Thank You Letter - In-Kind Donation
Acknowledgment for non-monetary gifts
The Prompt
The Prompt
Draft a donor-ready thank you letter acknowledging an in-kind (non-cash) gift for [ORGANIZATION NAME].
The letter should:
- Be 150-250 words in 2-4 short paragraphs, suitable for email or print on letterhead.
- Follow this order: 1) Warm opening with donor name, 2) Specific gift details, 3) Immediate use and impact, 4) IRS-compliant receipt language, 5) Next step/invitation, 6) Close/signature.
- Name the gift precisely: [GIFT DESCRIPTION], [QUANTITY/SPECS/BRAND], received on [GIFT DATE]. If the donor provided a value, include: “Your stated fair market value: [DONOR-STATED VALUE].” Otherwise omit any dollar amount.
- Explain immediate use: [PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT], and a concrete outcome (e.g., “[PEOPLE SERVED],” “[HOURS OF SERVICE ENABLED],” or “[COSTS AVOIDED]”).
- Tie impact to mission in one sentence: [MISSION ONE-LINER].
- Include IRS receipt language: “No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution. [ORGANIZATION NAME] does not assign a monetary value to in-kind gifts. Date received: [GIFT DATE]. EIN: [EIN].”
- Acknowledge volunteer time separately if applicable: “[HOURS] volunteer hours on [DATE] (not tax-deductible) meaningfully advanced this effort.”
- Offer a relationship next step (tour, brief update, or recognition with consent): “With your permission, we’ll recognize you as [RECOGNITION NAME].”
- Use [TONE: FORMAL (board-appropriate), WARM (friendly, professional), CASUAL (conversational, community vibe)] at a 6th–8th grade reading level.
- Close with contact info and signature: [CONTACT NAME/TITLE], [EMAIL], [PHONE]; signed by [SIGNER NAME], [TITLE].
Keep it concrete and donor-centric; avoid clichés (“priceless,” “game-changer”), jargon, or tax advice. Do not invent values; omit any field you don’t have. Match the warmth you’d use for a cash gift while keeping compliance language clear and concise.How to Customize
- Replace all [BRACKETED] fields with your specific information
- Adjust tone and length as needed for your audience
- Review and personalize before using
Pro Tips
- Test this prompt with your preferred AI tool before using in production
- Always review AI output for accuracy and appropriateness
- Customize outputs to match your organization’s voice and brand
Related Prompts
(See other prompts in the fundraising category)
Example Outputs
Compare scenarios: We tested this prompt with 3 different nonprofit contexts. Each scenario shows outputs from GPT-5, Claude, and Gemini. Select a model above each scenario to compare.
Small Community Org
Volunteer-led rural food pantry in Appalachian Kentucky; donation from a local hardware store to expand cold storage for winter produce.
View scenario details
Dear [Donor Name],
On behalf of everyone at Red River Community Pantry, thank you for your extraordinary in-kind gift in support of our Winter Harvest Drive. Your donation of two 18-cubic-foot Energy Star Whirlpool chest freezers and four NSF-certified heavy-duty wire shelving units—complete with delivery and installation—could not be more thoughtful or timely.
These additions immediately expand our cold-storage capacity, allowing us to safely receive and store more fresh produce, dairy, and proteins through the cold months. The new shelving improves organization and throughput in our distribution area, helping volunteers stock efficiently and ensuring families can find what they need quickly. Together, these upgrades reduce food waste, increase choice for neighbors, and strengthen programs like our evening distributions and senior boxes. Simply put, your gift helps us nourish more households, more reliably, all winter long.
Please know we value this in-kind contribution every bit as much as a financial donation. Your generosity directly advances our mission, and we are deeply grateful. The estimated fair market value of your gift is $4,750. As a 501(c)(3) organization, in-kind donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law; a formal receipt is enclosed for your records.
We would love to show you your impact. You’re warmly invited to visit the pantry and see the freezers and shelving in action during a distribution—just let us know what works for you.
With heartfelt thanks,
Marisol Vega Executive Director Red River Community Pantry
AI Evaluation Details (Score: 8.8/10)
This is a high-quality, professionally crafted thank-you letter that fulfills all prompt requirements while maintaining warmth and authenticity. It successfully balances specific detail with emotional connection, making the donor feel valued. The letter would require minimal editing for actual use.
- • Excellent specificity in describing both the donation and its impact—mentions concrete programs like 'evening distributions and senior boxes' that ground the letter in real operations
- • Successfully elevates in-kind gifts with the phrase 'we value this in-kind contribution every bit as much as a financial donation' and by detailing tangible operational improvements
- • Strong warm tone throughout with phrases like 'could not be more thoughtful or timely' and 'warmly invited' that feel genuine rather than formulaic
- • Comprehensive coverage of all required elements: gratitude, detailed description, impact explanation, tax information, invitation to visit, proper length (267 words), and appropriate signature
- • Effective structure that flows naturally from thanks to impact to practical details to future engagement
- • Appropriate use of context-specific language (Appalachian community pantry serving 'neighbors' and 'households') that demonstrates understanding of the organization type
- • Missing '[Donor Name]' placeholder should ideally be formatted more clearly or with instruction to personalize
- • The phrase 'Simply put' in the second paragraph, while not incorrect, slightly weakens the otherwise strong narrative flow
- • Could benefit from one more sentence of personal warmth or community connection given the small rural organization context—perhaps a brief mention of community impact or volunteer appreciation
Mid-Size Professional Org
Urban arts education nonprofit on Chicago’s South Side; donation from a regional tech company to outfit a youth media lab.
