WeGive Text Messaging SMS Overview

Last updated: April 6, 2026

WeGive's text messaging feature lets you communicate with supporters via automated SMS — great for reminders, resource delivery, follow-ups, and campaign nudges. Texts can be sent from a Journey, to a segment, or triggered by supporter actions.

Message Type

Standard SMS only — no images or media (MMS is not supported). Best for short updates and links to content like podcasts, devotionals, and impact pages.

Character Limits & Encoding

EncodingSegment SizeWhat Triggers It

GSM-7

160 chars/segment

Standard keyboard characters (A–Z, 0–9, basic punctuation)

UCS-2

70 chars/segment

Emojis, accents, or special symbols

Links are supported but count toward your character limit. Use short links to save space, track clicks, and avoid carrier issues with long URLs. Avoid emojis if you want the full 160-character segment.

Phone Numbers

You must purchase or import your own number to send SMS — WeGive's shared number is only used for system messages like verification codes.

Number types: Local numbers give a regional/personal feel. Toll-free numbers are recommended for most orgs — they're cost-effective with solid deliverability and nationwide reach.

Things to know:

  • Toll-free numbers require carrier verification, which WeGive submits automatically. This typically takes 2–4 weeks. You can send during this period, but deliverability may be limited until it completes.

  • If your org already owns phone numbers, you can import them into WeGive instead of buying new ones.

  • Billing is per segment, per number. WeGive passes through carrier costs with no markup.

Who Receives Your SMS

When composing a text, you choose which phone field to target: preferred phone, mobile, home, work, alternate, or a custom number.

SMS only sends to supporters who have SMS notifications enabled on their profile. If it's turned off, the message is skipped for that person.

Opt-In / Opt-Out

Opt-outs are handled automatically at the carrier level. If a recipient replies STOP (or STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT), the number is blocked for that sending line. There is no manual override.

Recipients can re-subscribe by replying START, YES, or UNSTOP.

Things to watch for:

  • Opt-outs only apply to the specific number the supporter replied to — not all of your org's numbers.

  • Only exact keyword replies trigger opt-out. "STOP" works, but "stop texting me" does not.

  • WeGive does not auto-append "Reply STOP to opt out." Add this to your copy if desired.

Auto-Responses & Keywords

You can configure custom keyword auto-responses on each phone number (e.g., a supporter texts "GIVE" and receives a donation link). Keywords are matched exactly but are not case-sensitive. Configure these in Settings → Messaging → Phone Numbers.

Journeys & Automation

SMS is available as a delivery method in Journey message steps alongside email, physical mail, and in-platform messages.

Common patterns include welcome messages after form submission, drip series delivering resources over days or weeks, and post-gift follow-ups. Messages can be delayed by minutes, hours, or days, or scheduled for a specific date/time. Journeys also respect sending schedule windows so messages won't fire outside your configured hours.

Reporting

In the dashboard you'll see: Sent, Delivered, Replies, Opt-outs, and Errors. Opens and bounces are not available for SMS.

Compliance Tips

  • Obtain explicit opt-in for marketing texts.

  • Identify your org in each message.

  • Keep frequency reasonable — typically 1–2 texts per week per journey.

  • Transactional texts (donation confirmations, program notices) may rely on passive consent — confirm with your org's policies.

Setup Checklist

  1. Buy or import numbers — Settings → Messaging → Phone Numbers → Buy Number.

  2. Wait for toll-free verification if applicable (typically 2–4 weeks).

  3. Build journeys — Add SMS steps, set delays, use short links.

  4. Set up auto-responses if desired.

  5. Validate phone fields on your forms before enrollment.

  6. Monitor metrics — Watch delivery rates and opt-outs, adjust content and frequency.

FAQ

Can supporters reply? Yes. Replies appear in WeGive. You can respond manually or set up keyword auto-replies.

Do links count toward the limit? Yes — every character counts.

Images or GIFs? Not supported. SMS only.

International texting? Supported where carriers allow. International rates apply.

Can I use numbers I already own? Yes — you can import existing numbers into WeGive.

What if a supporter's SMS notifications are off? The message is skipped for that person.