5 Innovative Ways Nonprofits Use Text Messaging

How nonprofits can use texting to increase their impact on the world.

Josh avatar
Written by Josh
Updated over a week ago

Text messaging is a difference maker for nonprofit organizations who are looking for easy and affordable ways to communicate with their community. In this article we break down some of the best practices for Nonprofits when it comes to text messaging.

As a community leader, you are likely trying to grow your member list or need help getting existing members and volunteers to sign up and attend events.

According to a recent study, 63% of nonprofit organizations in the United States are experiencing flat growth or declining membership.

A 2018 report from Volunteering in America found that only 77.34 million adults volunteered through an organization (30% of Americans).

Check out our blog post on a similar subject here:

1. Text Those That You Interact With Day-to-Day

Texting Volunteers

Text messaging is a great way to communicate with your volunteers since they don’t have to download an additional apps or software.

Texting is also better than email, texts get a 98% open rate and 45% response rate.

If you sent an email to a group of 200 potential volunteers you’d get maybe 12 responses (6% response rate). If you sent a text you’d potentially get 90 responses (45% response rate).

Texting Donors

A constant worry in the daily life of non-profit's is funding. Volunteers are critical to a non-profit organizations success, but the organization does not exist without funding.

Set up scheduled texts messages to remind volunteers to sign up or donors to donate. You can even set up a text campaign like "Text 'DONATE' to ###-###-#### to receive the donation link"

Texting those that you serve

Phones are the lifeline to all of us, including to those that are undeserved or neglected by society.

2. Schedule Text Reminders To Volunteer Groups

Volunteer groups often meet weekly or monthly to plan, coordinate and set up events.

With so many meetings it's helpful to schedule text message reminders to group members with meeting times, zoom links or addresses.

With us, you can set up one-off scheduled messages or create recurring schedules on weekly, monthly or yearly periods. This way you schedule the message once and it sends for every event moving forward.

3. Use Autoresponders to Automate Your Engagement

Great for text messaging campaigns like "Text 'DONATE' to ###-###-####" or "RSVP to the event by texting 'RSVP' to ###-###-####

Autoresponders are automatic text messages that are triggered by keywords. They save time by allowing you to reach a lot of people while generating 1-on-1 conversations.

4. Broadcasts Out to Those You Serve

1-to-many broadcasts are a great way to notify large numbers of people about upcoming events, donation opportunities or volunteer openings.

Since your Non-Profit revolves around the idea of helping the community it is essential to have a tool on hand to do-so. Learn more about setting up Broadcasts here:

5. Organize contacts into text-able lists

Groups are essential to taking advantage of the full potential of our service. It becomes even more essential when you have such different audiences. The Non-Profit space typically has 2 to 4 audiences that need to be kept in regular contact with.

  • Donors 💸

  • Volunteers ⛪

  • Customers (if the non-profit provides a service to the public to generate funding)

  • Individuals who are the benefactors of the Non-Profit (only if the non-profit serves people directly)

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