Can donors use an electronic signature?

Yes. Electronic signatures are generally legally valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted; ensure intent, consent, attribution, and retention are demonstrable to establish validity.

When is a written acknowledgment required for tax purposes?

Donors must receive a contemporaneous written acknowledgment for contributions of $250 or more to claim a federal income tax deduction (see IRC §170(f)(8)); acknowledgments should state amount and whether goods or services were provided.

How should nonprofits handle noncash gifts?

For noncash gifts, document a clear description and estimated fair market value; attach appraisals when IRS rules require them and provide donor guidance on valuation thresholds and Form 8283 when applicable.

Is notarization required for donation forms?

Not typically. Routine donation receipts do not require notarization. Check state-specific requirements when gifts create legal interests (e.g., real property donations) or when statutes impose notarization.

How long must the organization keep donation records?

Retain supporting records for at least 3 years to meet IRS minimums (IRC §6501(a)); extend retention for HIPAA-related records to 6 years and longer where state law or donor conditions require it.

What if donor information is incorrect on the form?

If errors affect tax substantiation or gift designation, correct the record promptly and reissue an acknowledgment. For TIN/name mismatches, request corrected information to avoid backup withholding or reporting problems.

Charity Donation Form

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

CHARITY DONATION FORM

WHEREAS

WHEREAS, Donor Name: intends to make a voluntary charitable contribution to Charity Name: for charitable purposes described below.

WHEREAS, the Charity acknowledges receipt of donated funds and/or property and agrees to apply such donations in accordance with the purpose and any restrictions set forth in this form and applicable law.

WHEREAS, the parties desire to document the terms, acknowledgements and authorization related to the donation.

DONOR INFORMATION

Full Legal Name Organization (if applicable) Address

Phone

Email

DONATION DETAILS

Type of Donation: One-time Recurring In-kind

Monetary Amount (if applicable) If recurring, frequency and start date

Frequency: Monthly Quarterly Annually

Start Date:

Description of In-Kind Donation (if applicable) Purpose or Restriction (if any)

PAYMENT TERMS

Payment Method: Check Credit Card Bank Transfer (ACH)

Payment Schedule / Instructions Late Fee or Failed Payment Fee

Donor acknowledges that all monetary donations are deemed gifts and will be applied by the Charity for charitable purposes consistent with its mission. Donor understands that donations are irrevocable except to the extent required by law or as agreed in writing by an authorized representative of the Charity.

TERM AND TERMINATION

Term Start Date:

Term End Date:

Notice Period to Cancel Recurring Donation

Recurring donations may be cancelled by the Donor by providing written notice to the Charity at least the number of days specified above prior to the next scheduled payment. The Charity may suspend or terminate payment processing upon notice if payment instruments are invalid or where continuation would be inconsistent with law.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOODS OR SERVICES

Provide the donor's good-faith estimate of any goods or services received in exchange for this donation:

Did the donor receive goods or services in exchange? No Yes — Describe below

Description and Fair Market Value (if applicable)

CONFIDENTIALITY

The Charity will maintain Donor personal information in confidence and will not disclose such information except as required by law, to comply with tax reporting obligations, or as necessary to process the donation. Donor consents to the Charity using donor name, donation amount and donation designation for internal records and donor recognition unless the Donor indicates otherwise in writing.

GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of without regard to its conflict of laws principles.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This form, together with any written designation attached hereto, constitutes the entire agreement between the Donor and the Charity with respect to the donation, superseding all prior or contemporaneous communications and proposals, whether electronic, oral or written. Any amendment must be in writing signed by an authorized representative of the Charity and the Donor.

DONOR AUTHORIZATION

By signing below, Donor certifies that the information provided is true and complete to the best of Donor’s knowledge, that Donor is authorized to make this donation, and that Donor authorizes the Charity to process payments as set forth above. Donor acknowledges receipt of no goods or services described above other than those expressly stated.

