Free donation receipt maker
For small nonprofits and churches. Fill in the donor and the gift, and the receipt prints the statements the IRS looks for on a written acknowledgment, such as whether any goods or services were given in return. Download a PDF to send or print, or get the blank donation receipt template in Word or PDF.
How to write a donation receipt
- Add your organization with its name, address and EIN, and tick the 501(c)(3) box if it applies.
- Add the donor and the date you received the gift.
- List the contributions. Put an amount on cash gifts. For goods, describe the items and leave the amount empty.
- Say whether the donor got anything in return. Leave the box ticked if not; otherwise describe it and estimate its value.
- Type the name and title of whoever is signing, and download the PDF.
What the IRS says a donation receipt must contain
The IRS calls the donor's receipt a contemporaneous written acknowledgment. For any single contribution of $250 or more, IRS Publication 1771 says the statement from the charity should contain:
- The name of the organization
- The amount of any cash contribution
- A description, but not the value, of any non-cash contribution
- A statement that no goods or services were provided in return, if that was the case
- If goods or services were provided, a description and a good-faith estimate of their value
- If the only benefits were intangible religious benefits, a statement saying so
The IRS repeats this list on its page about written acknowledgments for charitable contributions. The donor's Social Security number or tax ID is not needed. There is no IRS form: letters, emails and computer-generated receipts are acceptable. The maker prints the statements for all three cases: no goods or services, goods or services with a value, and, for churches, only intangible religious benefits.
When the donor needs it
The donor is the one who needs the acknowledgment to claim a deduction, and they must have it by the earlier of the day they file their return and the due date of that return, including extensions. Charities commonly send receipts by January 31 of the next year. You can give one receipt per gift, or one summary for the year. Separate gifts under $250 are not added together for this rule.
If the donor received something in return
When a donor pays more than $75 and part of the payment buys something, such as a gala dinner or a concert ticket, the IRS says the charity must give a written disclosure telling the donor that the deductible part is limited to the amount above the value of what they received, with a good-faith estimate of that value. The IRS lists exceptions for items of insubstantial value, certain membership benefits and intangible religious benefits, and sets a penalty for charities that miss the disclosure. Untick the no-goods box to describe what the donor received and its value, and the receipt will say so. Read the quid pro quo section of Publication 1771 for the current limits.
Gifts of goods
For clothes, food, furniture and other non-cash gifts, describe what was given and leave the value to the donor. Larger non-cash gifts can carry extra tax forms for the donor, so a clear description helps them.
Donation receipt or payment receipt?
A donation receipt is for a gift to an organization, and it carries the statements donors need for taxes. If you were paid for something, such as a deposit or a service, a payment receipt is the right document. For sales of products, use the receipt maker.
This page summarizes IRS publications for general information. It is not tax or legal advice, and rules and dollar amounts can change. Check irs.gov or ask a tax professional about your situation.
Example donation receipt
A finished receipt from a food pantry for a cash gift and a gift of goods. The goods are described, not valued.
- Organization. The name of the organization is required. Its address and EIN sit under it, so donors can find the details they need.
- Donor and date. The donor's name and address and the date the gift was received.
- Contributions. Cash gets an amount. A gift of goods is described and marked Non-cash, with no value.
- Total cash contribution. The cash amount, which is the figure the donor will use. Non-cash gifts are not added in.
- Statement. Says whether any goods or services were provided in return, and that the organization is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) if you tick that box.
- Signature. The name and title of the person who issued the receipt.
Donation receipt template (PDF and Word)
A blank donation receipt template with three receipts per Letter page. Each one has space for the organization and its EIN, the donor, the date, the cash amount, a description of any non-cash gift (without a value), any goods or services given in return with their estimated value, a tick box for "No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution", and an authorized signature.
The PDF is for filling in by hand. The Word version is a donation receipt template you can edit: type in your organization's details once, save the file, and reuse it. Check the wording against the IRS pages below before you rely on it.
Free. Made in your browser, nothing is uploaded.
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Questions people ask
Do I have to give donors a receipt?
Not for every gift. The IRS says a donor needs a written acknowledgment from the charity to claim a deduction for any single contribution of $250 or more. A charity that does not send one is not penalized, but the donor cannot claim the deduction without it. Many organizations send a receipt for smaller gifts too, because donors also need a record of those.
What must a donation receipt say?
For a gift of $250 or more, the IRS lists: the name of the organization, the amount of any cash contribution, a description (but not the value) of any non-cash gift, and a statement of whether the organization gave the donor any goods or services in return. If it did, the receipt needs a description and a good-faith estimate of their value.
When does the donor need the receipt?
The donor must have the written acknowledgment on or before the earlier of the date they file their tax return for the year of the gift and that return's due date, including extensions. Charities commonly send receipts by January 31 of the following year.
Should the receipt show the value of donated goods?
No. For non-cash gifts such as clothes, food or furniture, the receipt describes the items but does not give their value. The donor works out the value for their own tax return.
What if the donor got something in return, like a dinner?
Untick the no-goods box, describe what the donor received and enter a good-faith estimate of its value. The receipt then says the deduction is limited to the amount above that value. When a donor pays more than $75 and gets something in return, the IRS also requires the charity to give a written disclosure of that kind.
Does the donor's tax ID need to be on the receipt?
No. The IRS says the donor's Social Security number or tax identification number is not needed on the written acknowledgment. This receipt shows your organization's EIN, which donors often like to see.
Is there a donation receipt template for Word?
Yes. The blank donation receipt template on this page comes as a Word file you can edit and as a PDF to fill in by hand. It has space for the organization and its EIN, the donor, the date, the cash amount, a description of non-cash gifts, the no-goods-or-services statement and a signature. The online maker above produces a finished PDF with the same statements.
What if our church only gave intangible religious benefits?
The IRS says a religious organization that provided only intangible religious benefits, such as admission to a worship service, can state that instead of describing and valuing them. Tick Only intangible religious benefits were provided in the maker, and the receipt prints that statement in place of the no-goods line.
Is this tax or legal advice?
No. This tool helps you write a receipt with the statements the IRS describes. It does not check whether your organization qualifies for tax-exempt status or whether a particular gift is deductible. Check the IRS publications linked on this page or ask a tax professional.
Is it free and private?
Yes. There is no account and nothing is uploaded: the PDF is made in your browser. Your organization's details and recent receipts can be remembered on this device to speed up the next one.
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