Gift acceptance policy

Gift acceptance policy of [ORGANIZATION NAME]

Adopted by the Board of Directors on [DATE].

1. Purpose

[ORGANIZATION NAME] (the "Organization") welcomes gifts that help it carry out its mission: [MISSION IN ONE SENTENCE]. This policy explains which gifts the Organization accepts, which need review, which it turns down, and who decides. It protects donors, the Organization and the people we serve.

2. Principles

1. We accept gifts that fit our mission and our values.
2. We never pressure donors. We encourage donors to get their own legal and tax advice about large or complex gifts.
3. We honor a donor's restrictions on how a gift is used, as long as we accept the gift with those restrictions.
4. We don't give donors legal or tax advice, and we don't state the value of noncash gifts for tax purposes.
5. We respect donors' privacy. We don't sell or trade donor information.

3. Who decides

1. [ROLE, FOR EXAMPLE THE TREASURER OR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR] may accept gifts listed in section 4 without further approval.
2. Gifts listed in section 5, and any single gift over $[DOLLAR AMOUNT], need approval from [THE BOARD OR A NAMED COMMITTEE] before they are accepted.
3. If there is any doubt, the gift goes to the Board.

4. Gifts we generally accept

• cash, checks and money orders made out to the Organization
• credit card, debit card and online gifts through our approved payment platforms
• gifts made through donor-advised funds and employer matching programs
• grants from foundations, businesses and government bodies whose terms we can meet
• new goods we can use directly in our programs, from our published wish list
• volunteer time (we thank volunteers, but time is not a tax-deductible gift)

5. Gifts that need review before we accept them

• publicly traded stock and other securities. Our policy is to sell them promptly unless the Board decides otherwise.
• used goods and equipment, which we accept only if we can use them or have a plan for them
• vehicles, boats and airplanes, which have special IRS rules
• real estate, which needs, at minimum, an inspection and a check for environmental problems, debts and ongoing costs before we accept it
• art, collectibles and other personal property of significant value
• gifts with restrictions on how we use them
• gifts in someone's will, life insurance or retirement accounts (we welcome these, and we review the terms when we learn of them)
• gifts that come with naming rights or public recognition
• gifts from a business that wants to promote its products through us
• any gift that would require us to spend money to accept, keep or sell it

6. Gifts we don't accept

We don't accept a gift that:

• does not fit our mission, or would require us to act against our mission or values
• comes with conditions that would give the donor control over our decisions, staff or programs
• would benefit the donor, or someone the donor names, in a way that is not allowed for a charity
• would put our tax-exempt status at risk
• comes from a source we have reason to think is illegal
• would create legal liability or costs greater than the gift's value to us
• would damage the trust of the people we serve or our supporters
• [ADD ANY OTHER LIMITS YOUR BOARD CHOOSES]

7. Restricted gifts

1. A restricted gift is one the donor asks us to use for a particular purpose or time. We record each restriction in writing when we accept the gift and track the money separately in our books.
2. If a restriction later becomes impossible to meet, we will contact the donor (if we can) and follow the law of [STATE] before using the gift another way.

8. Acknowledging gifts

1. We thank every donor promptly.
2. For any single gift of $250 or more, we send a written acknowledgment that meets IRS rules, stating the amount of cash given or a description (but not the value) of any noncash gift, and whether we gave the donor any goods or services in return. If we did, we describe them and give a good-faith estimate of their value.
3. When a donor pays more than $75 and receives goods or services in return (for example, a dinner ticket), we tell the donor in writing how much is deductible, as IRS rules require.
4. If we sell or give away certain donated property within three years of receiving it, we file any required IRS form (such as Form 8282) and send a copy to the donor.

9. Returning gifts

The Board may decide to return a gift if accepting it was a mistake or if new information means it falls under section 6. Any return will follow the law and the terms of the gift.

10. Review

The Board will review this policy at least every [NUMBER] years.