Key Takeaways from the 2025 Texting Insights Report

Why this report matters

The nonprofit fundraising landscape changes constantly, especially when it comes to technology. That's why momoGood and MissionWired recently teamed up to publish the 2025 Texting Insights Report.

This year, we analyzed over 138 million nonprofit text messages to discover what strategies drive the most donations. Read on for the key takeaways, or download the free report for full access to the data.

High-impact, fast-ROI channels are needed

As we started collecting data about text fundraising, one thing became abundantly clear: To navigate federal funding cuts, economic uncertainty, and rising demand for services, nonprofits need fundraising channels that deliver results fast.

That's where SMS comes in. With the channel's 99% open rate and near-instant deliverability, text messaging naturally excels as a high-speed engagement strategy.

But what kind of results can you expect from fundraising texts? What does the return on investment (ROI) for nonprofits actually look like? In the 2025 Texting Insights Report, we found that:

• Fundraising texts raised $4.38 for every $1 spent.
• Text messages inspired donors to give $71 on average.
• Engagement texts (those not asking directly for a donation) raised $3.03 for every $1 spent.
• Engagement texts saw an average click-through rate of 3.28%.

Clearly, SMS can generate a significant ROI for your organization, whether you use it for fundraising appeals, relationship-building, or both.

To put these numbers in perspective: a $4.38 ROI means that for every $1,000 your organization spends on fundraising texts, you can expect approximately $4,380 in donations. For engagement-only texts — messages that share stories, invite feedback, or promote events without a direct ask — the $3.03 ROI demonstrates that relationship-building is not just a feel-good strategy. It has measurable financial value. Organizations that skip engagement and send only fundraising appeals leave real money on the table.

Nonprofit SMS performance remains strong

Organizations across the country recognize the need for fast, high-ROI channels like text messaging, and they're tapping in. The nonprofits we surveyed sent an average of 36 bulk texts per year, a massive increase from last year's average of just 9 text messages.

But nonprofits aren't just sending SMS (plain text messages). Of the text messages they sent in 2024, about 61% were MMS (multimedia messages) and 39% were SMS.

That jump from 9 to 36 bulk texts per year is one of the most striking findings in the report. It signals a fundamental shift in how nonprofits think about SMS — from a supplementary channel used for a few campaigns per year to a core part of the fundraising and engagement strategy. Organizations are not just texting more; they are texting more strategically, with a mix of formats and message types designed to build relationships and drive revenue throughout the year.

SMS vs. MMS performance

• MMS messages had a 25% higher conversion rate than SMS alone.
• SMS generated a 66% higher ROI, driven by more clicks and fewer opt-outs.
• The strongest results came from combining both: by sending an MMS fundraising text followed by an SMS fundraising text within the next 3 days, conversion rates rose 53% and ROI increased 46%.

The takeaway is clear: don't choose between SMS and MMS. Use both strategically for maximum impact.

Why does the combination outperform either format alone? The MMS message catches attention with a visual — a photo from the field, a branded campaign graphic, or a short video clip — and creates emotional engagement. The SMS follow-up a few days later reinforces the ask with a concise, text-only reminder that loads instantly and feels personal. The visual opens the door; the text closes the gift. This one-two approach aligns with how donors actually process fundraising messages: they need both emotional connection (MMS) and a clear, urgent call to action (SMS).

Another notable finding: SMS messages generated fewer opt-outs per send than MMS messages. This suggests that supporters are more tolerant of plain text messages, likely because they feel lighter and less intrusive than multimedia messages. The practical implication is that your non-fundraising, relationship-building texts — impact updates, event reminders, thank-yous — can be sent as SMS to keep opt-out rates low, while you reserve MMS for your highest-impact fundraising moments.

Relationship-building texts drive results

The data proves that you need more than just donation appeals to maintain a successful text fundraising strategy. Most nonprofits maintain a nearly even mix of fundraising and non-fundraising texts, before shifting primarily toward fundraising content in December.

For the majority of the year, organizations prioritize relationship-building text messages over direct asks. Engage your nonprofit's donors over text before making an ask by:

• Sharing impact updates
• Inviting them to events
• Asking for their feedback
• Expressing your appreciation
• Sharing photos, videos, and blog posts
• Making other small, non-monetary asks

Ultimately, these kinds of text messages are highly valuable. Engagement texts had 3.28% click-through rates and a meaningful ROI of $3.03 per dollar spent. Organizations that sent cultivation texts before fundraising texts consistently saw higher average gift sizes.

This finding deserves emphasis because it challenges a common instinct in nonprofit fundraising: the urge to make every message count by including an ask. The data shows the opposite approach wins. A nonprofit that sends two engagement texts — an impact story and a thank-you — before its first fundraising text of the month will generate more revenue than one that sends three fundraising asks in the same period. The engagement messages earn attention and trust; the fundraising ask converts that trust into action.

The ideal ratio, based on the report's data, is approximately 2:1 — two engagement or stewardship texts for every one fundraising ask during non-campaign months. During campaign sprints (Giving Tuesday, year-end), the ratio shifts toward more asks, but even then, progress updates and impact messages should be interspersed to keep donors feeling informed rather than pressured.

Timing and send patterns

The report uncovered several important findings about when nonprofits send texts and how timing affects performance:

• Weekday sends outperform weekends for fundraising texts. Tuesday through Thursday generated the highest click-through and conversion rates. Monday tends to have slightly lower engagement as supporters catch up from the weekend.
• Late morning sends (10:00 AM - 12:00 PM) produced the highest engagement rates for fundraising texts. Supporters are past their morning rush and are more receptive to a giving ask during a midday break.
• Evening sends (6:00 PM - 9:00 PM) worked well for engagement texts — impact stories, event invitations, and stewardship messages. Supporters are more relaxed and willing to read a longer message or watch a video in the evening.
• Friday afternoon sends had the lowest performance for fundraising appeals, likely because supporters are transitioning into weekend mode and less inclined to act on a giving request.

