Alumni Donation Request Template

Make it easy for alumni to give back with a structured, professional donation request form. Collect graduation year, preferred donation amount, fund designation, and matching gift employer — all while honoring donors with the recognition options they deserve. Set up in minutes and start accepting gifts immediately.

formformform.com/f/yKg

Who uses this template

University development officesCollege alumni associationsHigh school booster clubsFraternity and sorority chaptersCommunity college foundationsTrade school alumni networksGraduate school programsRegional alumni chapter leaders

About this template

An alumni donation form bridges the gap between an institution's fundraising goals and the generosity of its graduates. A well-designed form removes friction from the giving process — donors shouldn't have to wonder where to direct their gift, whether their employer matches, or how they'll be recognized. Getting these details right at the point of donation saves development staff hours of follow-up correspondence.

The most effective alumni giving forms are specific without being overwhelming. Preset donation tiers anchor a donor's decision-making, fund designations help them feel connected to a cause they care about, and matching gift prompts can double or triple the value of every submission. This template includes all of those elements, along with a recurring gift option that transforms one-time donors into long-term supporters — a key metric for any development office's annual fund strategy.

formformform makes it easy to customize this template for any campaign: a class reunion drive, a capital campaign, a departmental endowment push, or an emergency student relief effort. There are no per-submission fees and no limits on how many donors can give. Every submission triggers an instant email notification so your development team can follow up while the moment of generosity is still fresh.

10 form ideas you can build with this template +
Annual Alumni Fund Drive

Collects class year, donation amount, fund designation (general/scholarship/athletics), employer matching, and honor/memorial dedication.

Scholarship Endowment Donation

Gathers scholarship criteria preferences (need/merit/department), minimum gift amount, naming opportunity interest, and multi-year pledge.

Capital Campaign Contribution

Collects building/facility project interest, major gift tier, recognition wall inscription, pledge payment schedule, and campaign milestone updates.

Class Reunion Giving Campaign

Gathers reunion year, class gift goal participation, peer fundraising captain role, and reunion weekend donor recognition event.

Athletic Department Support

Collects sport program designation, season ticket holder status, booster club level, facility naming rights, and team travel fund contribution.

Emergency Student Relief Fund

Gathers crisis response urgency, unrestricted funds for student emergencies, alumni personal story sharing, and immediate impact communication preference.

Planned Giving & Bequest

Collects estate planning status, will/trust inclusion, life insurance beneficiary designation, and legacy society membership recognition.

Departmental Program Support

Gathers academic department, research funding, equipment needs, faculty chair endowment, and program-specific impact updates.

Young Alumni Giving Program

Collects recent graduate status, early-career giving level, monthly recurring gift, peer-to-peer fundraising, and volunteer mentorship opportunity.

Regional Alumni Chapter Fundraiser

Gathers geographic chapter, local event proceeds, chapter scholarship fund, area networking event support, and regional campus partnership.

What's included

+ Graduation year and degree fields for alumni identification
+ Preset donation amount options with custom amount entry
+ Fund designation dropdown for targeted giving
+ Recurring gift frequency options (monthly, quarterly, annual)
+ Employer matching gift capture with company name field
+ Honor and memorial dedication field
+ Anonymous vs. named recognition preference
+ Personal message field to capture donor stories

How to create a alumni donation request

  1. 1

    Click 'Use this template' to open the Alumni Donation Request form in your formformform account.

  2. 2

    Customize the Fund Designation dropdown to reflect your institution's actual named funds and giving priorities.

  3. 3

    Update the donation amount options to align with your campaign's giving levels and recognition tiers.

  4. 4

    Add any campaign-specific fields — class year reunion participation, campaign thermometer goal, peer-to-peer fundraising links.

  5. 5

    Set your development team's notification email so every submission is immediately acted on.

  6. 6

    Share the form link via alumni email newsletters, your institution's website, social media, and direct mail campaigns with a QR code.

Best practices for your alumni donation request

Anchor donation amounts strategically

present amounts like $25, $100, $500, and $1,000 to guide donors toward meaningful gift sizes rather than leaving the amount entirely open-ended.

Always ask about employer matching

many alumni don't know their employer matches charitable gifts. A simple prompt can double or triple the value of a submission.

Make fund designation prominent

alumni give more when they feel connected to a specific cause. Clearly named funds (e.g., 'First-Generation Student Scholarship') outperform generic options.

Offer recurring gifts

monthly donors have a 90% retention rate compared to 46% for one-time donors. Include a recurring gift option prominently in every campaign form.

Respect recognition preferences

always ask how (or whether) donors want to be publicly acknowledged. Surprises in donor publications can damage long-term relationships.

Capture the emotional story

a brief 'message to the institution' field collects testimonials that can be used in future appeals, reports, and social media with the donor's permission.

Test the form from a donor's perspective

ensure the form loads quickly on mobile, all dropdowns work, and the confirmation experience feels warm and appreciated.

Frequently asked questions

Can I collect actual payment through this form? +

This form captures donation intent and details. For direct payment collection, link donors to your payment processor (Stripe, PayPal, etc.) after submission, or add a payment link in your confirmation message.

How do I track which fund designations are most popular? +

All submissions are visible in your formformform dashboard. You can filter by fund designation or export the full response list to a spreadsheet to analyze giving patterns by fund.

Can I use this form for a time-limited campaign like a class reunion gift? +

Yes. Add your campaign deadline in the intro paragraph and optionally add a class year or reunion field. You can close the form manually or set an expiration by taking it offline after the campaign ends.

What if an alumnus wants to set up a recurring monthly gift? +

The form captures the gift frequency preference. Use that information to manually enroll recurring donors in your payment processor or development CRM. Some institutions link directly to a recurring giving portal from the form confirmation page.

Can I send a tax receipt automatically? +

formformform sends you a notification email with the donor's details. You can use that information to issue a formal tax receipt through your development office. For automated receipts, link donors to your official giving portal after form submission.

Is this form suitable for a major gifts campaign? +

For major gifts, consider using this form as the initial expression of interest, then have a development officer follow up personally. You can add a field asking for the best time to call or a preferred meeting format.

Related templates

Start with the Alumni Donation Request template

Free forever. No credit card required. Customize everything.

Use this template