Donation pledge form template
A pledge form turns "count us in" into a gift you can plan around: the total, how it will be paid, what it's for and how the donor wants to be thanked. It's the backbone of a capital campaign, a building fund or a multi-year annual gift. Read this one below, then open it in SignMaster and send it to donors after the conversation, while the yes is fresh.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
The contract
Gray blanks are yours to fill in before you send. Each signer fills in the blanks in their color.
- You, before sending
- Donor
- Organization representative
Donation Pledge Form
In support of Organization name (the "Organization") and its Campaign or fund name, I, Donor name (the "Donor"), make the following pledge on Pledge date.
1. The pledge
- Total pledge: Total pledge amount
- Paid as (one payment, monthly, quarterly or yearly): Payment schedule
- Number of payments: Number of payments First payment on or about: First payment date
- Paid by (check, bank transfer, card, stock or other): Payment method
The Organization will send a reminder about Reminder days before payment days before each scheduled payment. It does not collect card or bank details on this form; payment instructions come with each reminder.
Gifts of stock or mutual fund shares are credited at their value on the day they reach the Organization's account, and the Organization will send transfer instructions on request. Gifts of other property, such as real estate, vehicles or artwork, need the Organization's agreement before they are made.
2. How the gift is used
Unless the Donor names a purpose here, the gift supports the Organization's general work, wherever the need is greatest. Purpose, if any: Restricted purpose. If a named purpose later becomes impossible or no longer practical, the Organization will contact the Donor and use the gift for the closest purpose that fits the Donor's intent.
3. Recognition
Please list the Donor in published recognition as: Recognition name. To give anonymously, tick here: Please don't publish my name. Recognition for the full pledge begins once this form is signed, and the listing will be updated if the pledge changes.
4. Matching gifts and donor-advised funds
Employer that may match this gift, if any: Matching employer. Payments from an employer match or a donor-advised fund are acknowledged to the employer or the fund that sends them, and the Donor will tell the Organization if any payment will come that way.
5. Acknowledgments and taxes
The Organization is Tax status, employer identification number EIN. It will send a written acknowledgment of payments received, stating whether it gave the Donor any goods or services in return and, if so, a good faith estimate of their value. A pledge is generally deductible only as it is paid, and the Donor should ask a tax adviser about their own situation.
6. Changes
The Organization relies on this pledge in planning its budget and programs. If the Donor's circumstances change, the Donor will let the Organization know, and the two will agree on a new schedule or amount in writing. Unless the Donor's will says otherwise, any amount still unpaid at the Donor's death is canceled.
7. Privacy
The Organization uses the Donor's details to process and acknowledge this gift and to keep in touch about its work. It does not sell, rent or trade donor information.
8. General
This pledge is governed by the laws of the state of State. It is the whole understanding about this gift, and electronic signatures on it count as originals.
Donor contact details
Mailing address for acknowledgments: Donor mailing address
Phone: Donor phone Email: Donor email
I make this pledge freely, and I have read how the gift will be used, acknowledged and changed if my circumstances change.
Donor
For the Organization
Opens it in SignMaster as a template you can edit and send.
A starting point, not legal advice. Have a lawyer review it for your state and situation.
On this page
What a pledge form does
A donor who promises a gift over three years is trusting you to remember the details, and you're trusting them to follow through. The signed form records both sides: the amount and schedule, any restriction on the gift, how the donor wants to be named, and what happens if their circumstances change. Your finance team can book it, your development team can send reminders, and nobody has to rely on memory of a lunch meeting.
Use it for campaign pledges, multi-year annual gifts and event commitments. A one-time gift paid on the spot doesn't need a pledge form, just a receipt.
What the template covers
- The pledge: total, schedule, number of payments, first payment date and payment method, all chosen by the donor.
- Reminders: how far ahead you'll send them, with payment instructions sent separately rather than card numbers on the form.
- Use of the gift: unrestricted by default, a blank for a named purpose, and what happens if that purpose becomes impossible.
- Recognition: the donor's preferred name, or an anonymous box.
- Matching gifts and donor-advised funds: who those payments are acknowledged to.
- Acknowledgments and taxes: your tax status and EIN, and the written acknowledgment you'll send.
- Changes and privacy: a fair way to adjust the schedule, cancellation of unpaid amounts at death, and no selling donor data.
Mistakes to avoid
- Treating the pledge form as the tax receipt. The IRS says donors need a contemporaneous written acknowledgment for any single contribution of $250 or more, sent as payments arrive, not when the pledge is signed.
- Ignoring quid pro quo gifts. If a payment over $75 is partly for a gala dinner, the acknowledgment must give a good faith estimate of what the donor received.
- Accepting a restriction you can't honor. Read the purpose blank before you countersign; a restricted gift must be used as the donor asked.
- Assuming a fund will pay a personal pledge. Payments from a donor-advised fund are receipted to the fund, so talk it through with the donor first.
Is a pledge legally binding?
It depends on your state and the facts, and many charities never sue to collect one. The template treats the pledge as a firm commitment you plan around, with a friendly way to change it. Your auditor may also have rules about how pledges are recorded.
How to send it with SignMaster
- 1
Open the template
Choose Use this template. The donor signs first, then someone authorized to accept gifts for your organization.
- 2
Name the campaign
Fill the gray blanks: your organization, the campaign or fund, your tax status and EIN, the reminder timing and your state.
- 3
Send it after the ask
Enter the donor's name and email. They fill in the blue blanks, amount, schedule, payment method, purpose and recognition, and sign on their phone.
- 4
Or put it on your campaign page
A public signing link lets supporters pledge on their own. Turn on email verification so each person confirms their email with a one-time code before signing.
- 5
Countersign and thank them
Countersign promptly. The donor gets the signed PDF by email, and you have the schedule your reminders will follow.
Every pledge in one table
On paid plans, the template's Responses tab lists every signed pledge with its amount, schedule, first payment date and recognition name, ready to export as CSV for your donor database. On Crew and Company, webhooks can send each completed pledge to your other tools as it's signed. See all answers to a template in one table.
Questions? Answers.
Is a pledge tax-deductible when it's signed?
Generally not. A pledge is usually deductible as it's paid. The donor should talk to a tax adviser about their own situation, and you send an acknowledgment for each payment.
What if a donor can't finish paying?
Section 6 asks them to tell you and agree on a new schedule or amount in writing. Most organizations would rather keep the relationship than chase the balance.
Can a couple pledge together?
Yes. Write both names in the donor blank, or add a second signer role and signature field in the template editor so each spouse signs.
Should the form collect card details?
No. Keep card and bank details in your payment processor. The form records the promise; payment happens separately.