NON-PROFIT & POLITICAL CAMPAIGN SMS COMPLIANCE

// Course Guide

Who this course is for

• Nonprofit development and advocacy teams
• Political campaign digital directors
• PAC and party committee compliance staff
• Texting vendors and P2P platforms serving campaigns

Why texting compliance is different for nonprofits and political organizations

Nonprofit and political texting runs under special rules: the Charity and Political 10DLC use cases with their own verification (501(c)(3) proof or Campaign Verify), FCC guidance distinguishing peer-to-peer texting from autodialed messages, state laws with disclosure and timing requirements, and election-cycle surges that strain consent records. Donor and volunteer lists move between organizations, vendors and coalitions, and consent rarely travels with them.

What each module covers

1. TCPA Foundations for Nonprofits & Political Organizations. The TCPA as it applies to nonprofits and political organizations: consent tiers, autodialer rules after Facebook v. Duguid, Do Not Call obligations, statutory damages and recent case law.
2. TCR Registration. 10DLC registration for nonprofits and political organizations: brand and campaign structure, use case selection, vetting, and keeping registrations accurate as the business changes.
3. Donor & Supporter Consent. How to capture, scope and document consent for nonprofits and political organizations: express versus express written consent, disclosure language, recordkeeping and consent that survives a challenge.
4. Message Classification. For nonprofits and political organizations: classifying messages as informational, transactional, conversational or marketing, and why the classification decides which consent and which campaign apply.
5. P2P Messaging Compliance. Applied guidance on p2P Messaging Compliance for nonprofits and political organizations, with templates, checklists and case studies drawn from real programs.
6. Opt-Out Management. For nonprofits and political organizations: processing STOP and other opt-outs across every system, honoring revocation by any reasonable means, and keeping internal and national DNC lists synchronized.
7. Election-Cycle Compliance. Applied guidance on election-Cycle Compliance for nonprofits and political organizations, with templates, checklists and case studies drawn from real programs.
8. Vendor Risk Management. For nonprofits and political organizations: managing vendors and platforms that send or store data on your behalf: due diligence, contracts, audit rights, suppression syncing and liability allocation.
9. Multi-Entity Operations. For nonprofits and political organizations: running compliance across multiple locations, brands or teams: centralized controls, shared suppression, registration structures and local accountability.
10. State Law Variations. Industry and jurisdiction-specific rules that apply on top of the TCPA for nonprofits and political organizations, with practical guidance on how they change message design and consent.
11. Disclosure Documentation. For nonprofits and political organizations: building the evidence trail: consent logs, message archives, monitoring dashboards and the records regulators, carriers and plaintiffs request.
12. Defense Strategy. For nonprofits and political organizations: responding to complaints, demand letters, class actions and regulator inquiries: preserving evidence, common defenses and settlement considerations.
13. Final Certification Exam. A proctored final assessment covering every module, with scenario questions drawn from real nonprofits and political organizations situations. Passing earns the course certificate.

The problem this course prevents

A campaign borrows a coalition partner's supporter list for a get-out-the-vote push using a P2P platform, assuming P2P texting needs no consent. Several recipients file complaints and the vendor suspends the campaign. The course covers P2P rules, list sharing and political registration requirements.

Course FAQ

Do political P2P texts need consent?

P2P texting has specific treatment under FCC guidance, but carrier registration rules still apply and state laws vary. The P2P module explains the current rules.

What verification do political campaigns need for 10DLC?

Political campaigns typically need Campaign Verify or an FEC ID and must use the Political use case. The TCR registration module covers the process.

Is the course self-paced?

Yes. Non-profit & Political Campaign SMS Compliance runs about 20 hours across 13 modules, including the final exam, and you can work through it at your own pace with lifetime access to updates.

Is this course legal advice?

No. It teaches the rules, carrier requirements and operational controls that apply to nonprofits and political organizations, but it is not a substitute for advice from qualified counsel on your specific program.