Starting June 2, 2025, churches will no longer be able to receive Text2Give donations via the “84321” short code. You’ll need to transition to a dedicated 10-digit phone number to continue accepting text donations.

Mobile carriers have updated their regulations, discontinuing support for shared short codes and requiring additional security for text-based donations. Shared short codes allowed multiple organizations to send messages from the same number, which led to spam complaints, misuse by bad actors, and reduced SMS deliverability.

To comply with these new requirements, we’re updating our Text2Give program. We understand this is a significant change, but we believe it will make Text2Give more secure and reliable for your church and your donors.

What’s changing? 

There are three changes to our Text2Give program: 

  1. Dedicated 10-digit phone numbers: Currently, our Text2Give program relies on a shared short code—84321. To comply with carrier regulations, all churches using Text2Give must register a dedicated 10-digit phone number for their account before June 2, 2025.
    • A dedicated number costs $5 per month. Text2Give messaging costs beyond that are included in your Giving subscription at no additional cost.
  2. Keywords: 
    • Donors must now include the keyword GIVE followed by the donation amount (e.g., GIVE $25). If donors forget to include GIVE, they’ll receive a reminder message with the correct format.
    • Fund keywords will continue to work as they do today (e.g., GIVE $25 MISSIONS).
    • REFUND is no longer a supported keyword. In-line with all other online donations, donors must reach out to their church to process a refund or cancellation.
  3. Confirmation links: Text donations must now be confirmed via a secure web link. When a donor texts to give, they’ll receive a confirmation link—just one quick tap to confirm finalizes the donation. No login is required.

These changes do not impact other features of Planning Center Giving or any other methods of receiving donations, whether online, through the app, or by recording cash and check gifts. 

How do I get a dedicated 10-digit number? 

You can register your new dedicated number in the Billing tab under Account Settings. This step must be completed by an Organization Administrator.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to choose your number. We explored every possible option to make this possible, but we sadly couldn’t find a feasible path forward despite our best efforts.

If you register for a dedicated 10-digit number, our SMS provider, Twilio, will assign you a randomly selected toll-free number. 



Already using a dedicated 10-digit number for outgoing messaging from People lists? Perfect! You can keep using it—just resubmit the registration to ensure it’s verified with carriers for both purposes.

More details on registering for a dedicated 10-digit number can be found here.

When will donations stop processing on 84321? 

Donations on the shortcode will stop processing on June 2, 2025, but you have the flexibility to transition sooner. You can choose to stop processing donations on the shortcode and start using your new phone number anytime between now and then.

Once your dedicated 10-digit number is registered for Text2Give, you’ll find this option under Text2Give settings in Giving. This allows you to begin the transition at the time that best suits you and your donors.

What will the transition look like for donors?

If you have registered a dedicated number:

  • Donors who text 84321 after we stop processing donations on it will be seamlessly guided to your new number.
  • For those who already use Text2Give, no additional setup is needed—giving will continue to work automatically with the new number.
  • New Text2Give donors will experience a simplified setup process. Since you now have a dedicated number, the “find my church” step is no longer needed!

If you have not registered a dedicated number:

  • Donors who text 84321 after we stop processing donations on it will be guided to your donation form on Church Center Web instead.

Donor communication guide 

We’ve put together a set of customizable templates and resources to help you seamlessly communicate your new number to your church community.

Generate a custom QR code, preset with your new number 

Make giving simple with a QR code linked directly to your new dedicated number. When someone scans the code, a text message window will automatically open with your number pre-filled—making it easy for donors to text their donation. You can find this in your Text2Give settings in Giving.

Customize pre-made slide templates to share your new number 

Choose from three slide templates you can edit with your new number and QR code to share during announcements. You will need to create a Canva login to use it, but it’s free. Follow the instructions to edit, and then download! 

Create a list of everyone who has given via text 

Within Planning Center People, you can create a targeted list of everyone who’s previously given via text. From there, send an email—or maybe even a text from your new number—to keep them updated. 

Use this email template to tell people about your new number 

We’ve provided a starter email template to help you spread the word. Be sure to personalize it with details like your fund keywords or a suggestion to use Church Center for an even smoother experience.

 

We understand this is a big change. We’ve made every attempt to make this a smooth transition for you and your donors. Please reach out with any questions. We are always here to help!

💛 Team Giving