Gift acknowledgement letters are important for two reasons. First, they provide proof so donors can claim a U.S. tax exemption. Second, they let you thank donors for their generosity, helping you build a relationship for future support.
If a donor wants to claim a contribution of $250 or more, the IRS requires public charities to send written acknowledgements that must contain the following information:
- Organization's name
- Donation description. If it is cash, give the amount. If it is not cash, describe it.
Did the donor receive goods or services--such as a gala dinner or concert tickets--from you in return for their donation? If not, make sure you say so. If yes, was it worth more than $75? Give a good-faith estimate of the value. Learn more here about what the IRS requires.
As for thanking donors, here's your chance to address them personally and sincerely. Make the letter about them, not you. "Donor-centric" messages -- those that focus on the donor's role in achieving the mission, not the nonprofit's -- make donors more likely to give again in the future, according to many fundraising experts.
Samples of written acknowledgements
Some of the staff-selected websites below contain samples. Also, search the Internet for "sample nonprofit gift acknowledgement letter." Other nonprofits' thank-you letters can give you ideas, but each organization is different so they might not be appropriate for your organization.
See also our related Knowledge Base articles:
Sample thank-you letters for you to swipe
SOFII
This thank-you-letter tutorial provides before and after samples with comments about how to make letters more appealing to donors. "Next to your fundraising appeals," it says, "your thank-you letter is the most important communication that a donor receives. So shouldn’t it sparkle with sincerity?"
In-memoriam donation thank-you letter samples
SOFII
Before and after versions of thank-you letters for donations honoring the dead. The expert comments provide helpful hints that can be applied to any donor thank-you letter.
Guide to Sending Acknowledgments for Donations
Pro Bono Partnership / Atlanta
Whether acknowledgments are required and what they should include depend on what and how much is donated. This guide covers 4 donation types and asks questions about amounts so you know what info you must include for each scenario. Includes sample letters.
Donor-centered thank-you letters
Burke's Blog
Provides a 20-point checklist to improve donor letters plus samples with commentary about how to make the letters better. The comments section for this blog also contains valuable information.
Donor Acknowledgment Letters - What to include?
Cullinane Law Group
Information on legal and tax disclosures typically required for a donor acknowledgement letter.
In-Kind Gifts: How to Acknowledge and Recognize Them
Fundraiser Blog
Fundraiser Tony Poderis offers advice on recognizing in-kind contributions as well as tips on meeting required IRS disclosures in acknowledgment letters.