One of the most important elements of a fundraising campaign is the donation request. A well-written donation message can help nonprofits crush fundraising goals to make a substantial difference.
But how do you properly and effectively ask for donations or thank donors via text message? And why should you consider SMS as a channel to send messages?
In this article, you’ll learn tips for creating donation text messages that work and get 30 short donation message examples and templates. With a few tweaks, you can turn these into messages that help your organization raise money effectively.
Jump right to:
- Why donation text requests work
- 30 donation text templates with examples
- Tips for writing effective donation messages
<h2 id="Why">Why text donation requests work</h2>
There are many benefits of using SMS to send donation messages. Let’s look at a few of the top ones:
- High open rate. One of the top benefits of text messaging is its high open rate. SMS messages boast a 98 percent open rate, which is nearly four times the open rate of email.
- Instant engagement. The majority of text messages are seen within three minutes of receipt. This gives your nonprofit organization a really easy way to get in touch with donors quickly. This speed is especially helpful during fundraising events or last chance to donate countdowns.
- Short digestible messages. Text messaging is a channel built to exchange short, digestible messages. Nonprofit organizations can use this channel to ensure their message is read in full.
- Easy to scale. Business texting platforms have enabled organizations to send personalized texts at scale. This makes it easy to send a large number of potential donors a message simultaneously.
<h2 id="Examples">30 donation message examples and templates</h2>
Let’s look at several donation message templates to help you raise awareness about your cause, solicit donations, and thank donors for making a difference.
15 asking for donation text templates
Use one of the following short donation message templates to help you raise awareness about your fundraiser and encourage more people to donate.
[Organization name] is raising money for [cause]. Can we count on you to help? Donate today: [link]
Did you know [fact]? Every donation helps make advancements toward [cure/outcome]. Donate today and make a difference: [link]
Ready to make a difference in [community]? [Organization] is raising money for [cause]. Last year we helped [impact]. Donate now: [link]
It’s [topic awareness] month, and [organization] is raising money to help those who are impacted. Are you ready to make a difference? Donate today: [link]
[Organization name] is raising money to strengthen [your nonprofit’s impact]. Even $5 helps us [impact]. Would you consider donating? Give today: [link]
Today ONLY. Any gift to [organization] will be matched by [company name]. Please consider making a gift and double your impact: [link]
[Nonprofit name’s] fundraising gala is happening NOW. A donation will help us [impact]. Give now: [link]
There are only a few hours left to give to our [fundraiser name]. Even [amount] makes a difference. Donate now: [link]
We’re close to meeting our fundraising goal of [amount] to combat [cause]. Can you help us reach the finish line? Give today: [link]
We’re just [dollar amount] away from our fundraising goal. You can help us [cause]. Ready to show your support? [Link].
[Donor name], our annual fundraiser for [cause] kicks off today! Last year thanks to donors like you, we [impact]. Would you donate again? Give now: [link]
[Organization]: We’re raising money again for [cause]. Last year, your donation made a huge difference! Can we count on your support again? [Link]
Hey [name]! This is a reminder that we’re raising funds for [cause]. Any donation helps us move closer to our goal. Give today: [link]
Hi [name]! I wanted to follow up to see if you’re interested in donating to [cause]. [Organization] aims to improve the lives of [group]. Please consider donating! [Link]
We’re seeking people to join our [fundraising opportunity]. Would you consider joining our event to help us support [community]? Learn more: [link]
5 GivingTuesday short donation message examples
In 2023, Americans gave $3.1 billion to various organizations on GivingTuesday. Tap into the success of the global day of giving by using one of these five GivingTuesday text message templates.
It’s GivingTuesday! We aim to raise [amount] to help [cause] in 24 hours. Can you help us? Give now: [link]
This Giving Tuesday, we’re raising money for [cause]. Help us kick off the day strong by donating now: [link]
[Organization name] is participating in GivingTuesday to support [mission]. Will you also join in making an impact by donating: [link]
Help us crush our goal of raising [amount] this GivingTuesday to support [mission]. Give now: [link]
Kick off the season of giving with a donation to [organization]. Your GivingTuesday gift will help us [goal]. Make a difference: [link]
10 thank you for your donation text templates
Use one of the following text message templates to thank each donor for their financial support. This simple thanks-for-your-donation message can help you maintain donor relationships.
