ArticleBest Practices for Texting P2P Fundraisers
Peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising thrives on motivation: every participant who signs up, every donor they reach, and every step they take moves your mission forward. But in a world where email inboxes are packed and social feeds are noisy, text messaging has become one of the most direct and reliable ways to capture attention and spark action.
Whether you’re recruiting past team captains or helping current fundraisers reach their goals, SMS, MMS and RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging can be a catalyst for higher registration, stronger activation, and more dollars raised — if used thoughtfully.
Here’s how to ensure your text messaging strategy is trusted, compliant, and relevant for your P2P audiences.
1️⃣ Secure Opt-Ins the Right Way
Consent isn’t just a checkbox — it’s the foundation of trust. Regulations like TCPA (in the U.S.) and CASL (in Canada) require explicit permission before sending marketing texts. But nonprofits can go beyond the legal minimum to set expectations and build transparency.
Proven opt-in strategies:
✅ Event registration forms → Include a clear SMS opt-in checkbox with value-driven language: “Yes — text me fundraising tips and event updates!”
✅ Ask for explicit consent in your first text message → “Reply Y to subscribe to text updates about [Event/Campaign Name]”
✅ Offer — and respect — opt outs → Make it clear in every message that recipients can reply “STOP” to opt out and/or “START” to opt back in.
✅ Communicate the benefits up front → “We’ll keep you informed about event details and send you quick coaching tips to help you reach your goal faster.”
When supporters expect value, they want your messages — and they take action because of them.
2️⃣ Become a Verified, Branded RCS Sender
Trust determines deliverability — and engagement.
With text message SPAM and “smishing” (SMS phishing messages) on the rise, Apple and Google have been ramping up efforts to empower users to filter out messages from unknown senders. This means marketing messages from unknown senders are increasingly filtered, silenced, or ignored.
One way to build trust and set your messages apart from other unknown messages from short codes or 10-digit long codes is to become a verified, branded RCS sender. Not only will your messages support richer content and call-to-action buttons, but they will come from your BRAND:
✔ Your organization name appears in the inbox
✔ Logo and brand colors confirm legitimacy
✔ No suspicious short-codes or random numbers
✔ Verified by carriers as a legitimate sender
✔ Read receipts let you know if your messages are seen
Instead of looking like spam, you show up like a trusted contact.
The result: even if your message ends up in the unknown senders folder, users can quickly identify you as someone they want to hear from, and set your messages apart from unwanted spam.
3️⃣ Make Every Message Relevant & Action-Oriented
Your P2P participants didn’t opt in to receive fluff or donation appeals. They opted in for helpful, timely information. Text messaging is personal — so content must feel personalized, timely, and directly supportive of their goals. Content themes should include:
📌 Recruitment & Retention: “[Event name] is 6 weeks away — will you join us again and help make a difference this year?”
📌 Acknowledging milestones: “You’ve already raised your first $100 – way to go! Text three friends today, and you’ll reach $250 in no time!”
📌 Practical guidance: “Use our mobile app to share your page on Instagram — your top donors are usually friends and coworkers!”
📌 Urgent, bite-sized reminders: “We can’t wait to see you on Walk day! Check in now in the mobile app and skip the check in line tomorrow.”
Golden rule: If it doesn’t help them recruit, fundraise, or complete a clear next step, save it for another channel.
4️⃣ Measure & Optimize for Real P2P Success
Track metrics that matter for fundraising performance:
✔ Monitor read receipts, click-throughs, and opt outs to ensure your message content and frequency are hitting the mark.
✔ Track conversions by embedding UTMs and source codes in every link. This will enable you to report on registrations, self-donations, and other CTAs you’re promoting via text.
✔ Keep tabs on who you’re texting, so you can tabulate whether text recipients returned, fundraised, or completed desired behaviors (like getting your app!) more than those who did not receive texts.
Watching these metrics will not only show the return on your texting investment in black and white, but will also enable you to create a nimble, data-driven strategy that ensures your participants are getting value from the messages you’re sending.
5️⃣ Maintain a Clean Sending Reputation & Limit Cold Blasts
Even if you comply with opt-in rules, if recipients don’t engage with your texts, you increase risk of being treated like spam. The new unknown sender filtering introduced to iPhone users in iOS 26 responds to both recipient behavior (how recipients treat your messages) and as well as contact status. While some recommend inviting recipients to add your organization as a contact in their phone, we find it unlikely that users will do so.
The bottom line is this: ensure your text recipients expect to hear from you, and provide value through your messages. Send fewer — but more relevant, personalized texts rather than generic blasts.
This may mean giving participants a break in the “off” season and ramping up again as they come back to the fold for your next event or campaign. Proven relevance means more replies, clicks, and thus better sender classification. Texting works because it feels personal, direct, and helpful — when done well.
At Nuclavis, we offer Mobile Messaging specifically to support peer-to-peer fundraising programs. If you’re ready to create personalized, yet automated, messaging journeys to support your P2P participants at scale, let us know.
