Free Donation Receipt Template Generator

What a donation receipt is

A donation receipt is a written acknowledgment that a 501(c)(3) organization gives a donor to confirm a charitable contribution. Donors need it to claim a tax deduction. The IRS calls it a contemporaneous written acknowledgment, and it sets out the rules in Publication 1771, Charitable Contributions - Substantiation and Disclosure Requirements. This generator follows that publication so your charitable donation receipt template includes the elements the IRS looks for.

A good receipt does two jobs. It thanks the donor, and it gives them the paperwork they need at tax time. A receipt that leaves out a required element can cost the donor their deduction, so getting the details right matters.

When the IRS requires a written receipt

A donor must have a written acknowledgment from your organization to deduct any single contribution of $250 or more. The rule is per gift, not per year, so a donor who gives $250 once needs a receipt for that gift. The acknowledgment also has to be contemporaneous. That means the donor must get it by the earlier of two dates: the day they file their tax return for the year, or the due date of that return including extensions.

Many nonprofits issue a receipt for every gift, large or small. It is good donor relations and it saves you from fielding requests later. This 501c3 donation receipt tool lets you produce one for any amount.

What a valid donation receipt must include

Publication 1771 lists the pieces a written acknowledgment needs:

• The name of the organization.
• The amount of cash the donor contributed.
• A description of any non-cash contribution, but not a dollar value for it.
• A statement that no goods or services were provided in exchange for the gift, if that is the case.
• If goods or services were provided, a description and a good-faith estimate of their value.
• For a religious organization, a statement that any goods or services provided were intangible religious benefits.

This tool adds your EIN and a tax-exempt status line to the letterhead as well. None of those are required by Publication 1771, but donors and auditors expect to see them on a professional tax deductible donation receipt.

The five donation types

The donation type is the most important choice on the form. It reshapes the fields and swaps in the correct required statement.

Cash

Use this for a straightforward monetary gift by cash, check, card, or transfer. Enter the amount and the payment method. The receipt shows the amount, for example $500.00 paid by Check #1234, and the statement that no goods or services were provided. Because nothing was given in return, the full amount qualifies as a charitable contribution (the donor's actual deduction still depends on the usual limits on their tax return).

In-kind (non-cash)

Use this for donated goods or property, like a in kind donation receipt for canned food or clothing. You describe the property, for example 12 boxes of canned food and 3 winter coats. The receipt shows the description and no dollar amount at all. This is the single most common mistake in do-it-yourself receipts. The IRS makes valuing donated property the donor's job, not the charity's, so your receipt must not state a value for it.

Year-end statement

Use this to build an annual giving statement that lists every gift a donor made during the year. Add a row for each gift with its date and amount, or paste them in or import a CSV. The tool sums the total for you. Three gifts of $50, $50, and $100 add up to a total of $200.00. You can export the gift list back out as a CSV for your records.

Quid pro quo

Use this when the donor received something in return, such as a church donation receipt for a fundraising dinner or an event ticket. When the payment is more than $75, the IRS requires you to tell the donor that only part of their payment is deductible, and to give a good-faith estimate of the value they received. The tool computes it for you. If a donor pays $100 and receives a dinner worth $40, the deductible portion is $60. The receipt never shows a deductible larger than the contribution, and if the value received is more than the payment, the deductible is $0, not a negative number.

Faith / tithe

Use this for a church tithe or offering. It uses giving-focused wording and adds the required line that the only thing provided in return was intangible religious benefits. That phrase matters: it is the specific language Publication 1771 calls for when a religious organization gives nothing of commercial value in return for a gift.

How to make a donation receipt

1. Enter your organization name, address, EIN, and tax-exempt status line. This saves on your device so you only type it once.
2. Add the donor name, an optional donor address, a receipt number, and the contribution date.
3. Pick the donation type. The fields and the required statement change to match.
4. Enter the gift details for that type.
5. Review the required tax statement. It is pre-filled correctly, and you can edit it if your situation differs.
6. Add an authorized signature name and title.
7. Pick one of the 10 templates, set an accent color and font, then download a PDF, PNG, or CSV.

