Text to Donate for Nonprofits: How It Works and When to Use It

Text to donate is a mobile giving method that lets nonprofit supporters give by texting a keyword to a short code from their phones. According to CharityAuctions.com platform data, more than 50,000 organizations have used CharityAuctions since 2007. No app download. No website navigation. No checkout line. Donors text a word, tap a link, and give in under a minute from wherever they are sitting.

This guide covers how text to donate works, how to set it up, what it costs, compliance rules, and how to use it alongside a charity auction or paddle raise to raise more at your next event.

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How text to donate works

The text-to-donate process has four steps:

1. Your nonprofit sets up a keyword (like GIVE or HOPE) and a short code number (like 44321) through a text-to-donate platform.
2. A donor texts your keyword to your short code from their phone.
3. They receive an automated reply with a secure link to a mobile donation form.
4. They enter their amount and payment details, submit, and receive a receipt by text or email.

On your end, donations appear in your platform dashboard in real time. You can see totals, individual gifts, and donor contact information as they come in.

No paper. No envelopes. No manual entry. The entire process takes the donor less than 60 seconds.

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Text to donate vs text to give: is there a difference?

The terms are used interchangeably. Both refer to the same process: a donor texts a keyword to a short code and completes a donation from their phone. Some platforms use "text to give" and some use "text to donate." The mechanics are identical.

Both are different from mobile bidding, which lets donors bid on auction items from their phones. Text to donate is for direct giving. Mobile bidding is for competitive item fundraising. Many events use both.

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When text to donate works best

Text to donate is not the right tool for every fundraising moment. It works best when three conditions are met:

1. Donors are in the room with their phones in hand. Text to donate has its highest conversion rate when a compelling moment is happening in real time: a beneficiary video, a mission statement from the podium, a paddle raise ask. Donors are emotionally engaged and motivated. Text to donate removes every barrier between that motivation and the gift.

2. The ask is direct and simple. Text to donate works best for a single clear ask with a few giving levels. It is not ideal for multi-item checkout or complex giving decisions. Keep it simple: "Text GIVE to 44321. Your gift of $100 provides meals for 10 families."

3. Your emcee drives it. Text to donate without an emcee is just a number on a screen. With an emcee who walks the room through the process, answers questions in real time, and creates urgency, it becomes your highest-converting giving moment.

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Text to donate and the paddle raise

The paddle raise is the single best use case for text to donate at live events. A paddle raise (also called fund-a-need) is a direct donation ask during a gala or event program where guests pledge at announced giving levels.

According to CharityAuctions.com platform data, paddle raises average 28% of total gala revenue. Events with real-time pledge displays raise 34% more during the paddle raise. Mobile pledging collects 94% of pledges same-night compared to 67% for paper pledges.

Text to donate powers all three of those results:

• Guests give from their seats without interrupting the program
• Real-time totals can be displayed on a screen as donations arrive
• Payment is collected immediately, not chased down later

See what is a paddle raise for a full guide to running fund-a-need moments at your event.

How to run a text-to-donate paddle raise:

1. Set your giving levels in your platform: $100, $250, $500, $1,000, $2,500, $5,000.
2. Add one sentence of impact at each level: "$100 feeds a family for a week."
3. Display your keyword and short code on screens at the front of the room.
4. Have your emcee read the levels out loud and ask guests to text the keyword.
5. Show the running total on screen as donations come in.
6. Thank donors by first name as gifts arrive (if your platform supports this).
7. Close with a final ask for anyone who has not yet given.

Starting giving levels at $100 or below increases participation by 40% according to CharityAuctions.com platform data. Make the lowest level feel achievable for every guest in the room.

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Text to donate alongside a charity auction

Text to donate and mobile bidding are complementary tools, not alternatives. Many of the most successful gala formats use both:

• Silent auction runs on mobile bidding from the moment doors open through dinner
• Live auction runs for your top five to ten items during the program
• Paddle raise with text to donate closes the giving portion of the program
• Checkout completes automatically for auction winners via mobile payment

This format keeps guests engaged from arrival to departure. Every giving moment is frictionless. According to CharityAuctions.com platform data, auctions with mobile bidding raise an average of 43% more per event than paper-based formats. Adding text to donate for the paddle raise captures direct gifts that auction bidding alone would miss.

