average donation via text-to-donate is around $107.
- Over 6.2 million people have used phone-paid services like text-to-donate.
- The phone-paid services market has grown to over £90 million in recent years.
How does text-to-donate work?
Let’s break it down in 3 simple steps:
- Donor texts a keyword: Pick a keyword like “GIVE” or “DONATE” and ask your supporters to send it to your number. For example,
“Text GIVE to (833) 843-8886.”
- Donor gets your donation link: They receive an automated SMS reply with a link to your donation form.
- Donor completes the donation: Donor clicks the link and they’re taken to the donation form, where they enter the required details and make the donation.
See how the USET Foundation ran a text-to-donate campaign.
It’s as easy as that. But where exactly does text-to-donate shine the most? Let’s look at when and where it works best.
When and where to use text-to-donate
Text-to-donate works best when urgency and ease matter most. It removes friction and lets people give in the moment they feel moved to, wherever they are.
Let’s see where and how text-to-donate can be used:
1. Live events
Galas, rallies, concerts, and town halls – live events are prime real estate for spontaneous giving. Your supporters are gathered, emotionally engaged, and ready to act..
Case in point: The Richmond Folk Festival
Before: Donations came through the traditional “bucket brigade,” raising about $118,000 in cash.
After: Organizers launched a text-to-donate campaign with the CTA “Text FOLK to 24365.” It made giving faster, easier and digital.
Result: In 2019, they raised a record $124,201 from 3,223 donors, despite a drop in cash donations.
This resulted in fast, frictionless contributions from the crowd.
| Event fundraising tip: Use big screens or projectors to display donor names and donation amounts. This builds social proof and fuels momentum in real-time. |
2. Peer-to-peer outreach
Empower volunteers, ambassadors, and even supporters to share your campaign message through social media, group chats, or other channels. Text-to-donate is perfect for peer-to-peer fundraising, because it’s easy to share and act on.
Example: Actor Ryan Phillippe was spotted in Studio City wearing this T-shirt.
His T-shirt served as a walking call to action – subtle, but powerful.
3. Social media & email
Scrolling and checking the inbox have become everyday habits. Add your text-to-donate CTA in Instagram bios, Facebook posts, email footers, and other such platforms to meet donors where they already are.
Example: “The La Mission” posted a visual CTA on their Instagram page that read:
“Text LA MISSION to 2436.”
| Text-based fundraising best practices: Pair strong visuals with clear CTAs. Have the CTA in both image and caption. |
How to set up a text-to-donate campaign
Before you begin, have these essentials in place:
- A Text-to-Donate platform like CallHub.
- A keyword
- A donation form (e.g., Raiser’s Edge NXT, ActBlue, etc.)
- A 10DLC number (if you’re running campaigns in the U.S.)
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CallHub’s Text-to-Donatelets donors give instantly during live events, social campaigns, or peer outreach. You can set your fundraising goal, set up automated follow-ups, and personalized thank-you messages with MMS support. You also get real-time tracking, full-funnel visibility, and seamless integration with tools like Raiser’s Edge NXT.ActBlue integration is coming soon. |
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up a text-to-donate campaign:
1. Choose a keyword
This is the word donors will text to your campaign number to start the donation process.
Here are some tips for choosing a keyword:
- Keep it short and easy to spell (like GIVE, HOPE, or DONATE)
- Make sure it’s relevant to your cause
- Avoid special characters or tricky spellings
2. Connect your donation form
Your donation form is where the actual giving happens, so it needs to be fast, simple, and optimized for mobile.
Also, when donors give, you don’t just collect funds – you collect valuable data. This data is key to understanding your donors, sending follow-ups, and reporting results.
There are multiple donation forms available in the market today, like:
- ActBlue
- Raiser’s Edge
- NGP VAN
- NationalBuilder
- Salesforce
- Action Network
- Zapier
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When integrated with Raiser’s Edge NXT, CallHub provides complete visibility into your fundraising funnel. You can track and analyze:
This integration equips you with the insights needed to refine your strategy and maximize campaign impact. |
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With this integration, you can automatically sync donation data from Raiser’s Edge into CallHub—no manual uploads needed. |
3. Writing the message copy:
Every text counts. Keep it clear, compelling, and actionable—so your supporters don’t just read your message, they act on it.
Here’s how to do it best:
- Begin with an introduction or a thank-you, followed by a gentle reminder to complete the donation.
- Personalize your message using the recipient’s name and tailor the message to specific interests for better engagement. You can do this easily using merge tags or custom tags to dynamically insert details like their name, location, or past interactions.
- Use a shortened and trackable link—CallHub offers a built-in URL shortener. This helps you keep messages clean and clickable without affecting deliverability. CallHub also provides data on the CTR, total, and unique clicks.
- Add visual appeal with GIFs, images, or emojis to make your message stand out and grab your supporters’ attention quickly.
