Donation Receipt Templates for Nonprofits
Donation receipts are a crucial part of the donation process. They provide donors with a record of their generosity and ensure your nonprofit remains compliant with IRS regulations.
While many nonprofits automate their donation receipts using fundraising software, you can still add some personal touches to show your appreciation for your donors. Donation receipt templates help you save time when creating custom donation receipt messages with ready-to-use formats for various donor types, from major donors to online contributors.
This guide offers free donation receipt templates you can copy and adapt, along with examples and best practices for creating different types of receipts.
What is a donation receipt?
A donation receipt is an official acknowledgment that your nonprofit has received a donor's monetary or in-kind contribution. While its primary purpose is to provide donors with the required documentation for tax deductions, a well-crafted receipt also serves as a crucial stewardship touchpoint for expressing gratitude and building long-term loyalty.
What should be included in a donation receipt?
To ensure compliance with IRS regulations and provide proper documentation for the donor, every donation receipt should include the following core elements:
- Your organization's name and address
- The donor's name
- The date your nonprofit received the funds or the physical items
- The donation amount or description of the donated item:
- For monetary gifts, state the exact cash amount.
- For non-cash (in-kind) gifts, provide a clear, specific description of the items donated (e.g., "three desktop computers" rather than just "office equipment"), but do not assign a monetary value to them; that is the donor's responsibility.
- A goods and services disclosure: Explicitly state whether the donor received any goods or services in exchange for their gift. If they received nothing, you must include a disclaimer along the lines of "No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution."
- Your nonprofit's employer identification number (EIN) to prove your tax-exempt status
IRS rules for donation receipts
Understanding IRS thresholds is crucial for keeping your organization compliant and helping your donors claim their deductions.
Substantiation requirement (the $250 rule)
For any single contribution (cash or non-cash) of $250 or more, the IRS requires the donor to have a written acknowledgment from the charity. The donor must receive the receipt before filing their tax return for the year in which they made the gift. A canceled check or bank statement is not sufficient for gifts of $250 or more.
Quid pro quo disclosure (the $75 rule)
A quid pro quo contribution happens when a donor makes a payment partly as a gift and partly for goods or services. For example, a donor pays $100 for a charity dinner ticket, but the dinner's fair market value is $40.
If the donor's total payment exceeds $75, the nonprofit must provide a written disclosure statement. This statement must:
- Inform the donor that their tax deduction is limited to the amount that exceeds the value of the goods/services received (in the example above, $60).
- Provide a good-faith estimate of the fair market value of the goods or services the donor received.
Form 8283 for non-cash gifts over $500
If a donor claims a deduction of more than $500 total for non-cash charitable contributions over the tax year, they must complete and attach IRS Form 8283 to their tax return. While filling out this form is the donor's responsibility, nonprofits should be aware of it. If a single non-cash gift is valued at over $5,000, the donor generally needs a qualified appraisal, and the charity must sign a section of Form 8283 acknowledging receipt of the item.
How to make a donation receipt
While the primary purpose of a donation receipt is tax compliance, treating it like a standard transaction is a missed opportunity. Here are the steps to create a receipt that keeps you compliant while making your donors feel valued:
- Choose your creation method. Decide whether you are adapting a manual template (such as the free examples below) or automating the process with your fundraising software. Using a CRM like Bloomerang allows you to automatically generate and send receipts as soon as a donation is processed.
- Gather the transaction details. Pull the donor's full name, the exact date the gift was received, and the specific donation amount or description of the in-kind items.
- Lead with gratitude and personalization. Don't just send a sterile tax document. Start the receipt with a warm, personalized "thank you." Address the donor by their preferred name and acknowledge their specific relationship with your nonprofit (e.g., if they are a first-time donor or a long-time supporter).
- Include an impact statement. Briefly remind the donor what their money is doing. One or two sentences explaining how their gift supports your mission reinforces their decision to give and encourages future donations.
- Add the required IRS fields. Insert your organization's legal name, address, and EIN. Ensure you include the mandatory goods and services disclosure (e.g., "No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution").
