Quick answer. Write one letter that does both jobs: a warm thank-you with a set-off acknowledgment block listing what the IRS names for gifts of $250 or more. For event tickets over $75, state the good faith value of what attendees receive and that the deductible amount is limited to the excess. Let the AI write, but type the amounts, dates and values yourself, never state a value for donated goods, and skip tax advice.
Why a workflow beats a one-off prompt
Small development teams spend whole weeks on letters: thank-yous after every gift, receipts after every event, appeals, grant reports and board summaries. The writing is where AI saves time; the acknowledgment details are where it can cost you, because a chat assistant will happily call a gala ticket "fully tax-deductible" or put a dollar value on donated laptops. These workflows put the IRS's own lists into the prompt so the draft carries the right lines and nothing extra.
Each workflow has five parts: the job it does, a prompt template with [BRACKETS] to fill, an example input with the kind of output to expect, a check before you send (facts, numbers, names, tone), and a privacy rule. Every prompt ends by telling the AI to write [CHECK] instead of guessing, so missing facts show up instead of being invented.
Three workflows you can run today
1. Donor thank-you letter with the IRS acknowledgment lines
Prompt template (replace every [BRACKET] with your facts):
You are writing for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Write a thank-you letter (under 220 words) to a donor. Warm first paragraph about what the gift makes possible, using only our program facts: [ONE OR TWO REAL PROGRAM FACTS]. Then an acknowledgment block with: our organization's legal name [NAME]; date received [DATE]; cash amount [AMOUNT] or, for a non-cash gift, a description of the item [DESCRIPTION] with no value stated; and one of these, as I choose: "No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution" OR a description and good faith estimate of the value of goods or services provided [DESCRIPTION, VALUE]. Don't state a value for non-cash gifts, don't give tax advice, and don't say the gift is "fully deductible". If any fact you need is missing, write [CHECK] instead of guessing. After the draft, list every [CHECK] and anything you assumed.
Example input: Gift of $500 cash received Nov 3 from a returning donor; no goods or services provided; program facts: our pantry served 1,240 households in October; 92% of food came from local donors.
What to expect: Expect a short, specific thank-you that mentions the 1,240 households, then a clearly set-off acknowledgment block with the legal name, Nov 3, $500 and the no-goods-or-services sentence, with no deductibility claim.
Check before you send:
- Facts: program figures come from your records; the goods-or-services statement is the right one for this gift.
- Numbers: amount and date match your donor database and deposit record.
- Names: the organization's legal name is exact; donor name merged by you.
- Tone: grateful and specific; no tax advice.
Privacy rule: Use "the donor" in the chat; merge names, addresses and amounts in your donor system. Never paste donor lists, giving histories or payment details.
Rule to know: The IRS says a written acknowledgment for a contribution of $250 or more must include the organization's name, the cash amount, a description (but not the value) of a non-cash contribution, and either a statement that no goods or services were provided or a description and good faith estimate of their value. (IRS)
2. Event ticket receipt with the quid pro quo disclosure
Prompt template (replace every [BRACKET] with your facts):
Write an event ticket confirmation and receipt (under 180 words) for [EVENT] on [DATE]. Ticket price paid [AMOUNT]. Our good faith estimate of the fair market value of what the attendee receives [VALUE, FROM OUR OWN ESTIMATE: MEAL, ENTERTAINMENT, ETC.]. Include a clear statement that the amount of the contribution that is deductible for federal income tax purposes is limited to the excess of the amount paid over the value of the goods or services provided, and show both numbers. Add event details [TIME, PLACE, DRESS, PARKING]. Don't say how much the person can deduct on their own return. If any fact you need is missing, write [CHECK] instead of guessing. After the draft, list every [CHECK] and anything you assumed.
Example input: Spring gala May 9; ticket $150; dinner and entertainment valued at $65 (caterer's per-person cost plus band); 6 p.m. at the community hall.
What to expect: Expect a friendly confirmation with event details, then a disclosure paragraph: payment of $150, estimated value of dinner and entertainment $65, and the statement that the deductible contribution is limited to the amount over that value.
Check before you send:
- Facts: your value estimate is documented (caterer invoice, venue rate).
- Numbers: ticket price and value right; you do any subtraction yourself.
- Names: legal name of the organization right.
- Tone: welcoming; the disclosure is plain, not buried.
Privacy rule: Template only; merge attendee names and payment amounts in your ticketing system.
Rule to know: The IRS says a charity must give a written disclosure statement for a quid pro quo contribution of more than $75, telling the donor the deductible amount is limited to the excess over the value of goods or services received and giving a good faith estimate of that value. The penalty is $10 per contribution, up to $5,000 per event or mailing. (IRS)
3. Year-end appeal letter from your own numbers
Prompt template (replace every [BRACKET] with your facts):
Write a year-end appeal letter (under 350 words) and a 150-word email version for [ORGANIZATION]. Use only these facts: mission [ONE SENTENCE]; this year's results [NUMBERS WITH SOURCES]; one story the person agreed to share, with identifying details changed [STORY]; what gifts pay for [E.G., $50 = ...; ONLY AMOUNTS FROM OUR BUDGET]; goal [AMOUNT AND DEADLINE]; how to give [LINK, MAIL ADDRESS]. Don't invent statistics, matching gifts or deadlines, and don't use guilt or shame. If any fact you need is missing, write [CHECK] instead of guessing. After the draft, list every [CHECK] and anything you assumed.