Also read: Write The Most Engaging Donor Thank You Calls Script Today
4. Set up automated thank-you messages
Donor engagement doesn’t stop at the donation, it starts there. Sending a timely thank-you message is one of the most effective tactics for retaining donors. And it’s not just theory—data backs it up:
A study by the National Center for Charitable Statistics found that donors who receive thank-you notes are 20% more likely to donate again.
With CallHub’s Text-to-Donate, you can:
- Set up automated thank-you messages
- Add tags and segment donors for tailored follow-ups
Here is a sample thank you message that can be used:
“Thanks so much for your gift, Sam! Your support is making an impact💙
Stay tuned for updates.”
| Pro tip: Follow up a few days later with campaign progress updates, impact stories, or a gentle follow-up to maintain the relationship with your donors. It’s an essential part of text-based fundraising best practices. |
5. Test before launch
Before going live, run a quick test campaign to ensure everything works smoothly.
- Check if your keyword works.
Text the chosen keyword to your campaign number and confirm that you receive the correct automated reply and the donation form link. This ensures your SMS donation flow is working as expected before you go live. - See if the donation form is mobile-optimized
Open the link on a phone to see if the form loads fast, is easy to fill, and is mobile-friendly—crucial for smooth fundraising via a text campaign. - Check if links are tracked properly
Click the link in a test message and verify if the click is recorded in your analytics dashboard.
Let’s look at what to track once your campaign is live, so you know if your campaign is performing well, learn from the data, and improve over time.
Measuring impact: Key metrics to track
To gauge the success of your mobile fundraising campaigns, track specific metrics that provide insights into donor behavior and campaign performance.
Here’s a comprehensive overview:
| Metric | What it tells you |
| Who clicked your donation link | Measures engagement — how many people are interested in donating. |
| Who donated (and how much) | Shows who donated and how much, helping you calculate the campaign’s conversion rate. |
| Total amount raised | The overall funds collected — a direct indicator of your campaign’s success. |
| Goal completion rate | Shows how much of your fundraising goal you’ve reached so far. |
| Average donation amount | Insight into how much each supporter typically gives is useful for refining your ask in future campaigns. |
| Total and new donors | Differentiates between first-time supporters and returning donors, helping you understand growth and retention. |
CallHub lets you set a goal for your text-to-donate campaign and track progress in real time. It keeps your team focused and motivated as you work toward your target.
Tracking these metrics is only half the job – what you do with the insights matters even more.
For example,
- If your link clicks are high but your donations are low, your donation page may need a more streamlined experience or better messaging. If you’re not getting many new donors, consider outreach strategies that appeal to first-time supporters.
With CallHub, you get all these metrics on a live dashboard, so you can monitor and adjust your strategy instantly.
Now, let’s look at some essential practices to help your text-to-donate campaign reach its full potential.
Best practices for text-to-donate success
Text-to-donate is one of the fastest-growing tools in mobile fundraising campaigns.
Here’s how to set one up for maximum impact:
1. Track your link and automate follow-ups
Track who’s clicking your donation links—and who’s actually completing the donation. This provides powerful insights into how your campaign is performing. You can use that data to:
- Spot where people are dropping off
- Send gentle follow-up nudges (just 1 or 2)
Why not more nudges? Studies show that too many reminders can lead to higher unsubscribe rates.
Then, take what you’ve learned and tweak your approach—whether it’s the message, the timing, or even the landing page.
2. Choose a memorable keyword
This is often an underrated aspect of a campaign. Generic ones get forgotten—so choose something specific, catchy, and relevant. Keep it:
- Tied to your cause (e.g., SAVEWATER, not HELP)
- Easy to spell and recall
- Safe from autocorrect mishaps or common miss-spells (e.g., Falls often autocorrects to ‘Fails’).
- Familiar—stick to words people use in everyday life
3. Share impact reports
Transparency builds trust. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, 88% of people say transparency is the most critical factor in building trust. Let donors know where their money goes via:
- Impact reports
- Donor stories or testimonials
- Fundraising thermometers
- Personal thank-you messages or calls for major donors
Use email, SMS, or even short videos to bring your work to life.
| Remember, authentic updates keep your fundraising efforts sustainable and donor relationships strong. |
4. Track the full funnel metrics
New research suggests that placing data at the center of your operations leads to stronger donor loyalty and more informed decision-making.
In any text-to-donate campaign, tracking every step of the supporter journey is key to understanding how your campaign is working. These insights enable you to refine your mobile fundraising campaigns for better results—adjusting your message, timing, or donation flow.
Moving ahead with text-to-donate campaigns
Text-to-donate is the ultimate trifecta of modern fundraising—it’s fast, frictionless, and built the way people want to give now. Especially when 56% of Millennials say their giving is more spontaneous, offering a mobile-first donation experience is no longer optional—it’s essential. With millennials being the largest generation today, that’s a big opportunity.Launch your first text-to-donate campaign today with CallHub.
