Donation Tracker Template¶
Track your charitable giving for impact analysis, tax purposes, and personal reflection.
How to Use This Template¶
- Set your annual giving budget
- Decide on allocation strategy (see Chapter 4)
- Log each donation when you make it
- Keep receipts/confirmation emails
- Review annually to assess and adjust
Annual Giving Plan¶
Year: ______¶
Total giving budget: $______
Percentage of income: ____%
Planned Allocation¶
| Category | Planned Amount | Planned % | Organizations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Impact (e.g., GiveWell) | $ | % | |
| Cause I Care About | $ | % | |
| Local Community | $ | % | |
| Responsive/Flexible | $ | % | |
| TOTAL | $ | 100% |
Donation Log¶
Year: ______¶
| Date | Organization | Amount | Category | Tax-Deductible? | Receipt? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | ☐ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | ☐ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | ☐ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | ☐ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | ☐ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | ☐ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | ☐ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | ☐ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | ☐ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | ☐ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | ☐ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | ☐ | ☐ |
Monthly Summary¶
| Month | Total Donated | YTD Total | YTD % of Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | $ | $ | % |
| February | $ | $ | % |
| March | $ | $ | % |
| April | $ | $ | % |
| May | $ | $ | % |
| June | $ | $ | % |
| July | $ | $ | % |
| August | $ | $ | % |
| September | $ | $ | % |
| October | $ | $ | % |
| November | $ | $ | % |
| December | $ | $ | % |
Category Summary¶
| Category | Budgeted | Actual | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Impact | $ | $ | $ |
| Cause Area | $ | $ | $ |
| Local | $ | $ | $ |
| Responsive | $ | $ | $ |
| TOTAL | $ | $ | $ |
Annual Review¶
Year: ______¶
Total donated: $______
Giving as % of income: ____%
Goal met? Yes / No / Exceeded
Breakdown by Organization¶
| Organization | Total Given | % of Total | Satisfied? |
|---|---|---|---|
| $ | % | ||
| $ | % | ||
| $ | % | ||
| $ | % | ||
| $ | % |
Reflection Questions¶
Did my giving align with my values?
Which donations felt most impactful?
Any regrets or changes for next year?
Did I research new organizations?
What did I learn about effective giving?
Plans for Next Year¶
New giving budget: $______
Changes to allocation:
Organizations to add:
Organizations to remove:
Tax Documentation Checklist¶
For US taxpayers itemizing deductions:
☐ Gathered all donation receipts over $250 ☐ Recorded organization names, dates, and amounts ☐ Noted any non-cash donations with fair market value ☐ Checked that all organizations are 501(c)(3) qualified ☐ Filed receipts with tax documents ☐ Considered donor-advised fund for future tax efficiency
Note: Donations over $250 require written acknowledgment from the charity. Keep these records for at least 3 years.
Recurring Donations Setup¶
Track your automated giving:
| Organization | Monthly Amount | Payment Method | Start Date | Annual Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | $ | |||
| $ | ||||
| $ | $ | |||
| $ | $ |
Total monthly recurring: $______
Total annual from recurring: $______
Impact Estimates¶
Some organizations provide impact estimates. Track what your giving accomplished:
| Organization | Amount | Estimated Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Against Malaria Foundation | $ | ~ ___ bednets distributed |
| GiveDirectly | $ | ~ $___ to families in poverty |
| The Humane League | $ | ~ ___ animals spared |
| [Your cause] | $ |
Note: These are estimates based on organization-reported cost-effectiveness data. Actual impact varies.
Sample Completed Tracker¶
| Date | Organization | Amount | Category | Tax-Deductible? | Receipt? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/1 | Malaria Consortium | $100 | Max Impact | ☑ | ☑ | Monthly recurring |
| 1/1 | Local Food Bank | $25 | Local | ☑ | ☑ | Monthly recurring |
| 1/15 | GiveDirectly | $50 | Max Impact | ☑ | ☑ | One-time |
| 2/1 | Malaria Consortium | $100 | Max Impact | ☑ | ☑ | Monthly recurring |
| 2/1 | Local Food Bank | $25 | Local | ☑ | ☑ | Monthly recurring |
| 2/14 | ACLU | $50 | Cause Area | ☑ | ☑ | Response to news event |
Resources¶
- GiveWell — givewell.org — Research on cost-effective charities
- Giving What We Can — givingwhatwecan.org — Pledge community and resources
- Charity Navigator — charitynavigator.org — Charity ratings
- IRS Publication 526 — Charitable contributions tax guidance
Part of The Helper's Handbook