Donations Management

Overview

The Donations module helps you track financial contributions and pledges from ministry partners. You can record various types of donations (cash, in-kind, services, equipment), monitor their status from pledge to clearance, and ensure proper acknowledgment and receipting.

What You Can Do

View and Manage Donations

• All Donations: Complete list of all donations and pledges
• Pending Donations: Track pledged donations that haven't been received yet
• Recurring Donations: Monitor partners who give regularly
• Unacknowledged Donations: Ensure timely thank-you letters and acknowledgments

Analyze Giving Patterns

• Donations by Partner: View each partner's total giving and history
• Donations by Purpose: Track contributions grouped by their designation

Donation Types

The system supports various contribution types:

• Cash: Monetary donations (checks, cash, wire transfers, online payments)
• In-Kind: Physical goods or materials donated
• Services: Volunteered professional services
• Equipment: Donated equipment or assets
• Other: Any other form of contribution

Donation Status Flow

Each donation progresses through different statuses:

Pledged

• Partner has committed to give
• Donation not yet received
• Shows in "Pending Donations" view
• Tracked by days since pledge

Received

• Donation physically received
• Payment in hand but not yet cleared
• Check received but not deposited

Cleared

• Payment cleared and verified
• Funds available in account
• Check cleared the bank

Refunded

• Donation returned to donor
• Payment reversed

Cancelled

• Pledge cancelled before receipt
• Partner withdrew commitment

Key Features

Donation Recording

Track complete donation information:

• Partner/donor details
• Donation type and amount
• Currency (multi-currency support)
• Donation and received dates
• Payment method and reference number
• Purpose or designation
• Recurring donation setup

Receipt Management

Issue proper receipts for donations:

• Generate unique receipt numbers
• Track receipt issue dates
• Mark donations as tax-deductible
• Maintain receipt history

Acknowledgment Tracking

Ensure donors are thanked:

• Mark donations as acknowledged
• Record acknowledgment dates
• Track unacknowledged donations
• Monitor days since donation

Recurring Donations

Manage ongoing giving:

• Set donation frequency (weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly)
• Track last donation date
• Calculate next expected date
• Monitor recurring donor patterns

Financial Tracking

Organize donations by period:

• Fiscal year and month
• Quarter tracking
• Date range filtering
• Multi-currency support

Getting Started

1. All Donations: View and manage all donation records
2. Pending Donations: Follow up on pledged donations
3. Recurring Donations: Track regular monthly/quarterly donors
4. Unacknowledged Donations: Send timely thank-you letters
5. Donations by Partner: Analyze partner giving patterns
6. Donations by Purpose: Review contributions by designation

Who Should Use This Section

This documentation is for:

• Finance Team: Staff recording and tracking donations
• Development Staff: Team members managing donor relationships
• Administrative Staff: Users generating reports and receipts
• Ministry Leaders: Reviewing giving patterns and donor engagement

Common Workflows

Recording a New Donation

1. Navigate to All Donations
2. Click "Add Donation"
3. Select or search for partner
4. Enter donation details (amount, type, date, purpose)
5. Choose payment method and status
6. Save the donation

Following Up on Pledges

1. Navigate to Pending Donations
2. Review donations with "pledged" status
3. Contact partners about outstanding pledges
4. Update status when payment received
5. Mark as "received" or "cleared"

Issuing Receipts

1. Find the donation in All Donations
2. Click on donation to view details
3. Click "Issue Receipt"
4. Review receipt information
5. Generate and send to donor

Sending Acknowledgments

1. Navigate to Unacknowledged Donations
2. Select donations to acknowledge
3. Send thank-you letters or emails
4. Mark as acknowledged
5. Record acknowledgment date

Best Practices

• Record Promptly: Enter donations as soon as received
• Update Status: Keep donation status current (pledged → received → cleared)
• Acknowledge Quickly: Thank donors within 48 hours
• Issue Receipts: Provide tax receipts for eligible donations
• Track Purposes: Ensure donations are properly designated
• Monitor Recurring: Follow up when expected recurring donations are late
• Verify Information: Double-check amounts, dates, and donor details

Need Help?

If you encounter any issues or have questions:

• Contact your finance team for donation recording procedures
• Refer to specific feature guides in this section
• Ask your team lead about donation handling policies
• Check with IT for system or technical issues