Year-end texts for nonprofits: thank, update, invite

A good year-end plan for a nonprofit has three short texts: a thank-you, an update and an invitation. Each one has a single purpose, so supporters know what you are telling them.

This plan spreads the three messages over about three weeks. Adjust the dates to fit your calendar and your supporters. The samples below are examples written as your organization, so change the wording to sound like you.

Who should receive these texts?

Send only to supporters who have agreed to receive your texts. Each message should also give a clear way to stop. This keeps your list healthy and your messages welcome.

Consent means the person said yes to messages from your organization, ideally in writing or on a sign-up form. Our guide on consent and opt-out explains what counts and how opt-out works.

If someone gave you their number for a different purpose, such as a volunteer shift, consider asking before you add them to this plan. A short question respects their attention and gives you a clear record.

STOP and HELP keywords are handled automatically. You still want every message to say who is sending and how to opt out.

What is the three-part plan?

1. Week 1: thank your supporters.
2. Week 2: share an update on what their support made possible.
3. Week 3: invite them to an event, with enough notice to plan.

Leave several days between messages. Supporters get time to read each one, and you get time to read the replies.

Consider the days around your own calendar too. If your event falls early in the new year, you might send the invitation in the last week of the year-end stretch, so people can plan before the new year begins.

How do you write the thank-you text?

Send the thank-you first, and ask for nothing in it. A plain thanks tells supporters you noticed them.

Name your organization, say thank you, and keep it to one idea. Keep the message brief, because the account-name header and unsubscribe footer add length to every bulk message.

Furcata adds your account name at the start and a short unsubscribe line at the end of every bulk message, and both count toward the length. With them, the examples below use 2 segments each. In the US and Canada, one segment uses one credit, and every message also carries one flat messaging fee.

Hi {first_name}, thank you for supporting us this year. We are grateful for you.

If you know the person's role, you can say so. A volunteer and a long-time supporter may each like a thank-you that fits what they did. Furcata contacts support three custom fields, which can hold a detail like that.

What goes in the update?

The update tells supporters what happened because of them. Choose one concrete result and state it plainly.

If you have more to say, point to a page. Furcata accounts include a landing page, so you can put the full story there and keep the text short.

{first_name}, this year we [one result, such as hosted 12 meals]. Read the full update: [link].

Check your own numbers before you fill in the result. A figure you can stand behind builds more trust than a large one you cannot confirm.

How do you invite supporters to an event?

Put the date, time and place near the start of the invitation. Say whether the event is open to guests.

Send the invitation early enough for people to plan. If plans change, send a short follow-up as soon as plans change.

{first_name}, you are invited to [event] on [date] at [time], [place]. Hope to see you there.

If your event is a free event, you can say so in the text. Tell people how to reply if they have a question, and make sure someone is ready to answer.

How do replies and costs work?

Replies arrive in your inbox, so plan time for someone to read them. Incoming texts are billed at the same rate as outgoing texts.

In the US and Canada, one segment uses one credit. Every message also carries one flat messaging fee, whatever its length or type.

Credits you buy do not expire. Current prices are on the pricing page, and the billing guide explains what you are charged for.

Furcata does not charge per user, so you can give a few teammates access to the inbox at no cost per person. That helps when replies come in after the invitation goes out.

How do you send to a large list?

You can send each part to your whole list or to a group. Furcata contacts support custom fields and quick filters, which help you reach the right people with the right text.

Our broadcasts guide covers sending one message to a large list in batches. Good habits for timing and volume are in the messaging guide.

If you would like to plan your costs before you send, the billing guide is a good place to begin.