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ReceiptsUnited States (federal)Original PDFBetter template

Donation receipt

For charities and other tax-exempt organizations acknowledging a gift. It includes the elements the IRS describes for written acknowledgments, including a statement on whether the donor received goods or services in return, and handles both cash gifts and donated property without assigning a value to property.

Fields
18
Pages
2
Paper
Letter
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Before you start

What you need to fill it in

  • Your organization's legal name, address and EIN
  • The donor's name and address
  • The date and amount of a cash gift, or a description of donated property
  • Whether the donor received anything in return, and its fair market value
  • An authorized signer at your organization

What's inside

18 fields, ready to fill

  • 12Typed answersnames, addresses, descriptions
  • 3Dateschecked as real dates
  • 2Choicescheckboxes, options, dropdowns
  • 1Signaturessignature and initials

8 required — the editor counts down how many are left while you fill.

Instructions

How to fill out the Donation receipt

  1. 1

    Fill organization details

    Enter your legal name and EIN exactly as on your IRS determination letter.

  2. 2

    Describe the gift

    Choose cash or property. For cash, enter the amount. For property, describe it (for example "Two boxes of children's books, good condition") without stating a value.

  3. 3

    Answer the goods-or-services question

    If the donor received nothing, choose that option. If they did, such as a dinner ticket, describe it and give a good-faith estimate of its value.

  4. 4

    Sign and send promptly

    An authorized person signs. Donors need the acknowledgment by the time they file their return, so send it soon after the gift.

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What filling it looks like

The PDFBetter editor in Edit & fill mode: an invoice template with the bill-to details and line items typed in, and each amount calculated from quantity and unit price
  1. Edit & fill, Invite to sign and Create form are three modes of the same editor
  2. Amounts are formula fields: they calculate as you type
  3. The field navigator counts what's left and jumps to the next field

Shown with our invoice template. Sample content; names are fictional.

Written for: United States (federal)

This template follows the general elements in IRS Publication 1771 but is not tax or legal advice. Confirm your organization's obligations with a tax professional.

Written by PDFBetter and last reviewed October 15, 2026. Spotted a problem? Tell us.

Donation receipt: questions people ask

When does a donor need a written acknowledgment?

Under IRS rules a donor needs a contemporaneous written acknowledgment to deduct any single contribution of $250 or more. See IRS Publication 1771. This is not tax advice.

Should we put a value on donated property?

No. The charity describes the property; valuing it is the donor's responsibility. Larger noncash gifts may need a qualified appraisal and Form 8283.

What is a quid pro quo contribution?

A payment partly for goods or services, such as a gala ticket. For payments over $75, the charity must tell the donor the deductible amount is limited to the excess over the value received.

Can we send one receipt for a year of gifts?

Yes. Many charities send an annual statement listing each gift's date and amount. Use the notes box or attach a list.

Is this receipt valid for non-501(c)(3) organizations?

Gifts to some other organizations are not deductible. Only use deductibility language if your organization qualifies.

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