These timing patterns should inform your sending schedule, but they are averages across the full dataset. Your specific audience may behave differently. The report recommends using AI-powered send time optimization to deliver messages when each individual supporter is most likely to engage, rather than relying solely on aggregate timing data.

For engagement message ideas, see our 21 donation message templates and 13 ways to use nonprofit SMS.

Nonprofits text the most during year-end giving season

Most months, nonprofits sent about 2-3 text messages to opted-in supporters. Thanks to Giving Tuesday and year-end campaigns, however, that number jumped to an average of 7 mass messages sent in December.

Urgency is key during the year-end giving season, so it makes sense that this is when text fundraising strategies really shine. Here's a snapshot of what our Texting Insights Report found about texts sent during year-end campaigns:

• MMS messages sent during high-urgency campaigns like Giving Tuesday have higher conversion rates.
• Giving Tuesday is the strongest single day of the year for text fundraising.
• The day after Giving Tuesday actually generates a higher ROI and more conversions than Giving Tuesday itself.
• Like other channels, the last three days of December are strong performers for text fundraising.
• Compared to the rest of the year, texts sent in November and December deliver 89% higher ROI, larger average gifts, and fewer opt-outs.

Wondering how timing plays into text message success during other parts of the year? The full report covers the best time of day and day of the week for fundraising texts. Download it for the complete timing data.

Opt-out rates and list health

Opt-out rates are one of the most closely watched metrics in SMS fundraising, and the report provides benchmarks that help organizations assess whether their list is healthy or at risk:

• The average opt-out rate per message was 1.1%. This means that for every 1,000 texts sent, about 11 subscribers opted out. This is within the healthy range — consistent with a well-managed program that provides value between asks.
• Opt-out rates were lowest for engagement texts (impact updates, event invitations, thank-yous) and highest for fundraising texts sent without prior cultivation. This reinforces the importance of the engagement-before-ask pattern.
• Opt-out rates spiked when organizations exceeded 8 messages per month without clear campaign urgency. During campaign sprints (Giving Tuesday, year-end), higher frequency was tolerated — but only when each message added new information (progress updates, match announcements, countdowns).
• New subscribers had higher opt-out rates in the first 30 days. This finding highlights the importance of a strong welcome sequence that immediately demonstrates value. Organizations that sent a welcome text, an impact story, and an event invitation within the first two weeks saw significantly lower early opt-out rates than those that led with a fundraising ask.

The practical takeaway: monitor your opt-out rate per send, not just your overall list attrition. A single send with a 3%+ opt-out rate is a signal that something went wrong — the message was not relevant, the frequency was too high, or the segment was not targeted enough. Use per-send opt-out data to diagnose and fix issues before they compound.

Program maturity matters

Finally, we found that text message performance is often related to the maturity of a nonprofit's SMS strategies.

New programs

If your text fundraising program is new or you have a small contact list, you'll likely see higher ROI, conversions, clicks, and opt-outs. The audience is fresh and responsive, but also still being qualified. Newer programs sent an average of 1-2 mass texts per month, balancing fundraising asks with engagement and cultivation messages to show donors the value of their opt-in.

Mature programs

As programs grow, they stabilize with more consistent retention and long-term ROI. To continue scaling effectively, organizations with larger lists must prioritize segmentation and automation. Larger programs increased their text frequency, with the largest campaigns sending up to 4-8 texts in a single week.

What separates high-performing programs from the rest

The report identified several characteristics that distinguished the top-performing SMS programs from average ones:

• Segmentation: High-performing programs segmented their audience by at least two dimensions — typically engagement level and giving history. Programs that sent the same message to their entire list consistently underperformed.
• SMS + MMS combination: Top programs used both formats strategically, reserving MMS for high-impact moments and using SMS for follow-ups and stewardship. Programs that used only SMS or only MMS left performance on the table.
• Consistent year-round sending: The highest-performing programs did not go silent between campaigns. They maintained a steady cadence of 3-5 texts per month throughout the year, building relationships and keeping the channel warm. Programs that only texted during Giving Tuesday and year-end saw lower conversion rates because their list was effectively cold.
• Post-gift stewardship: Top programs sent a thank-you text within 24 hours of a gift and followed up with an impact update within 30 days. This stewardship loop improved donor retention and increased the likelihood of repeat giving.

No matter where you are in your organization's texting journey, one thing remains true: balance, personalization, and timing create the highest impact.

Next steps for your nonprofit

With these insights at your fingertips, your organization has a clear next step. If you haven't already, it's time to tap into text fundraising. Smarter segmentation, personalization, and messaging integration will dominate the future of nonprofit texting, so build a strong foundation now.

Whether you're starting from scratch or scaling an established program, the insights are actionable:

• Invest in text messaging if you haven't already — the ROI data supports it at every program stage.
• Balance fundraising and engagement texts — cultivation before the ask produces larger gifts.
• Combine SMS and MMS — the one-two punch consistently outperforms either format alone.
• Lean into year-end — increase frequency in November and December when donors are most responsive.
• Segment and personalize as your program grows — it's what separates mature, high-ROI programs from plateaued ones.

momoGood Messaging is built to support every stage of this journey — from your first text to your highest-performing Giving Tuesday campaign. Talk to our team to get started.