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Donation Pledge Agreement Template

Put a donor's pledge in writing — how much, when it's paid, what it's for and how they'll be thanked — and sign it online with the donor.

Use This Template — Free See the Agreement Signers don’t need an account
Donation pledge agreement
The blanks in brackets are what you fill in. VergeHR adds each signer’s signature and date boxes.
Donation pledge agreement — page 1 of 2
Page 1 of 2
Donation pledge agreement — page 2 of 2
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Use This Template Fill in the blanks, name who signs, and send — from VergeHR eSignature.

What is a donation pledge agreement?

A donation pledge agreement (also called a gift agreement or pledge form) records a donor's promise to give a nonprofit a set amount, often over several years. It is how capital campaigns, endowed funds and naming gifts are usually documented: the organisation can plan around the money, and the donor has a clear record of what their gift will be used for and how they will be recognised.

This template covers the pledge amount and payment schedule (one payment or instalments you list line by line), whether the gift is unrestricted or restricted to a specific purpose — with what happens if that purpose is finished or becomes impossible — the donor's choice of recognition (listed by name, anonymous, or a naming opportunity with its conditions), receipts and tax, annual reporting to the donor, and what happens if the donor dies before the pledge is paid. Both the donor and an officer of the organisation sign.

Best for
Major gifts, multi-year pledges, capital campaigns, restricted and naming gifts
Signed by
The donor and an authorised officer of the organisation
Payment
One payment by a date, or an instalment schedule you write in
Length
2 pages, initialled on every page

When to Use a donation pledge agreement

  • A family pledging a multi-year gift to a school's building campaign
  • A business committing sponsorship-style support with no goods or services in return
  • A donor funding a scholarship or programme and wanting the gift restricted to it
  • A naming gift for a room, garden, wing or fund, with a plaque
  • A donor who wants to give generously but stay anonymous

What You Fill In

18 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: donor, organisation.

1 The parties

  • Date of the pledge*
  • Organisation's legal name*
  • Charity or tax registration number
  • Organisation's address
  • Donor's name*
  • Donor's address

2 The gift

  • Currency*
  • Total amount pledged*
  • How the pledge is paid* in one payment · in instalments on the schedule below
  • Payment date (one payment)
  • Instalment schedule
  • How payments are made

3 Purpose and recognition

  • What the gift is for* the Organisation's general charitable purposes (an unrestricted gift) · a specific purpose (a restricted gift)
  • The specific purpose
  • Recognition* listing by name in donor acknowledgements · anonymity — no public recognition · naming, as described below
  • Name to be used in recognition
  • What is named, and for how long

4 Other terms

  • Governing law*

5 Who signs

  • Donor signature and date, initials on every page · The person, family or business making the pledge. For a company gift, an authorised officer signs.
  • Organisation signature and date, job title, initials on every page · An authorised officer of the charity or nonprofit receiving the gift.

What the donation pledge agreement Covers

  1. The pledge
  2. Purpose of the Gift
  3. Recognition
  4. Receipts and tax
  5. Reporting
  6. Commitments of the parties
  7. Death or incapacity of the Donor
  8. General

Using the donation pledge agreement, step by step

1 Enter the organisation and donor

Use the organisation's full legal name and, if you have one, its charity or tax registration number. The donor can be a person, a couple, a family foundation or a company.

2 Set the amount and schedule

Choose one payment and give its date, or choose instalments and list each payment on its own line with its amount and due date. The agreement lets the donor pay early and asks both sides to talk if a payment will be late.

3 Decide what the gift is for

An unrestricted gift can be used for any of the organisation's charitable purposes. A restricted gift must be used for the purpose you describe — be specific. The template says what happens to leftover funds or if the purpose can't be carried out.

4 Agree recognition

Pick a listing by name (optionally with a preferred name such as "The Raman Family"), anonymity, or a naming opportunity. For naming, describe what is named, where the plaque goes and for how long; the template ties naming to the pledge being paid and covers the space later changing.

5 Send for signature

Add the donor's name and email, sign for the organisation, and send. The signed agreement is filed in Files and both of you receive a copy.

Tips Before You Send It

  • Whether a charitable pledge can be enforced as a contract depends on local law. Treat the agreement mainly as a clear record of intentions, and don't count on suing a donor.
  • Talk about tax with the donor in general terms only — the template says the organisation gives no tax advice, and receipts must follow the rules where the donor claims relief.
  • For naming gifts, agree the length of the naming (for example a number of years, or the life of the building) rather than leaving it open-ended.
  • Keep restricted-gift purposes realistic. A purpose that is too narrow can become impossible to carry out.

Sign It Online In Minutes

  1. Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
  2. Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. VergeHR builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
  3. Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in Files and emailed to everyone.
Use the donation pledge agreement Template — It’s Free

Donation pledge agreement: frequently asked questions

Is a donation pledge legally binding?

It depends on where you are and the circumstances. In some places a written pledge that the charity relied on can be enforced; in others a gift promise without anything in return may not be. Most organisations use pledge agreements to document the gift clearly rather than to enforce it. Ask a local adviser if enforceability matters to you.

What is the difference between a restricted and an unrestricted gift?

An unrestricted gift can be used for any of the organisation's charitable purposes. A restricted gift can only be used for the purpose the donor specified. The template covers both, and for restricted gifts says what happens if the purpose is completed with money left over or becomes impossible.

Is the gift tax-deductible?

That depends on the donor's circumstances, the organisation's status and the law that applies to them. The agreement commits the organisation to send receipts in the form the law requires, and says it does not give tax advice.

Can a pledge agreement be signed electronically?

In most countries, including the US (ESIGN Act and UETA), the UK, the EU (eIDAS) and Canada, an electronic signature is generally valid for an ordinary commercial contract like this one. VergeHR keeps an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion with the signed PDF as evidence of who signed and when.

Is this template free?

Yes. The template is free to use with the eSignature app in VergeHR, and the people you send it to don't need a VergeHR login to sign.

Use This Template — Free