To process stock donations, a nonprofit would have to work with each donor individually to send the donation form, track and record the gift, send an acknowledgment letter, ensure paperwork was correct, liquidate and reinvest funds, and avoid forgery and fraud—all by hand!
Once a donation of stock has been received, a thank you letter should be sent to the donor. This letter should acknowledge the gift of stock, such as the name and number of shares. It should not list the value of the stock received since the organization is not in the business of valuing stock.
Thank-you letters should always be written in a personal, down-to-earth voice. You want to show your appreciation for the effort your donor has made and show how far their donation has gone. You should always address the donor by name, and focus on how they've helped your organization.
Providing Receipts As soon as the donation is in your brokerage account, send the donor a nonprofit stock acknowledgment letter that includes a tax receipt for it.
How do you fill out an acknowledgment letter? Date of receipt: State when the document or goods were received. Description: Provide a concise description of the received document or goods. Confirmation statement: Include a statement confirming the safe receipt of the document or goods.
If a charity receives a gift of publicly traded stock, the charity should send the donor an acknowledgement letter that describes the stock (i.e., “Thank you for your donation of 100 shares of XYZ Corporation”) but does not place a monetary value on the shares.
Key Components of a Donor Acknowledgment Letter Organization's Full Name: Clearly state the name of your organization. Donor's Name: Use the donor's name as it was given for the donation. Date of Donation: Mention the exact date the donation was made. Donation Details: Include a description of the donation.
What to Include in Acknowledgements: Express gratitude sincerely and genuinely. Avoid formulaic language and personalize your message where appropriate. Be specific about contributions: Briefly mention how each individual or entity helped you.
Outline the information that needs to be included in the letter Start with a professional greeting. Identify the person the letter is acknowledging. Describe the action that is being acknowledged. Express gratitude for the action taken. Include any relevant details. Close with a professional sign-off. Add contact information.
Dear Receivers Name, We thank you for your communication of Enter Date of Letter/Email/Call (“Communication”) , the receipt of which we hereby acknowledge. We look forward to working with you and meeting the requirements of Receivers Name.