Parties
Identify donor and recipient legal names, business types, and authorized representatives; include mailing addresses and contact details to establish clear attribution and legal capacity for signing and enforcement.
A Donation Program Agreement clarifies donor intent, documents restrictions for tax substantiation, assigns reporting and stewardship responsibilities, reduces legal disputes, and sets conditions for revocation or return. Clear written terms improve transparency for both donors and recipient organizations.
Typical users who complete or rely on Donation Program Agreements include development officers, nonprofit counsel, institutional gift officers, and volunteer fundraisers.
These stakeholders use the agreement to support stewardship, audit readiness, compliance with tax rules, and board reporting obligations.
Identify donor and recipient legal names, business types, and authorized representatives; include mailing addresses and contact details to establish clear attribution and legal capacity for signing and enforcement.
Describe intended use, project or program supported, allowable expenses, geographic or temporal limitations, and any prohibited uses to ensure alignment with donor intent and IRS substantiation requirements.
Specify restrictions, conditional disbursement triggers, reporting schedules, milestones, and metrics required for continued funding; define consequences for noncompliance and steps for cure or reversion remedies.
State reporting frequency, financial and programmatic data formats, responsible parties, review rights, and retention obligations to support audits and donor stewardship, including sample reports and delivery methods (electronic or paper).
Note whether donation is unrestricted, restricted, or a pledge; indicate tax-deductible status and whether acknowledgments will include IRS-compliant written substantiation and donor-provided valuation documentation where applicable.
Identify authorized signers, signature blocks, date fields, and whether notarization, witness signatures, or remote online notarization are required under applicable state law or institutional approval resolutions as necessary.
A university received a restricted endowment gift and used an agreement to specify scholarship eligibility, reporting cadence, and investment policy compliance for the funds.
A hospital foundation accepted equipment donations and used an agreement to restrict use to pediatric services, outline maintenance responsibilities, and require outcome reporting to the donor.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Assign Signers | Donor, Recipient, Witness |
| Authentication | Email link; SMS code optional |
| Notifications | Automatic emails on completion |
| Storage | PDF stored with audit trail |
Choose platforms that support secure eSigning, field customization, and compliant audit trails for Donation Program Agreements, and archival retrieval.
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $8/user/month when billed annually — base plan for eSignatures and templates | $15/user/month on annual billing; entry-level electronic signature | $14/user/month annually for core eSign features | $19/user/month on annual billing for document workflow | $15/user/month on annual billing for signature workflows |
| Free Trial | 7-day free trial, no credit card required | Varies by region and offer | Varies by offer | Varies by plan | Varies by plan |
| Bulk Send | Yes (Business Premium includes bulk send) | Yes (bulk features available) | Yes (bulk workflows supported) | Yes (bulk send available) | No bulk send feature on basic plans |
| Audit Trail | Yes — complete audit trail and certificate | Yes — audit trail available | Yes — audit and history included | Yes — audit logs provided | Yes — audit trail available |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes (BAA available) | Yes (BAA available) | Yes (BAA available) | No HIPAA BAA listed | No HIPAA BAA listed |
| Envelope Cap | No envelope cap for paid plans | DocuSign limits to 100 envelopes/user/year on some plans | Varies by plan and subscription | Varies by plan and usage | Varies by plan and usage |