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Text to Donate FAQ
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Text to Donate is a simple tool that allows your guests and Supporters to text a number, get an automatic reply that invites them to a make a donation to your organization. We have compiled a short list of some best practices and frequently asked questions below along with a video that discusses what Text to Donate is, how it works, recommended use cases, and how to set it up.
Best Practices:
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Keep it simple - A simple donation page is often a better choice. Since guests will be using their mobile device, we really only recommend adding a few things to your donation page.
- Colors and header images - Found in your Project Website General Settings
- Donation Amounts - Can be enabled using Advanced Editing on the Project Website when editing an Online Payment: Donations Module
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Use a Friendly URL - This is a highly recommended option when using text to donate. Because the text message received will have the URL to your donation page, we recommend Adding a Friendly URL to make the URL shorter.
- Customize Your Receipt - Since a text message is kind of stiff to begin with, customize the receipt email your Supporter receives. This can be done in the same area when you create the page, and the steps can be found under Confirmation Emails on Creating a Registration Page.
Explore some fantastic Online Payment donation sites designed by clients and discover new ideas you can implement on your own donation pages by downloading our Online Payments Page: Client Examples PDF.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do I add Text to Donate?
There are three steps to adding Text to Donate. First, create your donation page. This can be part of a Project Website or a standalone Online Payments donation page. It cannot be an Online Bidding page. Second, request Text to Donate using our form in the Contact Us menu. The form will ask for your organization's information, requested keyword (should be specific to your organization), and donation page URL. Third, after receiving confirmation from our support team that your keyword is ready to use, share the keyword and shortcode with donors!
Can my organization use Text to Donate?
Any current Greater Giving customer with an active agreement for Online Payments (Project Website) can currently request Text to Donate, as long as you are an authorized person and have created a Greater Giving Donation Page.
Can we customize the shortcode we send text messages to?
At this time the shortcode is 366283. There is no timeline on adding additional shortcodes at this time.
How many keywords does my organization get?
Each organization gets two active keywords at no cost if you have our Online Payments/Project Website software. These keywords are not case sensitive (DEMO is the same as Demo is the same as dEmO).
Can we switch out our keywords or donation pages?
Yes! If you want to use a different keyword or connect your existing keyword to a different donation page, we can easily make that change. Simply fill out the form in the Contact Us section or send an email to support@greatergiving.com.
Can you save a keyword for us until we are ready?
Keywords are on a first come first serve basis. We are unable to guarantee or hold a keyword for you. Note that your keyword should be specific to your organization in some way. Generic keywords such as DONATE, GIFT, or SUPPORT are not available.
What is the difference between Text to Donate and Text to Give?
Text to Donate is similar to Text to Give, but there are a few key differences. Greater Giving offers Text to Donate.
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Text to Donate works by your Supporter texting a number and a reply message is sent that links your Supporter to a mobile donation page. They can then place a donation to your organization using their credit card.
- Text to Give works by your Supporter texting a number and a donation is automatically made and applied to their phone bill by their telephone provider.
- Text to Give works by your Supporter texting a number and a donation is automatically made and applied to their phone bill by their telephone provider.
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Text to Donate allows you to customize your donation page by adding options such as custom amounts, recurring payments, and even receipt customization.
- Text to Give has less customization options, and only allows for increments approved by telephone providers, typically $5, $10, and $25.
- Text to Give has less customization options, and only allows for increments approved by telephone providers, typically $5, $10, and $25.
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Text to Donate allows you to collect information about your Supporters as they make a donation. This allows you to follow up with that Supporter, thanking them.
- Text to Give provides a lump sum of donations to your organization, but does not provide any information about who made the donations.