The preview updates as you type, so you always see exactly what the donor will receive.

Worked examples you can check

• Cash: a $500 gift with no goods or services shows $500.00, the no-goods-or-services statement, and your name and EIN. The full amount qualifies as a charitable contribution.
• Quid pro quo: $100 paid for a dinner worth $40 shows a $100 contribution, a $40 fair market value, and a $60 deductible portion, plus the required disclosure sentence.
• In-kind: a gift of 12 boxes of canned food shows the description only, with no dollar amount, and the no-goods-or-services statement.
• Year-end: gifts of $50 in March, $50 in June, and $100 in November list as three rows and total $200.00.

Print-ready PDF, PNG, and CSV

Download your receipt as a PDF sized for US Letter paper, so it prints at 100% with no scaling. You can also download a PNG that matches the preview, or a CSV of the year-end gift list for your bookkeeping. There is no watermark on any file. Everything runs client-side, so your donor data and EIN never leave your browser.

A note on tax advice

This tool helps you produce a receipt in the format described in IRS Publication 1771. It is not legal or tax advice. Confirm your organization's tax-exempt status, and point donors to a qualified tax professional or to the IRS for questions about their own returns. When in doubt, read Publication 1771 directly at irs.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a donation receipt?

A donation receipt, also called a written contribution acknowledgment, is the document a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or church sends a donor so the donor can substantiate a charitable-contribution deduction. It names the organization, states the amount of a cash gift or describes a non-cash gift, and states whether the donor received any goods or services in return. The IRS explains the requirements in Publication 1771.

When does the IRS require a written donation receipt?

Under IRS rules, a donor must have a written acknowledgment from the organization to claim a deduction for any single contribution of 250 dollars or more. The acknowledgment must be contemporaneous, meaning the donor must obtain it by the earlier of the date they file their tax return or the due date (including extensions) for that return. Many nonprofits issue a receipt for every gift regardless of size as good practice.

What must a valid donation receipt include?

Per IRS Publication 1771, a valid acknowledgment includes the organization's name, the amount of any cash contribution, and a description (but not the value) of any non-cash contribution. It must also state whether the organization provided any goods or services in exchange for the gift. If none were provided it says so; if some were provided it must describe them and give a good-faith estimate of their value. This tool fills in the correct statement automatically for each donation type.

Why does an in-kind donation receipt not show a dollar value?

For non-cash (in-kind) gifts, the organization describes the donated property but does not assign it a dollar value. The IRS makes valuing donated property the donor's responsibility, not the charity's. So this tool's In-Kind receipt shows a description such as 12 boxes of canned food and no currency amount anywhere. The donor determines fair market value and reports it on their own return.

How is a quid pro quo donation handled?

A quid pro quo contribution is one where the donor receives goods or services in return, such as a gala dinner or event ticket. When the payment exceeds 75 dollars, the receipt must tell the donor that the deductible amount is limited to the excess of what they paid over the value of what they received, and give a good-faith estimate of that value. This tool computes deductible = contribution minus fair market value and never shows a deductible larger than the contribution. For example, a 100 dollar payment for a 40 dollar dinner leaves a 60 dollar deductible.

Can I use this for a church tithe or a year-end giving statement?

Yes. The Faith / Tithe type uses church offering wording and adds the required statement that only intangible religious benefits were provided in return. The Year-End Statement type builds an itemized annual summary of every gift a donor made during the tax year, with a summed total, and lets you import the gift list from a CSV or spreadsheet and export it back. Both produce a print-ready PDF.

Is this donation receipt template really free with no watermark?

Yes. It is 100% free with no signup and no watermark on any export. You can create and download as many receipts as you like as a print-ready PDF, a PNG, or a CSV of the year-end gift list. Your organization profile and EIN save on your device only, and the whole tool runs in your browser, so no donor data ever leaves your computer.

Is this tax advice?

No. This tool helps you produce a receipt that follows the format described in IRS Publication 1771, but it is not legal or tax advice. Rules change and situations differ, so confirm your organization's tax-exempt status and consult a qualified tax professional or the IRS directly for guidance specific to your nonprofit or your donors.