- Review for compliance. Double-check that your receipt complies with IRS rules for the gift type and amount. If the gift is over $75 and the donor received something in return, ensure your quid pro quo disclosure estimates the fair market value of the goods received.
- Send the receipt promptly. Best practice dictates sending a donation receipt within 24 to 48 hours of receiving the gift. Promptness shows professionalism and deepens donor trust.
- Log the interaction in your CRM. Keep a record of the receipt and the date it was sent in your CRM. This ensures your team has a complete history of donor communications in case they request a duplicate copy at tax time.
Donation and non-cash gifts receipt example
It's a good idea to start your donation receipt templates with a generic email or letter that you can send for any donation or non-cash gift.
Hello, Sarah!
It's people like you who make what we do possible. Your $250 donation on July 4, 2026, to our Save the Turtles Campaign is greatly appreciated. So, let us be the first to say THANK YOU for being a part of our mission in saving the Sea Turtles!
Since 2013, we've been working tirelessly to ensure that the habitats of these beautiful creatures remain intact and to promote their health and well-being among those who live in the communities around them.
Your amazing donation of $250 is tax-deductible for $200. Below is a receipt for your records. Don't worry, we'll also send out a year-end tax summary in time for you to file early next year.
If you need to make any adjustments, you can follow the link below to manage your giving options with our donor management system, Bloomerang CRM.
Thanks again!
Jonathan
The Sea Turtle Foundation
In-kind/non-cash gift receipt example
Because the IRS prohibits nonprofits from assigning a monetary value to donated goods, your in-kind receipt template should acknowledge the physical items without stating a fair market value (FMV).
Hello, David!
It's people like you who make what we do possible. Your generous in-kind donation of 10 heavy-duty marine rescue nets and five large storage bins, received on August 15, 2026, is greatly appreciated. So, let us be the first to say THANK YOU for being a part of our mission in saving the Sea Turtles!
These essential supplies will immediately be put to use by our field teams, helping us safely transport injured turtles from the beach to our rehabilitation center for life-saving care.
Below is a receipt of your non-cash contribution for your records. Please note that, as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, we are unable to assign a fair market value to in-kind gifts; assigning a monetary value for tax purposes is the donor's responsibility. We can confirm that no goods or services were provided by our organization in exchange for this contribution.
Don't worry, we'll also send out a year-end tax summary in time for you to file early next year.
If you need to make any adjustments or update your contact information, you can follow the link below to manage your profile with our donor management system, Bloomerang CRM.
Thanks again!
Jonathan
The Sea Turtle Foundation
Recurring donation receipt examples
Initial recurring donation receipt example
If you have a monthly giving program, you'll need a donation receipt template that will automatically thank your recurring donors. You can use this example as a guide to thank donors when they first set up their ongoing donation.
For example, if today is June 15 and the donor creates a recurring donation to process on the 25th of the month, this receipt will confirm when their transaction will be processed.
Hi Davey,
Thank you so much for setting up a recurring donation with us! We're so delighted you would choose to commit to supporting the sea turtles on a regular basis.
Your first donation will be drafted on the next date you chose, so be on the lookout for it! Once the gift is processed, we'll send you a receipt for that, too.
You can click the link below to manage your giving account and view the details of this donation in our donor management system, Bloomerang CRM.
Thanks again!
Jonathan
The Sea Turtle Foundation
Regular recurring donation receipt example
You'll also need a receipt that sends every time your recurring donor's transaction processes. We recommend using a template that tells the ongoing story of your nonprofit for your regular donors. This will help them feel connected to your work month after month and motivate them to continue giving or upgrade their gift.
Grace,
We are letting you know what we have been up to this month! Recently, we were able to re-home four sea turtles along the Florida panhandle. We are absolutely thrilled about this, and we couldn't have done it without supporters like you.
We've continued with our efforts to improve the habitats for the sea turtles we work with as well. We hope to have our sea turtle homesite finished by the end of October. We'll keep you posted on how this project is going.
After we finish this project along the coast, we'll host our annual Winter Gala to support the sea turtles. This is currently scheduled for December 17, 2026. Keep your eyes out for an email with more information on how to purchase tickets and attend this incredible event. There will be music, a live auction, incredible food, and some fun dessert food trucks!
