New SMS Regulations for Nonprofits

If your nonprofit uses SMS outreach to connect with your donors, you’re going to want to read this. 

There’s a new regulation rolling out July 5, 2023. If you want to get technical, it’s A2P 10DLC and it’s designed to combat spam texts and ensure a higher standard of messaging services. A2P stands for Application to Person, which means the text originates from an application, like CharityEngine. 10DLC refers to the ten-digit long code, or phone number, you use to text people. 

The regulation states that organizations engaging in A2P messaging – nonprofits included – will be required to register their campaigns and phone numbers to maintain compliance. The shift to A2P 10DLC is intended to enhance message deliverability, improve the user experience, and cut down on spam texts. 

Benefits of A2P 10DLC Registration 

Do you have a choice when it comes to registration? Nope. The requirement is clear, and there will be penalties assessed if you’re not registered. Your SMS messages can also be blocked, defeating the purpose of trying to evade the registration. 

And there are good reasons for registering: 

• Increased deliverability: The big carrier companies, like Verizon, will recognize legitimate senders and will be more inclined to deliver your messages. 
• Reduced filtering: Registration will help to build trust between your nonprofit and the big telecom companies. Your messages will have a significantly reduced chance of being marked as spam, because you’ll bypass strict filtering algorithms.
• Improved UX: Those receiving your texts will have a better user experience, because they will be getting the messages they want to see. 
• Better reputation: Registration gives you credibility. It allows the carriers to differentiate between legit businesses and bad guys, protecting your reputation. 
• Scalability and compliance: When you’ve registered your nonprofit and the numbers in your lists, your SMS campaigns are streamlined, and you can scale your efforts up while remaining compliant. 

Registering for A2P 10DLC Messaging 

Here’s what you need to know:

If you're a CharityEngine client, we're on top of this regulation, and as of now, there's nothing you need to do. We're working in the back end to make sure our clients are compliant.

If you're not a CharityEngine client, call your CRM vendor. Ask specific questions! Are they going to ensure their clients are compliant? Is there anything your nonprofit needs to do?

As the program is rolled out, there will likely be a backlog of campaigns seeking approval. Again, if you're a CharityEngine client, we're doing everything we can to speed the process. 

Compliance Will Improve SMS Messaging 

This extra step can, at first glance, seem really annoying. But text is a rapidly growing outreach method, and not having regulations in place can degrade it quickly.

Email went through this a few decades ago: it was the wild west, and it was getting out of hand. Now regulations are in place, such as making it easy to unsubscribe or set other email preferences, and it’s a more effective means of communication. 

The new regulations, which likely lay the foundation for further blocking of spammy texts, will improve the SMS experience for you and your donors. In registering campaigns and numbers, your nonprofit will improve message deliverability, establish trust with carriers, and protect yourself from being labeled as spam. 

One point to note. There will be fees involved in compliance that are both one-time and recurring. Those costs might be passed down to consumers, so be prepared for an increase in costs after this regulation goes into effect.

CharityEngine crushes the email deliverability game, beating all others when it comes to getting your emails in inboxes. And we’re by your side as regulations come to SMS. Our team has been following this regulation as it’s developed, and we’re prepared to help guide our clients to full compliance. We’re the partner you want.