Donor:

By:

Date:

Charity Representative:

By:

Date:

What a Charity Donation Form Is and when it's used

A Charity Donation Form documents a donor's intent to make a charitable gift and captures the information a nonprofit needs to accept, acknowledge, and record the contribution. Typical fields include donor identity, contact details, donation amount, payment method, gift designation (restricted or unrestricted), and signature. Completed forms serve as the nonprofit's internal record and, when required, as a contemporaneous written acknowledgment donors use to substantiate federal income tax deductions.

Why a clear, complete donation form matters

A professionally prepared Charity Donation Form supports tax substantiation, ensures accurate donor records, enables correct allocation of restricted gifts, and reduces follow-up. Proper documentation helps donors claim deductions and helps nonprofits meet regulatory and audit obligations.

Who normally completes or receives this form

Accurate completion reduces administrative overhead and speeds issuance of the written acknowledgment donors need for IRS substantiation.

Individual donors — provide identification, amount, and designation for tax acknowledgment and stewardship purposes.
Corporate or foundation donors — often include employer/TIN, gift officer contact, and restricted-use instructions.
Development staff and finance teams — review, approve, and issue the written acknowledgment or receipt required for tax purposes.

How to complete and process a donation form

Follow these steps to capture, validate, and acknowledge a gift in a consistent, auditable workflow.

01

Prepare form: Use current template with governing state and IRS language.
02

Collect donor info: Obtain name, address, TIN (if applicable), and designation.
03

Obtain signature: Acquire handwritten or compliant electronic signature.
04

Issue receipt: Provide contemporaneous written acknowledgment per IRS rules.

Customize an online donation form workflow

Map settings to your intake and CRM systems so data flows cleanly from form submission to donor record.

Field Mapping	Map form fields to CRM contact and gift records for automatic population.
Conditional Fields	Show appraisal and valuation fields only for noncash gifts over the threshold.
Receipt Template	Configure an automatic acknowledgment template with donor name and gift details.
Signer Authentication	Select email, SMS code, or stronger verification as needed.
Export & Backup	Enable PDF export and secure backup to your document repository.

Typical routing: from donor to nonprofit records

This is a common transfer path for processed donation forms and receipts.

Send to donor: Deliver the form link or PDF to the donor for completion.
Return to nonprofit: Signed form returns to the fundraising or finance team for review.
Record in CRM: Enter gift details and attach the signed form to donor record.
Issue acknowledgment: Generate and send the IRS-required written receipt to the donor.

Technical requirements and integrations for digital forms

Ensure the selected provider supports audit trails, secure storage, and HIPAA or other industry controls if donor data includes protected health information; many platforms integrate directly with CRMs and cloud storage for automated archival.

Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace
File formats: PDF, DOCX, HTML, Excel
Authentication: Email link, SMS code, knowledge-based, 2FA

Time-sensitive rules and donor acknowledgment timing

Be aware of IRS substantiation rules and eSignature consent requirements when issuing receipts or accepting electronic acknowledgments.

Written acknowledgment for $250+:

Required contemporaneously for donor tax deduction (IRC §170(f)(8)).

Year-end donor statements:

Provide calendar-year summaries upon request to support donor records.

Electronic consent requirements:

Follow ESIGN consumer-disclosure rules for consumer-facing acknowledgments.

Prompt receipting:

Issue acknowledgments as soon as practical after payment clears.

Grant and restricted gift deadlines:

Track donor-imposed timing for disbursements or reporting obligations.

Key processing milestones for a donation

A typical lifecycle includes preparation, execution, processing, and long-term retention milestones.

01

Form Preparation

Create template with legal and tax language before solicitation.

02

Donor Execution

Donor completes and signs the form; capture authentication data.

03

Accounting Entry

Record the gift in finance systems and reconcile payment.

04

Acknowledgment Issued

Send contemporaneous written receipt for IRS substantiation.

Common mistakes when preparing donation forms

Missing or inconsistent donor TINs or names, causing tax-reporting and backup withholding complications.
Vague gift designation language that leads to disputes over permitted use of restricted funds.
Failure to send contemporaneous written acknowledgments for gifts of $250 or more under IRC §170(f)(8).
Not securing donor consent for electronic records and receipts where ESIGN consumer disclosure is required.

