Animal Welfare Professionals

I'm looking for examples of descriptions of in-kind donations for tax letter purposes. For example, if someone donated dog food to your organization, how would you describe their donation in your letter? Would you use one of these options? Or something different?

1. Ten 20 lb bags and four 12 oz cans
2. 10 bags and 4 cans of dog food 
3. 203 lbs of dog food

Do you include the brand name in the description? Do you state "dry" food or is it implied?

We're trying to streamline our process for recording donations and make it as simple as possible for our volunteers to take an inventory.

Hi Siobhan,

In our tax receipt letters for in-kind donations we fill in the amount that the donation is valued at and what the donation helps us do (i.e., feed, care for cats, ect.).  So we don't actually put the product in the letter, but we do keep track of that in a spreadsheet and in our donor database. 

I'm looking for examples of descriptions of in-kind donations for tax letter purposes. For example, if someone donated dog food to your organization, how would you describe their donation in your letter? Would you use one of these options? Or something different?

1. Ten 20 lb bags and four 12 oz cans
2. 10 bags and 4 cans of dog food 
3. 203 lbs of dog food

Do you include the brand name in the description? Do you state "dry" food or is it implied?

We're trying to streamline our process for recording donations and make it as simple as possible for our volunteers to take an inventory.

I'm looking for examples of descriptions of in-kind donations for tax letter purposes. For example, if someone donated dog food to your organization, how would you describe their donation in your letter? Would you use one of these options? Or something different?

1. Ten 20 lb bags and four 12 oz cans
2. 10 bags and 4 cans of dog food 
3. 203 lbs of dog food

Do you include the brand name in the description? Do you state "dry" food or is it implied?

We're trying to streamline our process for recording donations and make it as simple as possible for our volunteers to take an inventory.

Hi Siobhan,

Here's the link to the IRS website for this: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/charitable-contributions-written-acknowledgments

Basically: 

The written acknowledgment required to substantiate a charitable contribution of $250 or more must contain the following information:

• name of the organization;
• description (but not value) of non-cash contribution;
• statement that no goods or services were provided by the organization, if that is the case;
• description and good faith estimate of the value of goods or services, if any, that organization provided in return for the contribution

For us, we sometimes receive a pallet of bags of dog food from our local Tractor Supply or Lowes, or a local vet will send us flea/tick medication that is about to expire before he can use it all at the clinic. We will send them a letter that basically says,

Thank you for the in-kind donation of a pallet of bags of dry dog food. We estimate that your donation saved us $_____ in the cost of dog food. We are a registered 501(c)(3) organization, EIN: _______, and no goods or services were provided in exchange for your contribution. This donation is fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. 

Thank you for the in-kind donation of flea/tick treatment for our animals. We estimate that your donation saved us $_____ in the cost of flea/tick treatments. We are a registered 501(c)(3) organization, EIN: _______, and no goods or services were provided in exchange for your contribution. This donation is fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. 

I'm looking for examples of descriptions of in-kind donations for tax letter purposes. For example, if someone donated dog food to your organization, how would you describe their donation in your letter? Would you use one of these options? Or something different?

1. Ten 20 lb bags and four 12 oz cans
2. 10 bags and 4 cans of dog food 
3. 203 lbs of dog food

Do you include the brand name in the description? Do you state "dry" food or is it implied?

We're trying to streamline our process for recording donations and make it as simple as possible for our volunteers to take an inventory.

This information is extremely helpful! Thank you!

Hi Siobhan,

Here's the link to the IRS website for this: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/charitable-contributions-written-acknowledgments

Basically: 

The written acknowledgment required to substantiate a charitable contribution of $250 or more must contain the following information:

• name of the organization;
• description (but not value) of non-cash contribution;
• statement that no goods or services were provided by the organization, if that is the case;
• description and good faith estimate of the value of goods or services, if any, that organization provided in return for the contribution

For us, we sometimes receive a pallet of bags of dog food from our local Tractor Supply or Lowes, or a local vet will send us flea/tick medication that is about to expire before he can use it all at the clinic. We will send them a letter that basically says,

Thank you for the in-kind donation of a pallet of bags of dry dog food. We estimate that your donation saved us $_____ in the cost of dog food. We are a registered 501(c)(3) organization, EIN: _______, and no goods or services were provided in exchange for your contribution. This donation is fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. 

Thank you for the in-kind donation of flea/tick treatment for our animals. We estimate that your donation saved us $_____ in the cost of flea/tick treatments. We are a registered 501(c)(3) organization, EIN: _______, and no goods or services were provided in exchange for your contribution. This donation is fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. 

I'm looking for examples of descriptions of in-kind donations for tax letter purposes. For example, if someone donated dog food to your organization, how would you describe their donation in your letter? Would you use one of these options? Or something different?

1. Ten 20 lb bags and four 12 oz cans
2. 10 bags and 4 cans of dog food 
3. 203 lbs of dog food

Do you include the brand name in the description? Do you state "dry" food or is it implied?

We're trying to streamline our process for recording donations and make it as simple as possible for our volunteers to take an inventory.