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From Fundraising to Advocacy: 5 Ways Nonprofits Use Texts

Text messaging, or SMS, may not be considered a traditional nonprofit marketing channel, but it is making major waves across the sector. According to the latest M+R Benchmarks report, mobile messaging from nonprofits increased by 40% last year, and revenue from text messages increased by 14%.

Nonprofit text messaging isn’t just limited to fundraising—thanks to its flexibility, SMS has broad applications for organizations, schools, and businesses alike. There are countless ways nonprofits can harness the potential of SMS to engage donors, run successful campaigns, and ultimately further their missions. Let’s explore a few common places to start.

Urgent fundraising appeals

When it comes to texting, the first use case that comes to mind for many nonprofit professionals is fundraising. Text-to-give makes it easy for supporters to donate from their phones just by texting a certain keyword (like “DONATE”) and following the link they receive back. 

This strategy works especially well for urgent appeals since supporters are much more likely to read a time-sensitive text message immediately than open a last-minute email. Messages like “There’s only 5 hours left for GivingTuesday! Donate now to help us reach our goal” can inspire urgent action and quickly boost your fundraising results.

Make urgent text appeals even more powerful by highlighting the impact donors will make on your cause. For instance, you might remind text recipients how exactly a campaign helps beneficiaries or mention that their donation may be eligible for a matching gift that will double their impact.

Volunteer communications

Beyond donors, your organization’s volunteers are some of its most important supporters. It’s essential to communicate regularly with volunteers in ways that resonate with them so you can maintain these relationships and improve retention. For many volunteers, text messages are the best way to do so.

SMS feels personal, casual, and low-pressure, making it the perfect channel for building relationships through quick check-ins and reminders. You might use texts to send volunteers:

Recruitment messages
Shift reminders
Logistical information
Updates about volunteer opportunities
Thank-you messages
Follow-up questions after an event

Encourage volunteers to respond to any of the above messages to facilitate two-way conversations. For example, a volunteer might ask, “Is the event at the same church as last time?” or send a quick “Thanks, I’ll be there!” in response to a reminder. Any message they send back is a chance to engage them further and cultivate positive relationships.

Donor stewardship

Two-way conversations via text can also work wonders for your donor stewardship and retention efforts. Use texts to send donors personalized thank-you messages, quick updates about the impact of their donations, or even surveys asking for their feedback. Each message will show donors you value them and open the door for them to respond and deepen their connections to your cause.

Mogli recommends using an SMS marketing app that integrates with your CRM so you can automatically pull donor data into these texts for better personalization. This tool will also help you easily manage text conversations, record notes about responses in their donor profiles, and track engagement data—all of which will help you strengthen relationships over time.

Event promotion

To increase event attendance, engagement, and guest satisfaction, incorporate SMS marketing into your multi-channel event promotion strategies. By advertising your events across multiple channels, you’ll have more touchpoints with potential guests and reach a wider audience. Make sure each channel supports the others by planning a cohesive strategy.

For instance, you might promote events with quick text messages that let supporters know there’s an invitation in their inbox or mailbox, remind them to RSVP on your website, and ramp up excitement. You can get creative here—consider teasing high-value auction items via text or sending a behind-the-scenes photo of volunteers getting the space ready.

Advocacy calls to action

The immediacy of texting makes it a great choice for advocacy messages, too. Supporters will see your text right away, and if you make a compelling case for why they should take action, many won’t hesitate to follow through. 

Here are just a few examples of what compelling advocacy text messages might look like:

“Jason, we must fight for women’s rights in Georgia. Use this template to email your representative and tell them to vote No on Bill 481.”
“Hey Esha, have you voted yet? There are only two weeks left until early voting closes! Click here to find your nearest polling place and make your voice heard.”
“URGENT: The school board wants to cut funding for the ORHS music program. Sign our petition to let them know how valuable it is.”

Keep messages short, include the links supporters need to take action, and make sure to collect engagement data for each message to determine its effectiveness. Monitor metrics like conversion rates, click-through rates, and form completions to see how successfully your texts inspire action. 

Remember that these use cases are just the beginning. Experiment with different text message strategies to find what works best for your audience, and don’t be afraid to get creative. Replicate and expand on the messages that work well, and leave the rest.