If you need to make any adjustments to your transaction or view the details of your donation, click the link below to manage your giving account in our donor management system, Bloomerang CRM.
Thank you so much again!
Jonathan
The Sea Turtle Foundation
Pledge receipt example
If your organization uses pledges in your fundraising portfolio, you'll need an email template that sends as soon as you process a donor's pledge. This serves as a confirmation for your donor of their commitment to give.
Dear James,
Thank you so much for making this pledge to us! Your promise for the future helps us effectively plan to create sustainable habitats for our sea turtles.
Below is your pledge information we received. We look forward to working with you to complete this pledge! Be on the lookout for our team for ways to complete this. Just so you know, any future donation can be applied towards this if you so choose.
Thank you so much!
Jonathan
The Sea Turtle Foundation
Failed donation receipt example
There will be times when your donors' transactions are not successfully processed. There are a variety of reasons for this, but in any case, you'll need to notify your donors. Some platforms, like Bloomerang, have a standard template for failed transactions. The benefit of using Bloomerang's standard template is that it will automatically include important information for your donor. This information includes:
- The reason the transaction was unsuccessful
- Date and time the transaction was initiated
- The campaign the transaction was assigned to
- Name of the person who initiated the transaction
- Amount of transaction
- Credit card information provided
- Billing address provided
- Phone number provided
- Email provided
- Link for the donor to update their billing information
We recommend checking with the platform you use to process transactions—your donor management system, online fundraising platform, or payment processor—to determine if this feature is available. It likely is, but if not, we recommend creating a simple template that provides your donor with the information they need. We also recommend providing a link or directions to help your donor update their information.
Expiring card email example
Just like the failed transaction email, Bloomerang also offers a standard template for donors whose credit cards are expiring soon. Bloomerang automatically sends this email 60 days before the card expires. If you're not using donation software that has this feature built in, we recommend using a template that notifies the donor and provides instructions on what to do next.
Hi Jared,
We wanted to let you know that your card is expiring soon. You can access your free online giving account through our donor portal. From there, you'll be able to update your email and billing preferences, keep track of your donations, and make donating to the Sea Turtle Foundation even easier.
Thank you for your support!
Jonathan
The Sea Turtle Foundation
Year-end giving statement/annual tax summary example
At the beginning of each tax season, donors look for a consolidated summary of all their contributions from the previous year. Sending a comprehensive annual giving statement makes tax preparation easy for your supporters while giving your organization one last opportunity to highlight the cumulative impact of their generosity.
Hello, Maria!
Because of dedicated supporters like you, 2026 was a transformative year for our mission. As tax season approaches, we want to make sure you have everything you need to file your taxes easily, and we'll take a moment to celebrate what your support accomplished this past year.
Below is your official annual giving statement summarizing all monetary contributions made to The Sea Turtle Foundation between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2026.
Annual tax summary
Donor Name: Maria Rodriguez
Organization Name: The Sea Turtle Foundation
Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(3) Organization
Federal EIN: 12-3456789
No goods or services were provided in exchange for these contributions other than those specified above.
Thank you again for standing with us to safeguard marine life. If you need another copy of this statement or want to update your contact details, you can log in to your account at any time through our donor portal, powered by Bloomerang CRM.
With deepest gratitude,
Jonathan
The Sea Turtle Foundation
501(c)(3) donation receipt example
When donors request a formal receipt for tax-deduction purposes, your template must explicitly state your organization's 501(c)(3) status and your Employer Identification Number (EIN). This template works as a bulletproof, standard receipt for any monetary gift.
Hello, Marcus!
Thank you so much for your recent gift! Your generosity fuels our daily efforts to protect vulnerable sea turtle nesting grounds and rehabilitate injured marine life across our coastlines.
Below is your official tax receipt for your records.
Official donation receipt
- Organization Name: The Sea Turtle Foundation
- Organization Status: Tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
- Employer Identification Number (EIN): 12-3456789
- Organization Address: 123 Conservation Way, Suite 400, Miami, FL 33101
- Donor Name: Marcus Vance
- Date Gift Received: October 12, 2026
- Contribution Amount: $500.00
- Tax-Deductible Amount: $500.00
IRS Substantiation Statement:
No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution. Please retain this receipt for your tax records.
