If your nonprofit relies on SMS campaigns to communicate with your supporters, you’ve likely encountered the recent waves of 10DLC compliance changes. These regulations, designed to reduce spam and protect consumers, have made it increasingly complex and costly for organizations to use texting for outreach. From stricter registration requirements to higher carrier fees and unpredictable message filtering, SMS is no longer the reliable communication channel it once was.

However, there’s good news: Facebook Messenger and direct messaging platforms are emerging as powerful alternatives, offering nonprofits a more cost-effective, engaging, and unrestricted way to connect with their supporters. Here’s why nonprofits should consider making the shift.

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The Challenges of 10DLC Compliance for Nonprofits

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Recent updates to 10DLC (10-Digit Long Code) compliance have introduced several roadblocks for nonprofits:

🚧Higher Costs – Increased fees for registration and per-message charges make SMS campaigns more expensive, not to mention the cost of having someone on staff to manage the program including registration and compliance requirements.

🚧Message Filtering & Delivery Issues – Carriers now aggressively filter messages, often blocking legitimate nonprofit outreach.

🚧Stricter Registration & Approval Delays – Nonprofits must undergo lengthy registration processes, delaying their ability to reach donors when timing is critical.

With these increasing restrictions, SMS messaging has become harder to scale—making Messenger a more attractive alternative.

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Why Messenger & Direct Messaging Are the Future for Nonprofit Engagement

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Messenger offers a direct and interactive way for nonprofits to reach their supporters, without the barriers imposed by SMS regulations. Here’s why Messenger is a superior alternative, especially for nonprofits:

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1. Unlimited Messaging Without Carrier Restrictions

Unlike SMS, where messages are subject to carrier filtering and compliance requirements including cumbersome opt-in processes, Messenger allows nonprofits to communicate freely with supporters once a supporter provides permission. Messenger makes it easy to ask for that permission and there's no double- or triple- opt in requirements like with SMS.

With Messenger, there’s also no limit on the number of messages a non-profit can send, making it an ideal channel for ongoing engagement and calls to action (used smartly, of course). And, you're not charged for responses meaning your subscribers are able to provide valuable insights back to you at no cost.

2. Higher Engagement Rates

Messenger consistently outperforms SMS and email when it comes to supporter engagement:

• 90%+ open rates on Messenger campaigns (compared to 25% for email)
• 30%+ click-through rates (compared to just 2% for email)

This level of engagement means your fundraising appeals, impact stories, and calls to action are far more likely to be seen and acted upon.

3. Priority Status for Nonprofits on Meta’s Platform

Meta prioritizes nonprofit use of Messenger, meaning organizations benefit from:

• Default opt-in for fundraisers and donors, ensuring your strongest supporters are able to stay connected with you.
• Unlimited Messaging Token, granted to nonprofits compared to for-profit businesses who are limited in their messaging communications

4. A Less Competitive, More Personalized Channel

Unlike SMS, which is now crowded with promotional messages, advertisements, and one-way notifications, Messenger remains a relatively untapped space. It allows for more personal, direct, and meaningful engagement, including two-way communication, helping organizations build stronger relationships with their supporters. 

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How Nonprofits Can Transition to Messenger

Shifting from SMS to Messenger doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few steps to get started:

1. Incorporate Messenger Opt-In into Your Existing Campaigns – Use Facebook fundraising tools or GoodUnited's Grow Fundraising Pages to ensure donors and fundraisers are easily opted into Messenger communications.
   

💡Pro Tip: Our newest Grow Page updates provide the option to automatically request messaging permission from your fundraisers, similar to the default ability for generic Facebook fundraisers.

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2. Develop a Messaging Strategy – Plan your engagement journey, from onboarding new fundraisers to sending impact updates and donation appeals.

💡Pro Tip: GoodUnited offers a suite of services to help you make the most of your messaging strategy, and we'd love to help you get your strategy squared away using channel best practices.

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3. Automate Key Messages – Use Messenger automation to welcome new supporters, send reminders, and provide fundraising tips.

💡Pro Tip: Your platform onboarding with GoodUnited includes setting up four of the most important Messenger flows for your supporters so you'll be ready to grow your social presence from the beginning.

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4. Test & Optimize – Track engagement metrics and refine your approach to maximize supporter response and conversion rates.

💡Pro Tip: We have a team ready to help you test, learn, and optimize your messaging based on your goals. Check in with your Customer Success Manager or our Sales Team to find out more about our ongoing management services.

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Final Thoughts

As texting becomes more regulated, expensive, and impersonal, Messenger presents a unique opportunity for nonprofits to enhance their communication strategy. With higher engagement rates, unlimited messaging capabilities, and priority status within Meta’s platform, Messenger is quickly becoming the go-to channel for nonprofit outreach.

If your nonprofit is still relying on SMS, now is the time to explore how Messenger can help you reach more supporters, drive more donations, and create lasting engagement.We’re here to help! If you're a current partner, reach out to your CSM for all the details. New to Messenger? Schedule time with us to see how it can work for you.

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