Sending automated donation receipts to supporters

Purpose

1.1. Streamline the process of issuing digital donation receipts immediately upon receiving contributions for accurate supporter acknowledgment.
1.2. Ensure legal and tax compliance for both donors and the community theatre organization.
1.3. Automate data capture and receipt generation to minimize manual effort, prevent errors, and maintain supporter trust.
1.4. Centralize donation records, improving transparency for financial audits, donor follow-ups, and reporting.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. Receipt of a donation transaction via online, POS, or offline-entry channels.
2.2. Confirmation of payment status (e.g., settled, completed, succeeded) in the financial platform.
2.3. Entry of supporter’s email or contact details during donation event.
2.4. Scheduled batch runs for consolidating multiple donations (as with recurring or payroll-giving programs).
2.5. Donor-requested receipt via self-service portal or support inquiry.

Platform Variants

1. Stripe

• Feature/Setting: Configure webhooks for “checkout.session.completed”.
• API: payments/receipts; Use POST /v1/receipts to trigger receipt creation and email dispatch.

2. PayPal

• Feature/Setting: Instant Payment Notification (IPN) on donation receipt.
• API: /v1/notifications/webhooks-events; automate receipt PDF generation and donor email.

3. Square

• Feature/Setting: Transactions API webhook for payment completion.
• API: POST /v2/receipts/send; include donor's email for auto-issuance.

4. Donorbox

• Feature/Setting: “Donation Success” webhook.
• API: /api/v1/donations; automate thank-you and receipt emails with personalization.

5. Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack

• Feature/Setting: Process Builder automation on Opportunity Won.
• API: /data/vXX.X/sobjects/EmailMessage; auto-generate and send PDF receipts.

6. Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT

• Feature/Setting: Gift Entry automated acknowledgment workflows.
• API: /giftreceipts/send; triggers upon gift posting.

7. Mailchimp

• Feature/Setting: Transactional Email API, triggered from CRM or donation platform.
• API: /messages/send-template for customized receipt templates.

8. SendGrid

• Feature/Setting: Dynamic Templates for donation receipt emails.
• API: /mail/send utilizing dynamic fields for donor data.

9. Gmail API

• Feature/Setting: Send auto-generated emails from organization account.
• API: /gmail/v1/users/me/messages/send with PDF attachment.

10. Outlook (Microsoft Graph)

• Feature/Setting: Auto-email receipts leveraging Flow triggers.
• API: /me/sendMail; template with merged donor data.

11. QuickBooks Online

• Feature/Setting: Automated “Sales Receipt” email on payment receipt.
• API: /v3/company/{companyId}/salesreceipt with email to donor.

12. Xero

• Feature/Setting: Invoice and Receipt Email Trigger on payment receipt.
• API: /api.xro/2.0/Receipts; emails configured for donor notification.

13. Zoho CRM

• Feature/Setting: Workflow Rule on “Donation Received” status.
• API: /crm/v2/functions/invoke for custom email integration.

14. HubSpot

• Feature/Setting: Workflow Automation for new “Donation” custom object.
• API: /crm/v3/objects/emails; dynamic content receipt delivery.

15. FreshBooks

• Feature/Setting: Payments Receipt Automatic Email.
• API: /payments/receipts/send; include relevant donor info.

16. Slack

• Feature/Setting: Notification to finance/support channel upon receipt dispatch.
• API: /api/chat.postMessage for real-time logging and monitoring.

17. DocuSign

• Feature/Setting: Send receipt as signed document.
• API: /envelopes; configure template for automated donor sending.

18. Google Sheets

• Feature/Setting: Script trigger on new donation entry; invokes receipt email.
• API: Apps Script > MailApp.sendEmail() for customized messaging.

19. Airtable

• Feature/Setting: Automation trigger when donation record status updates.
• API: /v0/{baseId}/{tableName}/trigger-email to donor.

20. Zapier

• Feature/Setting: Multi-step automation linking donation platform with email delivery.
• API: Connect triggers and actions for payment→email.

21. WooCommerce (WordPress)

• Feature/Setting: Email receipt upon donation product purchased.
• API: woocommerce_email_actions and custom hooks for donor email.

22. Shopify

• Feature/Setting: Post-purchase flow for charitable add-on products.
• API: POST /admin/api/2023-01/orders/{order_id}/send_receipt.

23. OneCause

• Feature/Setting: Automated thank you/email receipt on pledge or payment.
• API: /api/v1/receipts/send configured per fundraising campaign.

24. Kindful

• Feature/Setting: Automated receipting workflow.
• API: /api/v1/donations/receipts configured for email upon receipt.

Benefits

4.1. Dramatic reduction in administrative tasks with instant, reliable delivery.
4.2. Improved donor satisfaction and increased repeat giving via prompt acknowledgment.
4.3. Enhanced accuracy in donor records, crucial for compliance and future outreach.
4.4. Stronger audit readiness and simplified reporting for the organization.
4.5. Scalability to handle surges in donations, especially during fundraising campaigns.