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Gift Acceptance Policy (Human-Services Edition)

A board-adoptable gift acceptance policy covering the full range a food bank or shelter encounters — cash, securities, DAF grants, in-kind, vehicles, real property, planned gifts, and restricted/anonymous gifts.

Draft: pending review

This starter document is signed off by Nonprofit counsel + planned-giving specialist + CFRE before it ships. The guardrails below define that review.

What’s inside

  • Gift-type acceptance rules and review thresholds (cash, securities, DAF, crypto, in-kind, vehicles, real estate, bequests)
  • Gift Acceptance Committee charter, authority levels, and refusal procedure
  • Anonymous-gift and source-vetting standards (reputational/legal screen)
  • Vehicle-donation and non-cash substantiation handling (Form 1098-C / 8283 crosswalk)

Legal & ethical guardrails

The sector-specific compliance points this document must honor.

  • The policy must preserve the right to REFUSE gifts that impose excessive cost, carry liability, or conflict with mission (e.g., encumbered real property)
  • Vehicle donations trigger IRS Form 1098-C and specific donor-deduction rules tied to sale price
  • For non-cash gifts, the charity acknowledges receipt and description only; over $5,000 generally requires a qualified appraisal and Form 8283 donee signature
  • Screen gift sources for reputational/legal risk (proceeds-of-crime, sanctioned parties) and document why unusual gifts were accepted/declined

Held for professional review.

The native DOCX and full working text ship only after sign-off by Nonprofit counsel + planned-giving specialist + CFRE on this exact version. The summary and review requirements remain visible in the meantime.

Not legal advice. Not legal, tax, or accounting advice. The Fundraising Co. provides educational fundraising materials and is not a law firm; nothing here creates an attorney–client relationship or substitutes for advice from professionals licensed in your jurisdiction. Laws and IRS rules vary by state and change over time. Review every document with qualified counsel before use.