{"id":24705,"date":"2022-12-02T00:00:09","date_gmt":"2022-12-02T08:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pro-migration.local\/?p=24705"},"modified":"2025-06-10T11:35:48","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T18:35:48","slug":"donation-acknowledgement-letter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gofundme.to\/__proxy\/pro.gofundme.com\/c\/blog\/donation-acknowledgement-letter\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Donation Acknowledgement Letter?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Passionate donors make your nonprofit initiatives possible. And while supporters might not ask for anything in return, there’s one thing you can <\/span>always<\/span><\/i> provide your donors: a donation acknowledgment letter. Today, we\u2019ll show you how to put one together.<\/span><\/p>\n

Donation acknowledgment letters go beyond confirmation and gratitude\u2014the <\/span>Internal Revenue Service (IRS)<\/span> legally requires them. But don’t worry\u2014we’ll explain everything you need to know about donation acknowledgment letters to make your donors feel appreciated while satisfying your legal obligations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First, let’s get on the same page about what a donation letter is before getting into deadlines, required information, and best practices.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is a Donation Acknowledgement Letter?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Understanding how to get donations<\/a> is important, but knowing how to show donors your gratitude is just as vital to the success of your fundraising campaign. A donation acknowledgment letter (sometimes called a <\/span>donation receipt<\/span><\/a> or thank-you letter) is an email or paper that recognizes a charitable contribution. At a bare minimum, it’s a confirmation receipt to your donors acknowledging you’ve received their donation.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, your donation acknowledgment letters should <\/span>do more than acknowledge charitable gifts<\/span>. Take the opportunity to show your gratitude and let the donor know the value of their charitable donation. Make them feel special and seen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our <\/span>Why America Gives<\/span><\/i><\/a> report found that 48% of donors are most encouraged to repeat a donation after the charitable organization provides updates on where their money makes an impact. Your donation acknowledgment letters are a great place to show donors how they play a part in your larger goals and mission. Use stories, pictures, and videos to illustrate the impact they helped make.<\/span><\/p>\n

And while one-off donations are great, you want to do everything you can to <\/span>turn your donor into a recurring giver<\/span><\/a>\u2014and your acknowledgment letter plays a big part in that process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Donation acknowledgment letters aren’t just for saying “thank you,” though. Your donors need the documentation when filing their tax deductions, and the IRS has strict requirements for what the letters should include (more on that later).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll also want to send acknowledgment letters to your donors, regardless of how they gifted your nonprofit:<\/span><\/p>\n