What is the Mobile Giving Foundation Canada?

The Mobile Giving Foundation Canada (MGFC) is a non-profit public foundation and a registered charity, (Business/Registration Number 849455662 RR0001), whose purpose is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of other registered charities in Canada by providing a mobile technology platform for charitable donations. The mobile platform allows mobile users to make a one-time donation to a registered charity via their mobile devices, and have the convenience of the donation appear on their monthly wireless phone bill. In order to accomplish this, the Mobile Giving Foundation Canada has partnered with the Canadian wireless operators and the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, as well as the Mobile Giving Foundation US. MGFC actively contributes towards the ongoing growth and application of this mobile technology to increase public awareness, promote the act of permissive giving and maintain a cost effective means by which charitable organizations can broaden their existing donor base.

What does the Mobile Giving Foundation Canada do?

• Validate applicant charitable status (CRA registration number) to ensure the legitimacy of organizations applying to offer mobile giving programs.
• Control standardized message flows.
• Provision and testing of campaign keywords.
• Track and report donations.
• Consolidate individual carrier payments for charity remittance.
• Issue official tax receipts to mobile donors.
• Provide support to all MGF-C stakeholders.

What is SMS or text messaging?
SMS stands for Short Message Service, commonly known as text messaging. Text messaging is a feature available on almost all of today’s mobile devices. This feature allows short messages, up to 136 characters in length including spaces, to be transmitted to and from mobile devices.

What is a short code?
Similar to a telephone number, short codes are special 5- or 6-digit numbers used to route text messages from mobile phones to interactive mobile messaging applications, typically in combination with a keyword. They are designed to be shorter and easier to remember than regular telephone numbers. Short codes also allow for billing and other unique forms of interaction via the mobile phone, such as news alerts, contest voting, ordering ringtones, charity donations and mobile chat services.

What is a keyword?
Used in combination with a short code, a keyword is a word that differentiates a mobile campaign from others on the same short code. The keyword and short code combination allows mobile phone users to make a one-time donation to any specific MGFC-sponsored mobile donation campaign.

What is a call to action?

A call to action is any advertisement that asks an individual to take action in response to the message portrayed within the advertisement. A mobile giving call to action typically asks viewers to text a specific keyword to a short code to donate either $5 or $10 to the respective registered charity.

What exactly is mobile giving?

Mobile giving encompasses all of the above noted definitions and terms: text messaging, short code, keyword, and call to action. Mobile giving can be described as the act of donating money to a registered charity through one’s mobile device via text messaging. Mobile giving is often referred to as “text-to-donate”.

There are five steps that take one through the initiation and completion of a mobile donation. The sequence of these steps is as follows:

1)     The mobile user sees a call to action requesting a donation. (Example: Text KEYWORD to 12345 to donate $5 to registered charity.)

2)     The mobile user responds by sending the KEYWORD in the body of a text message to the short code 12345.

3)     The mobile user receives a reply from short code 12345 asking for confirmation of the donation amount to the specified charity. To confirm, the mobile user must reply to the message with YES. If the mobile user does not respond, the donation will not be processed.

4)     The mobile user replies to the number 12345 with YES in the body of the text message.

5)     The mobile user receives a “Thank You” text message further confirming the donation to the specified charity.

After the “Thank You” message has been sent to confirm the donation, mobile donors may receive an additional message from the short code. This additional message is ONLY sent under the following two circumstances:

• Under one circumstance, a registered charity may wish to ask the donor to opt-in to receive informational text message alerts to keep them updated on various aspects of the charity. In order to subscribe to receive these updates from the charity via text message, the donor must actively opt-in by following the instructions displayed within the message received. These alerts, unless otherwise indicated, are charged at the standard rate text messaging fee specific to the wireless operator providing service. To opt-out of any alert program, mobile users can simply send the word STOP in the body of the text message to the associated short code.

• Under the second circumstance, a registered charity may wish to send an additional message asking the donor if they would like to donate $5 every month as a part of a subscription donation program. The donor would need to reply to that message with the keyword MONTHLY in order to actively confirm their permission to opt-in to the subscription donation program. If the donor does not reply to the message received, no further donations will be processed and the donor will not receive any further messages. If at any point the donor wishes to unsubscribe from the subscription donation program, the donor simply needs to send the word STOP in the body of a text message as a reply to the associated short code.

Are there any text messaging fees incurred from making a text message donation?

No. All text messages that are required to initiate and confirm the donation are free. There are no standard rate text message fees associated with text messages sent to or received from the mobile giving short codes throughout the donation process. The only fee incurred by the mobile user is the dollar amount of the donation itself ($5 or $10).

Where does the donation get charged?

After completing the necessary steps required to confirm a donation through text message, the charge(s) will appear on the donor’s next wireless bill/invoice statement.

How do donations reach the registered charity?

All donations made via text message are charged to the donor’s wireless bill. The wireless operators remit all donations that have been collected, on a monthly basis, to the Mobile Giving Foundation Canada, which in turn remits these funds directly to the respective charities.

Where can one obtain a tax receipt for donations made through text message?

Official tax receipts can be obtained by visiting www.MobileGiving.ca. Please note that one must be in possession of the mobile device used to process the donation(s) in order to obtain an official tax receipt.

Do the wireless operators receive any portion of text message donations?

No. The wireless operators do not receive any portion of donations made through text messaging.

Which wireless operators are currently supporting Mobile Giving Foundation Canada programs?
Currently, this service is available through the following wireless operators: Bell, Fido, Koodo Mobile, Rogers, Solo Mobile, TELUS, Videotron, Virgin Mobile, WIND Mobile.

Who can be contacted to answer questions about mobile giving?

For any questions related to mobile giving in Canada, please send enquiries to support@mobilegiving.ca.