Discover the Fastest Growing Fundraising Tool

Text-to-give has been steadily growing in Canada over the last five years since the Mobile Giving Foundation Canada (MGFC) changed their guidelines on how future stewardship to these donors could work.

The Mobile Giving Foundation Canada regulates text donation programs in Canada. Organizations can very simply register for a short code and keyword allowing their donors to use their phone to make quick one-time gifts or sign-up as a monthly donor. The change in their guidelines in 2016 has now allowed charities to proactively contact those who donate through this channel and actively steward and discuss other ways the person can support the organization.

While we have been impressed by the integration of text-to-give into the Canadian market, we are astounded at the uptake in mobile giving during the global pandemic.

Not only does this demonstrate the generosity of people during this crisis, but also people’s willingness to utilize this simple and effective tool. 

Why It Works
As fundraisers we strive to make donating as simple as possible for our donors. Text-to-give is the embodiment of this, it has a built-in payment system and consists of a very simple call-to-action that can be undertaken immediately. This immediacy of text-to-give is why it works so well in the event of an emergency. Donors are looking for ways to support in a crisis, and text puts that ability literally in the palm of their hand.

How to Set it Up for Success
No fundraising channel can or should stand alone. Text-to-give is most effective when integrated into a multi-channel fundraising strategy.
Other key considerations when planning a text-to-give campaign include:

  • – Developing an ask that speaks to an immediate need
  • – Promotion on channels that will generate leads at volume
  • – Getting your call-to-action out to your partners and advocates

Moving From a Cash Gift to a Monthly Donor
Due to restrictions on how donors could be stewarded in the future, text-to-give has previously been complicated to navigate as a lead generation tool. As a partner of several organizations in Canada, we were successful in building the case for the MGFC to ease their guidelines around contacting donors post-donation so that now you, with the right partner, can leverage text-to-give to become one of your most cost-effective monthly giving lead generation activities.

Contact us Today
As the only MGFC approved text-to-give Application Service Provider (ASP) in Canada we are always happy to share our expertise with organizations looking to integrate text-to-give into their individual giving programs. We can help you make your text-to-give program a success and advise how this channel can be integrated into your individual giving program. Reach out to graemeb@fundraisingdirect.ca today.