For Donors

Giving to your favourite registered charities has never been easier.

Click here for a complete list of charities that can receive donations through your mobile phone.

How to Make a Donation

Step 1: Open a new text message on a mobile device.

Step 2: In the “Recipient” field, type in the 5-digit Short Code number (45678, 30333, 20222, 80100, or 41010).

Step 3: In the body of the message, type in the charity’s promoted keyword and hit send.

Step 4: Reply YES to the confirmation message. If you have received a message asking you to reply with the dollar amount you wish to donate, simply reply to this message with one of the options presented.

Step 5: Claim your tax receipt by clicking the link in the “Thank you” message!

Privacy

Mobile Giving Foundation Canada (MGFC) respects your privacy. MGFC establishes guidelines around the use of the mobile channel in connection to charitable donations and adheres to a strong privacy policy.

Obtaining an Official Tax Receipt

The Mobile Giving Foundation Canada is a Registered Charity with a registration number of 849455662-RR0001. Please click here to obtain official tax receipts for your mobile giving donations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Mobile Giving Foundation Canada?
What does the Mobile Giving Foundation Canada do?
What is SMS or text messaging?
What is a short code?
What is a keyword?
What is a call to action?
What exactly is mobile giving?
Are there any text messaging fees incurred from making a text message donation?
Where does the donation get charged?
How do donations reach the registered charity?
Where can one obtain a tax receipt for donations made through text message?
Do the wireless operators receive any portion of text message donations?
Which wireless operators are currently supporting Mobile Giving Foundation Canada programs?
Who can be contacted to answer questions about mobile giving?

1. 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.

2. What does the Mobile Giving Foundation Canada do?

Validates applicant charitable status and eligibility.
Controls standardized message scripts.
Provisions and tests campaign keywords.
Tracks and reports donations.
Consolidates individual carrier payments.
Enables the issuance of official tax receipts to mobile donors.
Provides support to all MGFC stakeholders
Conducts research, educates, promotes and builds awareness about the mobile giving channel.
Builds and enhances messaging platform capabilities to expand the uses of the MGFC channel beyond one time donations to increase the applicable uses of the channel for engagement and stewardship purposes.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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 $5, $10, $20, or $25 to the respective registered charity.

7. What exactly is mobile giving?

Mobile giving encompasses the concepts of text messaging, using a short code, a keyword, and a 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”.

8. 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, $10, $20, or $25). A mobile user may donate up to $100 per 30 consecutive days.

9. 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.

10. 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.

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

Official tax receipts can be obtained by visiting https://www.mobilegiving.ca/tax-receipt/. 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.

12. 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.

13. Which wireless operators are currently supporting Mobile Giving Foundation Canada programs?

Currently, this service is available through the following wireless operators: Bell, Eastlink, Fido, Koodo Mobile, MTS, Rogers, Solo Mobile, TELUS, Videotron, Virgin Mobile, and WIND Mobile.