How do you record funds raised through 1) retail sales and 2) donation box in the store

Lynn Bentley

Revised:  added a 3rd scenario.


Hello, Using these three scenarios, who would receive hard and soft credits?  


1) A retail operator donates 10% of sales to our organization. 

2) We've placed a donation box in the lobby of a veterinarian.  

3) A barber, on his own initiative, sets up a donation box at his barber shop, sends in a check once a quarter.   


Thank you!

AnnMarie Schell

Lynn Bentley:

Hello, I have two questions on recording credit for donations.

1) A retail operator donates 10% of sales to our organization. Does the retailer receive hard credit?

2) There is a donation box sitting in the lobby of a veterinarian.  Does the veterinarian receive hard credit, even though the donations came from others?


Thank you!

We would record the full amount of the 10% sales as a hard credit donation. Not sure how others judge the veterinarian, but since the donation came from others, we would not hard credit him. Instead, a soft credit with a reference note, "Collections from lobby donation box" and the constituent would be anonymous if they are cash donations. Any checks would be credited to that particular donor with a similar note in their reference "Collected from Dr. Veterinarian's lobby donation box." 

Lisa Richardson

We have "pet banks" we set out in the community where people donate.  We use an attribute on their record of Pet Bank and hard credit the location but the receipt amount is changed to $0 and we note in the reference field donation jar/pet bank location and No acknowledgment receipt is sent.

Crystal Bruce

Discussion moved to Raiser's Edge Community. Thanks!

Rachel Cavalier

1) The retail operator gets the hard credit - this is their money they are giving us.


For 2) and 3), we treat them in much the same way - we have an appeal for collection boxes and then a package for collection boxes where an individual has this in their home and pops in their spare change and one for all other collection boxes (which would apply to these two situations you mentioned). I feel like this is pretty much down to how Gift Aid works for each circumstance. In each case, we also hard credit the business who has the tin - this is down to our historical practice, and we would send a thank you letter each time to that person/company whenever we receive the proceeds from these boxes. I do wonder if it would be better to hard credit our anonymous record and soft credit the business that has the collection box - but our current system is well documented at least.