Example input: Literacy nonprofit; 312 adult learners this year (program records); story: a learner who read to her grandson for the first time (consent given, name changed); $60 = one month of materials for a learner; goal $40,000 by Dec 31.
What to expect: Expect a letter that opens with the story, gives the 312 learners and the $60 figure, states the $40,000 goal and deadline, and ends with a single clear ask; plus a shorter email.
Check before you send:
- Facts: every number and story detail is real and approved; no matching gift unless you have one.
- Numbers: amounts and what they buy come from your budget.
- Names: changed names stay changed; organization name right.
- Tone: hopeful and respectful of the people you serve.
Privacy rule: No donor lists, client records or real client names in the chat.
How many hours would they give back?
Fill in at least one workflow.
Rules to know before you post or send
The IRS says a written acknowledgment for a contribution of $250 or more must include the organization's name, the amount of a cash contribution, a description (but not the value) of a non-cash contribution, and either a statement that no goods or services were provided or a description and good faith estimate of the value of any goods or services provided (IRS written acknowledgments). For a quid pro quo contribution of more than $75, part gift and part payment for goods or services, the charity must give a written statement that the deductible amount is limited to the excess over the value of what the donor received, with a good faith estimate of that value; the penalty for failing is $10 per contribution, up to $5,000 per fundraising event or mailing (IRS quid pro quo page).
The IRS also says 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from participating in or intervening in any political campaign for or against a candidate, while nonpartisan voter education and registration can be allowed (IRS campaign intervention page). The newsletter and advocacy workflows list any sentence that could read as campaign activity. Lobbying limits and state charity registration are separate questions for your accountant or attorney.
What stays out of the chat
Whatever the workflow, don't paste Social Security numbers, ITINs, driver's license or passport numbers, or photos of IDs; bank, card or loan account numbers and routing numbers; health information about a named person: diagnoses, medications, allergies, disability details; passwords and door, lockbox, alarm or gate codes; signed contracts, leases or applications with personal details still on them; anything a client told you in confidence. Use first names or roles, type only the facts a draft needs, and set your AI tool's chat history and training options to the most private choice it offers. The FTC's guide for businesses puts it as take stock, scale down, lock it, pitch it and plan ahead (FTC). If staff use AI tools too, the Small Business AI Use Policy Kit puts these rules in a written policy. The free AI tool risk check shows how much business data is going into AI tools now.
All 14 workflows in the kit
- Donor thank-you letter with the IRS acknowledgment lines
- Event ticket receipt with the quid pro quo disclosure
- Year-end appeal letter from your own numbers
- Grant progress report narrative
- Letter of inquiry to a foundation
- Volunteer role description and recruitment post
- Volunteer shift reminder and thank-you
- Impact story with a consent check
- Monthly newsletter
- Issue update or action alert with a nonpartisan check
- Board meeting summary and action items
- In-kind gift acknowledgment
- Lapsed donor re-engagement note
- Sponsor recognition post
Each comes with the same five parts as the samples above. Related: Nonprofit Treasurer Workbook · Church Contribution Statements · Booster Club and PTA Treasurer Workbook. Other trades: real estate agents · contractors and home service pros · salons and beauty pros · restaurants and food vendors · landlords and property managers · freelancers and creatives · auto repair shops · insurance agents · fitness studios and personal trainers · retail shops and boutiques · home care agencies. Or start at the AI workflows hub.
Sources
- IRS: Charitable contributions, written acknowledgments
- IRS: Charitable contributions, quid pro quo contributions
- IRS: Restriction of political campaign intervention by section 501(c)(3) organizations
- FTC: Protecting personal information, a guide for business
General information checked November 2026 against the official sources above, not legal advice. Check your state and local rules. No AI product or vendor is recommended; the workflows work in any chat assistant. The calculator runs in your browser, and nothing you enter is sent or saved.
Common questions
What has to be in a donor acknowledgment letter?
For a gift of $250 or more, the IRS lists the organization's name, the cash amount, a description (not the value) of any non-cash gift, and either a statement that no goods or services were provided or a description and good faith estimate of their value. The thank-you workflow puts those in a set-off block.
Do gala tickets need a special statement?
If a payment over $75 is partly a gift and partly for something of value, like dinner, the IRS requires a written statement that the deductible amount is limited to the excess over the value received, with your good faith estimate. The event receipt workflow writes it from the numbers you give.
Should we put a value on donated goods?
No. The IRS says the acknowledgment describes a non-cash gift but doesn't state its value; valuing it is the donor's job. The in-kind workflow describes items and quantities only.
Can our newsletter mention an election?
The IRS says 501(c)(3) organizations can't participate in any political campaign for or against a candidate. Nonpartisan voter education can be allowed. The newsletter and advocacy workflows flag sentences that could read as favoring or opposing a candidate.
What donor and client information stays out of AI tools?
Donor lists, giving histories, addresses, payment details, tax IDs, and case files or health information about the people you serve. Write templates, merge names in your donor system, and use only consented, de-identified stories.