Gift Acceptance Committee Review Form

This form is for unusual, restricted, or noncash gifts that need committee review before acceptance. It works well for in-kind donations, donated services, restricted gifts, and items with uncertain valuation or conditions attached. If a gift is routine and already covered by policy, you may not need the full review workflow. Use the form when the organization needs a documented approval or decline decision.

The person receiving the gift request, development staff, finance staff, or a compliance lead typically completes the submission fields. The gift acceptance committee then reviews the policy reference, risk factors, and due diligence before making a decision. A committee chair or designated approver should sign off on the final outcome. Keep the reviewer role field specific so the audit trail shows who initiated and who decided.

Use it whenever a gift falls outside standard acceptance rules, not on a fixed calendar cadence. That includes gifts with restrictions, gifts from higher-risk sources, gifts requiring valuation judgment, or gifts that may create operational or reputational issues. For recurring donor relationships, each unusual gift should still be reviewed separately if the terms change. The form is meant to prevent informal approvals from being lost in email threads.

It helps document alignment with the organization’s gift acceptance policy, any exception needed, and the reasons behind the committee’s decision. The form also supports a clear audit trail by capturing supporting documents, due diligence, and follow-up ownership. If the gift involves donor restrictions, privacy concerns, or potential conflicts of interest, those should be recorded in the risk assessment section. This is especially useful when internal controls require evidence of review.

Common mistakes include leaving the valuation basis vague, skipping the policy reference, and treating a restricted gift like a routine donation. Another frequent issue is failing to document why an exception is needed or what conditions were attached to acceptance. Teams also sometimes omit follow-up ownership, which makes it unclear who is responsible after approval. The form works best when each field is completed with enough detail to explain the decision later.

Yes. You can add conditional logic for gift type, source type, or restricted-gift status so only relevant fields appear. For example, a university, nonprofit, or healthcare foundation may need different risk factors, approval thresholds, or supporting documents. You can also tailor the policy reference field to point to the correct internal policy or board resolution. Keep the core decision, risk, and audit trail fields intact so the review remains consistent.

Email can confirm a decision, but it usually leaves gaps in policy reference, valuation basis, and follow-up ownership. This template creates a structured record that is easier to review later and less likely to miss required details. It also reduces back-and-forth by prompting the committee to consider the same fields every time. If your organization needs traceability, the form is a better control than ad hoc email approval.

Attach anything that helps explain the gift and the decision, such as donor correspondence, appraisals, photos, contracts, or internal policy excerpts. Include only what is necessary to support the review and avoid collecting unnecessary PII. If the gift is anonymous, note that in the form and keep the supporting record limited to what the committee needs. The goal is a complete but minimal audit trail.