View scenario details
Dear [Donor Name],
On behalf of South Side Media Arts Collective, thank you for your extraordinary in-kind gift supporting our Youth Film Lab Expansion – Summer 2025 Cohort. Your donation of 15 refurbished MacBook Air (M1) laptops, 15 Adobe Creative Cloud annual licenses, two Sony a6400 mirrorless cameras with 16–50mm lenses, a 20-bay charging cart, and three portable 2TB SSD drives arrives at exactly the right moment.
This equipment will outfit an entire cohort of young storytellers with professional tools: laptops and Creative Cloud for editing, design, and sound; cameras for hands-on production; the charging cart to keep classes running smoothly; and SSDs for secure, real-world media workflows. Because of you, we can expand access, reduce equipment bottlenecks, and deliver more one-on-one instruction—accelerating learning and elevating student films from concept to festival-ready.
We value this contribution at an estimated fair market value of $22,300. Please know that your in-kind support is every bit as vital as a cash gift—directly fueling our mission to amplify youth voices through media arts. Your generosity is deeply thoughtful and precisely aligned with our program’s needs.
Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law; a formal receipt is attached/enclosed for your records.
We would love to show you the impact firsthand. You’re warmly invited to visit a lab session this summer, meet the cohort, and see your gift in action on set and in the edit bays.
With sincere gratitude,
Darnell Whitaker Development Manager South Side Media Arts Collective [Contact Information]
AI Evaluation Details (Score: 8.8/10)
This is a strong, professional thank-you letter that fulfills all prompt requirements while maintaining an appropriately appreciative tone. It effectively balances specificity with warmth, clearly articulates impact, and positions the in-kind gift as mission-critical. Minor improvements could enhance authenticity.
- • Excellent impact articulation - clearly connects specific equipment to concrete program outcomes (reducing bottlenecks, one-on-one instruction, festival-ready films)
- • Strong opening that establishes context immediately and acknowledges timing ('arrives at exactly the right moment')
- • Comprehensive coverage of all required elements including tax-deductibility, FMV, formal receipt reference, and invitation to visit
- • Effective positioning of in-kind gift as equally valuable to cash ('every bit as vital as a cash gift')
- • Professional structure with appropriate paragraph breaks and logical flow from gratitude to impact to administrative details to invitation
- • Specific technical details demonstrate genuine understanding of the donation's value (mentions workflows, edit bays, on-set use)
- • Word count (267 words) falls perfectly within the 200-300 word requirement
- • Missing [Donor Name] placeholder should ideally include a note or instruction to personalize
- • The phrase 'arrives at exactly the right moment' could be more specific about why (e.g., 'as we prepare to welcome 30 new students')
- • Minor authenticity concern: 'festival-ready' might feel slightly promotional; could benefit from one more personal or emotional touch about student impact
Large Established Org
Regional disaster relief organization serving the Gulf Coast; national outdoor retailer donated emergency shelter supplies ahead of hurricane season.
View scenario details
Dear [Donor Name],
On behalf of Gulf Coast Relief Alliance, thank you for your extraordinary in-kind donation in support of our Hurricane Readiness Initiative 2025. Your generous contribution of 500 foldable cots, 1,200 thermal blankets, 18 portable generators (Honda EU2200i), and 60 rechargeable LED lanterns will immediately strengthen our ability to open safe, dignified shelters within hours of a storm.
These supplies are being pre-positioned in our coastal staging hubs and will equip our shelter teams to serve thousands of evacuees. The cots and blankets will provide clean, comfortable rest for families; the EU2200i generators will power refrigeration for medications, charging stations, and critical communications; and the LED lanterns will enable safe operations overnight. In every way, your thoughtful gift reduces setup time, expands capacity, and improves the quality of care we deliver in the most difficult moments.
Please know that your non-monetary support is every bit as mission-critical as a cash contribution. Our records reflect an estimated fair market value of $86,400 for your donation. As a 501(c)(3) organization, your contribution is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law; no goods or services were provided in exchange for this gift. A formal receipt is enclosed for your files.
We would be honored to show you the impact firsthand. We invite you to tour our preparedness warehouse or observe a shelter set-up during an upcoming Readiness 2025 drill.
With sincere appreciation for your partnership and foresight,
Alicia Chen Chief Development Officer Gulf Coast Relief Alliance
AI Evaluation Details (Score: 8.8/10)
This is an exceptionally well-crafted thank-you letter that fulfills nearly all requirements with professional polish. It strikes the right balance between warmth and professionalism, provides specific impact details, and genuinely elevates the in-kind donation. Minor technical details around tax language could be refined, but overall this would require minimal editing for actual use.
- • Excellent specificity in describing impact - connects each donated item to concrete outcomes (generators power medication refrigeration, lanterns enable overnight operations)
- • Strong execution of making in-kind gifts feel valued equally to cash ('every bit as mission-critical as a cash contribution')
- • Professional tone perfectly calibrated - warm without being overly casual, appreciative without being effusive
- • Compelling invitation to see impact firsthand with specific, relevant options (warehouse tour, drill observation)
- • Effective use of mission-focused language ('safe, dignified shelters,' 'most difficult moments') that connects donation to organizational values
- • Appropriate length at approximately 260 words, well within the 200-300 word target
- • Tax-deductibility language is slightly imprecise - the phrase 'no goods or services were provided in exchange for this gift' is standard for cash donations but may need adjustment for in-kind donations where the donor is the one providing goods
- • Missing '[Donor Name]' placeholder should ideally include a note or instruction that this needs personalization
- • Could strengthen the opening by briefly acknowledging the donor's business/identity (e.g., 'as a trusted outdoor retailer') to add personalization
Test Summary: Generated Nov 1, 2025 • 3 scenarios • 9 total outputs • Average quality score: 8.62/10 • Total validation cost: $0.0643