Receipts and ledgers1 to 3 a page
Donation receipt template
A nonprofit acknowledgment for donors, one to three to a page. It records the donor, the cash or check amount, the date received, a description of any property given and whether goods or services were provided in return, with a signature line for the organization.
- Type your details or print blank
- Print or PDF, Letter or A4
- Free, no sign-up
On this page
What prints
Each acknowledgment is headed Donation Receipt, with a No. and a Date line. Your organization's name and address print at the top left, and if you typed an EIN in the settings it appears as "EIN" under them. The fields are Donor name, Cash or check amount, Date received and Property given (describe it; the donor sets its value).
Two checkboxes follow. The first reads "No goods or services were provided in return for this gift." The second reads "Goods or services were provided, described here, worth about $" followed by a blank line. A signature line says Received by (for the organization), and a note reminds the donor to keep the receipt for tax records.
The settings
- Your business or name. The organization's name and address, in up to four lines.
- Receipt type. Donation on this page.
- Receipts per page. 1, 2 or 3. Two per page gives the extra room these slips need.
- EIN. Prints on each slip.
What the IRS expects
Under IRS Publication 1771, a donor needs a written acknowledgment from the charity to deduct any single contribution of $250 or more. It should give the organization's name, the amount of cash given, a description (but not the value) of any property given, and a statement of whether the organization gave goods or services in return. If it did, the acknowledgment needs a good-faith estimate of their value. That is why the sheet has no space for valuing property: the donor decides that.
The donor should have the acknowledgment by the time they file their return, so it is kind to send it promptly. Publication 526 covers the deduction rules from the donor's side.
Worked example: a fundraising dinner
A donor pays $120 for a dinner ticket. The meal is worth about $45. On the slip you write the amount, tick the second box and enter $45. The gift portion is 120 - 45 = $75. When a donor pays more than $75 and gets something back, Publication 1771 asks the charity to give a written disclosure.
Another donor gives a $300 check with nothing in return. You write 300.00, tick the first box and sign. That gift is over $250, so the receipt is what the donor will need.
Caveat
Your receipt does not tell a donor what they can deduct. This page is a template, not tax advice, and donors with questions should read Publication 526 or ask a preparer.
When to send them
Many organizations mail acknowledgments in January for the whole prior year, while others send one after each gift. Either way, a clear record of the date received and the amount helps both sides. Keep a copy of every slip you give out, filed by donor name or number.