Without accurate, consistent, and detailed gift entry you will lose opportunities to accurately track donor progress — missing your opportunities to thank and steward donors appropriately.

• [ ] Search for the donor's name (to avoid duplicates)
• [ ] Enter the name (spelled correctly)
• [ ] If the donor is an entity instead of a foundation, make sure they're connected to the right person.
• [ ] Is this a pledge or a gift? Mark appropriately
• [ ] Be sure to mark in-kind gifts as well
• [ ] Mark the date. In general, use the postmarked date on the envelope or the date of the transaction. For specific legal advice, see this resource.
• [ ] If the donor has a specific program in mind, code the gift accordingly.
• [ ] Note WHY the donor gave in the notes. This step is important and regularly forgotten.
• [ ] Mark when the acknowledgement is sent.

<aside> 💡 Note: The IRS requires nonprofits to send a letter including the organization's name, a description of the gift (usually the amount), and a date. Be sure to state that the donor received no goods or services in exchange for their gift. Include a statement about your organization's tax-free 501c3 status if applicable.

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<aside> 💡 Be careful about sending tax deductibility information when dealing with a Donor Advised Fund or a corporate sponsorship. They have different requirements.

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