Free Donation Receipt Generator for Nonprofits

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Free Donation Receipt Generator

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How Zeffy Automates Your Donation Receipts

The generator above works great for one-off receipts. But if you're processing dozens (or hundreds) of donations a month, creating receipts manually isn't a good use of your time. Zeffy handles the entire receipt workflow automatically, for every donation, with zero fees. Here's how it works.

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Automatic receipts for every donation

Every time someone donates through Zeffy, they receive an IRS and CRA-compliant tax receipt with their confirmation email. No extra steps on your end.

To set it up, go to your campaign settings and check 'Auto generate and send tax receipts.' For events, memberships, and raffles, you can specify the tax-deductible amount per ticket type. Zeffy takes care of the rest.

Donors can also access their receipts anytime by logging into their Zeffy account and viewing their transaction history.

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Works for offline and in-kind donations too

Cash and check donations don't have to live in a separate system. Log them directly in your Zeffy dashboard, and generate a compliant receipt on the spot from the donor's contact page.

For in-kind gifts, Zeffy follows IRS guidelines automatically. The receipt includes a description of the donated items but won't include a dollar value, since donors are responsible for determining fair market value themselves. This keeps you compliant without extra research.

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Year-end summaries, handled

Before January 31, Zeffy emails every donor who received a tax receipt that year. They get a giving recap page with all their receipts in one place, including a total donation summary and the number of organizations they supported.

For monthly donors, Zeffy generates a single cumulative receipt covering all recurring gifts for the year. No more compiling spreadsheets in January.

You don't have to trigger any of this. It happens automatically. Your only job is to make sure automatic receipts are enabled on your forms before year-end.

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Cancel, replace, or resend in a few clicks

Mistakes happen. If you need to fix a receipt, open the donor's profile, cancel the original (the donor gets notified automatically and the receipt is marked as cancelled), and generate a replacement. You can add a note referencing the original receipt number.

Need to resend a receipt? Go to the payment in your dashboard and hit 'resend.' You can even update the email address if the donor had a typo.

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Export everything for your records

Head to Finances, then Tax Receipts in your dashboard. You'll see every receipt your organization has generated, filterable by date range. Export the full list as a CSV that includes donor name, amount, receipt number, status, and a direct URL to each receipt.

This makes audits, board reporting, and year-end reconciliation straightforward.

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Every hour you spend on receipts is an hour away from your mission. Zeffy automates it all, 100% free.

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What Is a Donation Receipt?

A donation receipt is formal documentation from a nonprofit acknowledging a donor's contribution. It typically includes the transaction amount, date, and donor identity.

Both sides need it. Donors use receipts to claim tax deductions. Nonprofits use them for bookkeeping and compliance. Even when a receipt isn't legally required, sending one builds trust and keeps your records clean.

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When Are Donation Receipts Required?

The IRS requires a written acknowledgment for any single charitable contribution of $250 or more. Without it, donors can't claim the deduction on their tax return.

For contributions under $250, the IRS doesn't require a formal receipt from the nonprofit. A bank statement or cancelled check is technically enough. But most organizations send receipts for every donation regardless of amount. It's a simple way to strengthen donor relationships and keep your records complete.

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What to Include on a 501(c)(3) Donation Receipt

For your receipt to be IRS-compliant, it needs to include:

A unique receipt or transaction number is also recommended. It makes tracking easier and helps if a receipt ever needs to be cancelled and replaced.

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Best Formats for Sending Donation Receipts

How you deliver receipts depends on your donors and your workflow. Here are the most common options:

Email is the go-to for most nonprofits. It's fast, free, and easy to automate. Attach a PDF or link directly to the receipt.

Platform-based receipts are generated and sent automatically through your fundraising software. This is the most hands-off option if your platform supports it (Zeffy does).

PDF works well as an email attachment or a downloadable file from your website. It's the standard format for printable receipts.

Text message provides immediate confirmation. It's less common for formal tax receipts but works well as a first acknowledgment.

Direct mail is the traditional route. Some donors, especially older supporters, prefer a physical copy. It takes more time and costs more, but it can double as a thank-you letter.

Most organizations use a combination. An automated email receipt right after the donation, and a mailed letter for major gifts or year-end appeals.

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Year-End Donation Receipts

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Why send year-end receipts?

Year-end is when donors think about taxes. Sending a consolidated receipt (or reminding them where to find it) makes their lives easier and reinforces your relationship.

It also matters for your bottom line. December typically accounts for 17 to 20% of average nonprofit revenue. A well-timed year-end receipt doubles as a touchpoint that can prompt another gift.

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What to include

A year-end receipt should summarize all donations from that calendar year. Include each gift date, amount, and a cumulative total. For recurring donors, a single consolidated receipt is cleaner than 12 individual ones.

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How Zeffy handles it

If you're using Zeffy, year-end receipts are sent automatically before January 31. Every donor receives an email with a giving recap page that includes all their receipts for the year. Monthly donors get a cumulative receipt covering all recurring gifts. You don't have to compile or send anything.

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How Is Zeffy Free?

Zeffy is funded entirely by optional contributions from donors. At the payment confirmation step, donors can choose to leave a small tip to support the platform. Tips are never required, and nonprofits always keep 100% of what they raise. No platform fees, no transaction fees, no credit card fees.

This model has kept Zeffy fully independent and sustainable since 2023. Over 100,000 nonprofits have raised more than $2 billion through the platform without losing a dollar to fees.

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This tool generates a donation receipt template for record-keeping purposes. Consult a tax professional for specific compliance questions. Zeffy automatically sends IRS and CRA-compliant tax receipts for every donation, including year-end cumulative receipts for recurring donors, split receipts for ticketed events, and in-kind donation receipts.