Risks and legal consequences of incorrect forms

Deduction denial: Donor may lose IRS deduction

Backup withholding: 24% withholding for missing TIN

State penalties: Charity registration fines possible

Audit exposure: Improper records increase audit risk

Donor disputes: Ambiguous designations invite legal claims

Privacy breach: PHI exposure triggers HIPAA liabilities

Essential data elements to collect and secure

Donor Name: Required for tax acknowledgment

TIN / EIN: Needed for reporting and verification

Donation Amount: Records gift value precisely

Gift Designation: Specifies restricted or unrestricted use

Payment Method: Shows check, ACH, card, or in-kind

Signature & Date: Attribution and execution evidence

What a professional Charity Donation Form contains

A complete form balances donor experience, legal sufficiency, and organizational recordkeeping needs; include these six core elements.

Donor identification

Full legal name, mailing address, and contact information let nonprofits match the gift to an existing account and provide the IRS-required acknowledgment without delay.

Tax identifiers

Collect TIN or EIN where applicable to support tax reporting, confirm donor identity for large gifts, and avoid backup withholding or mismatches on IRS records.

Gift specifics

Record amount, payment method, and whether the gift is restricted or unrestricted; detail any donor conditions to ensure appropriate stewardship and accounting treatment.

Noncash valuation fields

For in-kind gifts, capture description, estimated fair market value, and attach appraisals when required to support IRS valuation rules for deductions.

Acknowledgment language

Include template wording for a contemporaneous written acknowledgment that meets IRC §170(f)(8) requirements for gifts of $250 or more.

Privacy and consent statements

State how donor data will be used and include ESIGN consumer disclosure if acknowledgments are delivered electronically, plus any required HIPAA or donor privacy language.

Supporting documents and export options to include

Attach supporting materials and enable multiple export formats to ensure compliance and donor transparency.

Donation Receipt

A templated, signed acknowledgment containing donor name, gift amount, date, and statement of whether goods or services were provided; designed for IRS substantiation and donor records.

Noncash Documentation

Appraisals, photographs, and inventories for noncash gifts; attach IRS Form 8283 guidance where valuation thresholds apply to avoid donor deduction challenges.

Gift Agreement

For large or restricted gifts, include a separate agreement detailing payment schedule, use restrictions, naming rights, and reporting obligations to prevent ambiguity.

Export Options

Provide signed forms as PDF/A for archival, DOCX for internal editing, and CSV exports of gift records for CRM import and audit purposes.

eSignature vendor pricing and feature snapshot for donation forms

Platform pricing and core features vary; signNow is placed first to show a baseline for common eSignature and compliance capabilities.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Bulk Send	Yes	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies	Varies	Varies

Frequently asked questions about the Charity Donation Form

Answers to common practical and legal questions donors and nonprofits ask when completing or processing donation forms.

Need help? Contact support

Can donors use an electronic signature?
Yes. Electronic signatures are generally legally valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted; ensure intent, consent, attribution, and retention are demonstrable to establish validity.
When is a written acknowledgment required for tax purposes?
Donors must receive a contemporaneous written acknowledgment for contributions of $250 or more to claim a federal income tax deduction (see IRC §170(f)(8)); acknowledgments should state amount and whether goods or services were provided.
How should nonprofits handle noncash gifts?
For noncash gifts, document a clear description and estimated fair market value; attach appraisals when IRS rules require them and provide donor guidance on valuation thresholds and Form 8283 when applicable.
Is notarization required for donation forms?
Not typically. Routine donation receipts do not require notarization. Check state-specific requirements when gifts create legal interests (e.g., real property donations) or when statutes impose notarization.
How long must the organization keep donation records?
Retain supporting records for at least 3 years to meet IRS minimums (IRC §6501(a)); extend retention for HIPAA-related records to 6 years and longer where state law or donor conditions require it.
What if donor information is incorrect on the form?
If errors affect tax substantiation or gift designation, correct the record promptly and reissue an acknowledgment. For TIN/name mismatches, request corrected information to avoid backup withholding or reporting problems.

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