With Funraise Text-to-Give, you can create custom codes (like GIVE or DONATE). When Supporters send this custom code to your SMS number they'll receive an automated reply with a custom message and link to a donation page.
☝️ If you're new to Funraise's text engagement tools, we recommend reviewing Text Engagement 101.
Create text-to-give codes
2. From Settings > Text-to-Give > Click Add Code
3. Enter your code and message > Click Save
Keep your code short and clear, for example: Give, Donate, or Join.
Codes should only contain letters. Do not include spaces or symbols.
Remember, your message is the automated reply sent when a supporter texts your SMS number with the corresponding code
How it works
Custom code automated reply
With Funraise's Text-to-Give tools, you can configure custom text-to-give codes, for example: GIVE or DONATE. When a Supporter texts your SMS number with one of your custom codes, your custom message will be sent in an automated reply.
Most often your automated message will include a link to a donation page. In the example image below, the custom code is Donate and the automated reply message is Hi friend 👋 Please complete your donation at the link below. Thank you! https://example.org/give
Automated reply messages, and all outbound SMS messages from Funraise, are limited to 160 characters to avoid messages being split when received on your supporter's device.
☝️ Codes are automatically formatted to all capital letters as this is the standard format for codes, but it's good to know that codes sent from your supporters are not case-sensitive. This means, if your code is DONATE, an inbound message of Donate will also trigger the automated reply.
☝️ Do not use data merge tags in your text-to-give messages. When an automated message is sent in response to a text-to-give code, the supporter is unknown.
Example of a text-to-give code and automated reply
Custom donation amount
Supporters can also add an amount to the end of the code to prefill a donation form on the linked page with a custom amount. For example, if your custom code is GIVE, a supporter's message of GIVE50 would prefill a donation form on the linked page to $50.
A custom code amount is an optional feature of Funraise's text-to-give codes. There are a few things to keep in mind before deciding to suggest custom code amounts to your supporters:
☝️ URL shortening: Do not send links that have been shortened using shared public URL shorteners, such as TinyUrl or free Bitly links. United States carrier policies discourage the use of shared public URL shorteners, and state that your URL shortener should be both proprietary and properly branded.
☝️ Custom amounts will not work with shortened URLs
If you plan to suggest custom amounts with text-to-give codes, you'll need to use the full URL, and not a short URL, in your automated reply.
When a custom amount is added to the end of the code, Funraise automatically adds an amount URL parameter to your URL. Many shortened URLs redirect to the full URL, and parameters on the short URL will be dropped.
☝️ Custom amounts only work with a URL-only message
If you plan to suggest custom amounts with text-to-give codes, your automated message should only contain a URL. This is because the URL parameter is automatically added to the end of the message.
☝️ Custom amounts only work on the landing page
Because custom amounts are added as a URL parameter, if the donor navigates to other pages on your site, the URL parameter will be dropped.
Good to know
Text-to-Give automated replies will count towards your daily SMS send limit. Your send limit is based on your plan. Once you reach your daily send limit, automated replies will not be sent.