See how to run a charity auction for a full event planning guide that covers all three formats together.

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What text to donate costs

Most text-to-donate platforms charge in one or more of these ways:

Some platforms offer free plans that replace the monthly fee with a higher transaction percentage. These can work well for organizations with lower donation volumes.

Compare platforms at your expected donation volume. A platform with no monthly fee but 5% transaction cost is more expensive than $50 per month plus 2% once you exceed roughly $2,500 in monthly donations.

CharityAuctions includes text-to-donate and mobile giving as part of its auction platform. No separate monthly fee for the text giving functionality when running alongside your auction.

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Compliance rules for text to donate

Text-to-donate programs must comply with TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) rules. The rules that matter most for nonprofits:

• Opt-in required. When a donor texts your keyword, that text counts as opt-in for transactional messages (receipts, confirmations). It does not automatically opt them in to marketing messages.
• Opt-out must be easy. Every message you send must include opt-out instructions (STOP to unsubscribe).
• No unsolicited marketing. You cannot add text donors to a marketing list without a separate opt-in.
• Receipts are transactional. Tax receipts and donation confirmations are transactional messages and do not require separate marketing opt-in.

Work with a platform that handles TCPA compliance automatically. Most established text-to-donate platforms build compliance into their message templates. Always consult your legal counsel for guidance specific to your organization and state.

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How to set up text to donate: step by step

Step 1: Choose your platform

Look for a platform that includes text-to-donate alongside auction and donation functionality. Using one platform for your auction, raffle, and text giving simplifies reporting and donor management.

CharityAuctions includes mobile giving as part of its fundraising platform. Create your auction to get started.

Step 2: Set your keyword and short code

Choose a short, memorable keyword. One word. Easy to spell. Easy to remember when read aloud. Examples: GIVE, HOPE, FUND, or your organization name.

Your platform assigns a short code (a 5 or 6 digit number). Some platforms offer shared short codes (lower cost) or dedicated short codes (higher cost, more professional). For most nonprofits, a shared short code works fine.

Step 3: Build your donation form

Your donation form should include:

• Your organization name and logo
• Three to five suggested giving levels with one-sentence impact statements
• A custom amount option
• A brief mission statement (one to two sentences)
• Your tax ID number for receipt purposes

Keep it short. Donors complete this on a phone in under a minute. Every extra field reduces completion rate.

Step 4: Test the full flow

Before your event, test from a real phone:

• Text your keyword to your short code
• Click the link in the reply
• Complete the donation form
• Confirm the receipt arrives by text and email
• Verify the donation appears in your dashboard

Test on both iPhone and Android. Fix any issues before your event.

Step 5: Promote at your event

Put your keyword and short code everywhere:

• On every screen in the venue
• On table cards and printed programs
• In your event app or digital program if you have one
• Read aloud by your emcee at least twice

Have your emcee walk the room through the process: "Take out your phone. Text the word GIVE to 44321. You will get a link. Tap it and choose your giving level."

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Common text-to-donate mistakes to avoid

Using a hard-to-spell keyword. Test your keyword with someone who has never seen it. If they hesitate, change it.

Not testing before the event. Platform issues on event night kill momentum. Test the full flow 48 hours before.

Forgetting the real-time display. Showing a running total on screen as donations arrive creates social proof and urgency. Set this up in advance.

Only mentioning the keyword once. Donors miss announcements. Your emcee should mention the keyword at the start of the paddle raise, mid-way through, and at the close.

Not following up. Send thank you messages and tax receipts within 24 hours. See post auction follow up for templates.

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Next steps

• What is a paddle raise – How to run a fund-a-need moment at your event
• Mobile bidding for charity auctions – How mobile bidding works alongside text to donate
• How to run a charity auction – Full event planning guide
• Charity auction promotion – How to promote your event and reach more donors
• Silent auction software – Platform overview and features
• Create your auction – No credit card required

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This guide is maintained by CharityAuctions. For mobile giving resources, see mobile bidding for charity auctions and what is a paddle raise. Questions? Talk to our team.