Donors like you make long-term conservation possible. If you ever need to access your past receipt history or manage your giving preferences, you can easily do so via our Bloomerang CRM donor portal.
Thank you again for your commitment to our cause!
Warmly,
Jonathan
The Sea Turtle Foundation
Automate donation receipts with Bloomerang
When it comes to staying organized with donation tracking, tax compliance, and payment information, manual data entry will only get you so far. As your nonprofit grows, it becomes critical to connect your systems so your payment processor and online fundraising platform talk directly to your CRM.
The easiest way to eliminate data silos and save your staff hours of administrative work is to use a unified giving platform like Bloomerang. Moving beyond manual templates and automating your receipts with Bloomerang offers several distinct advantages:
- Instant, automated delivery: Best practices dictate sending a receipt within 48 hours, but Bloomerang can do it instantly. The moment a transaction is processed, the system automatically triggers a compliant, professional donation receipt via email, ensuring donors are thanked while their gift is still top of mind.
- Deep personalization at scale: A receipt shouldn't feel like an automated tax document. Bloomerang allows you to easily pull in CRM data—such as a donor's preferred name, their giving history, or the specific campaign they supported—so you can automatically tailor your thank-you messages to reinforce that donor's unique relationship with your cause.
- Frictionless IRS compliance: Bloomerang's built-in receipting tools are designed with compliance in mind, automatically pulling in your EIN, the exact gift date and amount, and the required tax-deductible language based on the gift type.
- One-click year-end summaries: When tax season arrives, you don't have to spend days manually compiling spreadsheets. Bloomerang allows you to effortlessly generate and distribute consolidated annual giving statements for your entire donor base in just a few clicks.
By automating the administrative heavy lifting of donation receipts, Bloomerang ensures your organization remains fully compliant while giving you back the time you need to focus on genuine donor stewardship.
Frequently asked questions about donation receipts
What should be included in a donation receipt?
Every donation receipt must include your nonprofit's legal name, address, and employer identification number (EIN). It must also feature the donor's full name, the date the gift was received, the exact contribution amount (or a description of the items for in-kind gifts), and a statement declaring whether any goods or services were provided in exchange for the donation.
What are the IRS rules for donation receipts?
The IRS requires nonprofits to provide a written acknowledgment for any single contribution of $250 or more. If a donor gives more than $75 and receives something in return (like a dinner or a t-shirt), you must provide a quid pro quo disclosure estimating the fair market value of those goods. Additionally, nonprofits cannot legally assign a monetary value to non-cash (in-kind) gifts.
What is the donation receipt format?
There is no strict, IRS-mandated layout for a donation receipt. It can take the form of a formal letter, an email, or even a postcard, as long as it is in writing and includes all required compliance information. Most nonprofits use an automated email format generated directly from their CRM, followed by a consolidated PDF statement at year-end.
When do donation receipts need to be sent out?
From a donor stewardship perspective, best practice is to send a receipt within 24 to 48 hours of receiving the gift. However, to meet IRS requirements, the donor must receive their written acknowledgment by the time they file their tax return for the year the donation was made (generally April 15 of the following year).
Can our nonprofit issue a donation receipt for volunteer time or services?
No. According to the IRS, donors cannot claim a tax deduction for the value of volunteer time—except when they provide specialized pro bono professional services (such as legal or graphic design work) that your organization would otherwise pay to gain access to.
For regular volunteers, you should not issue a donation receipt for the monetary value of their time. You can, however, provide a receipt for concrete, out-of-pocket expenses they incurred while volunteering on your behalf.
Do we need to send a separate receipt for every monthly recurring donation?
You are not legally required to send a receipt every single month, provided you send a comprehensive annual tax summary. Many nonprofits choose to send an automated thank-you email for each monthly charge but rely on a year-end giving statement (sent by January 31) as the official tax document. If you choose this route, it's a good idea to let recurring donors know they will receive a single, consolidated receipt at the end of the year.