[Name,] thank you for your donation! You’re helping us continue our mission in a meaningful way.
Donors like you make a huge impact on [cause]. On behalf of [organization name], we can’t thank you enough for your continued support.
Our Giving Tuesday results are in! We raised [amount] in just 24 hours. We’re so thankful for your support!
Thank you so much for caring about [cause]. [Organization name] is deeply grateful for your generous gift of [amount].
Our work is only possible thanks to caring people like you. Your support means we can [mission]. Thank you 💛
Thank you for your support of [cause]! Your gift helps us get one step closer to our [fundraising dollar goal].
Thanks for your donation! Your generous donation helped us get closer to our [fundraising goal]. Track the progress of [organization name’s] fundraiser here: [link]
[Donor name], thank you for your gift of [amount]! We rely on the generosity of donors like you to advance our mission.
Thanks for your donation of [amount.] Every dollar helps us further our mission of [X]. We couldn’t do it without your support.
Thank you for donating! You’re making a huge difference for [organization] and [core audience the fundraiser is helping.]
Launching a large fundraising effort? Get inspiration from our 40 fundraising SMS templates which provide event invites, asking for donation message examples, and more.
<h2 id="Tips">13 tips on crafting effective donation messages</h2>
An effective donation text message can help your organization reach its fundraising goals. Here are a few tips to help you write donation messages that convert.
- Be clear, concise, and to the point. Text messages are inherently short, so you must be concise yet clear. The goal is to capture your audience’s attention and convince them to donate without too much fluff. It’s also important not to bury your donation request.
- Make it easy to donate. You want to make it simple for contacts to donate to your cause. Make it easy by including an SMS link to a donation page or giving them clear directions on donating.
- Include a call to action. Don’t forget to include a call to action in your text message. This informs your contacts about what step to take next. Consider using phrases like “make a difference,” “donate now,” or “give today.”
- Create a sense of urgency. Fundraisers typically don’t last forever. Create urgency by letting contacts know when you’ll stop raising money for the cause.
- Pay attention to the wording. The wording of your donation text message matters. Ensure your donation ask is specific, compelling, personalized, and on-brand. This will help you create a clear why and help you better appeal to your audience.
- Know your audience. Before you send a mass donation request to your contact list, ensure that you know who you’re messaging. For example, if someone has donated to your cause before, you’ll want to tailor the message content to ensure you mention their continued support. On the other hand, if it’s a new contact, that message will look different.
- Personalize messages. Consumers crave customized experiences. Personalizing a message, even with a contact’s first name, can improve your asking donation request.
- Leverage statistics. Numbers help create compelling stories. Don’t be afraid to use statistics or numbers to persuade your audience to donate.
- Reply quickly. Text messaging is built for back-and-forth conversations. Make sure you have a plan to reply to potential donors' questions. Fast responses can increase the likelihood of gaining donations.
- Be mindful of the timing. Pay attention to both the timing and frequency of your donation request texts. The right timing can help you create a sense of urgency and ensure more people donate.
- Don’t send too many messages. A suitable donation text frequency enables you to follow up without annoying contacts. Don’t be afraid to follow up once or twice, but don’t send a string of 10 messages.
- Use visuals. You don’t need to stick to just text-only messages. MMS messaging allows you to send attachments like photos, PDFs, and more via text. Use a visual to help tell your story or create a more engaging message.
- Know SMS rules. Text messaging is highly regulated. Make sure you’re aware of these laws to keep texts compliant. For example, you must collect consent to text contacts first and provide a way for them to opt-out.
Crush your goals with Textline
Effective donation text messages drive results and help nonprofit organizations reach their fundraising goals. Textline is an easy-to-use SMS platform that helps nonprofits automate and scale donation text outreach. With features like mass texting, personalization at scale, automated texting, and two-way SMS, you can reach donors at the right time with these critical messages.
Ready to put these donation text messages to good use? Sign up for a free 14-day trial of Textline today and start reaching your goals.
