Charitable donation campaigns should be registered as Donations Campaign with either a TFN, 10DLC or Shortcode.
There can be a fine line between fundraising and donations. But when it comes to SMS outreach, the easiest way to understand what is and isn’t permissible is that requesting money from your audience directly is usually not permitted.
Monetary donations are not permissible.
Example: “Please donate $20 to help us feed our rescued pets”. Similarly, links to GoFundMe type pages that will have a “Donate Now” button will likely be cancelled by our compliance team
Non-monetary donations are permitted.
This is where you ask your audience to send food or clothing, such as a boy scout food drive or invite people to drive over and donate their unwanted clothing or goods.
You can link to a page with details, but again, you cannot request monetary donations on that page.
Eligibility for Donation Messaging
Donations are permitted only if the sender is:
A political organization (only applicable on 10DLC)
A tax-exempt charity organization under IRS code 501(c)(3)
Guidelines for Sending Donation Messages
Message Content
Eligible organizations may request donations in the message body.
A URL link to a donation page can be included.
Data Usage Restrictions
Only the organization directly involved in the donation campaign may use the mobile subscriber data (contacts).
Sharing subscriber data between organizations is prohibited.
Types of Donations
Monetary donations (e.g., direct financial contributions).
Physical donations (e.g., clothing, supplies).
Verification Requirements
Political organizations or organizations with a verified campaign token may request donations.
Tax-exempt charities must be classified as 501(c)(3) and provide an IRS determination letter confirming their status. This document should be attached to the campaign registration.
Churches are automatically considered 501(c)(3) organizations under U.S. law.