Donor Recognition Features

The Museum plan includes a donor management module that ties donation records to your accession inventory and public page. Clubs can use simplified donor tracking on the Club plan.

The Donor Database

Each donor record contains:

• Contact information — name, address, email, phone
• Giving history — all contributions over time
• Linked objects — inventory items donated by this donor (pulled from accession records)
• Recognition preferences — how they prefer to be acknowledged (name, anonymous, in memoriam)
• Notes — any relevant background or relationship history

Adding a Donor

1. Go to Organization → Donors → New Donor
2. Enter contact information
3. Set the Recognition Name — this is what appears on public acknowledgments (may differ from the legal name)
4. Set the Recognition Preference: Named, Anonymous, In Memoriam [Name]

Recording a Contribution

Contributions can be:

• Object donation — a physical item entering the collection (linked to an accession record)
• Monetary gift — cash or check contribution
• Service — volunteer labor, professional services
• In-Kind — materials, supplies, equipment

1. Go to Organization → Donors → [Donor Name] → Add Contribution
2. Select the contribution type
3. For object donations: link to the accession record
4. Enter the value, date, and any conditions attached to the gift
5. Save

Generating Acknowledgment Letters

RailScanPro generates IRS-compliant gift acknowledgment letters for tax-deductible donations:

1. Go to Organization → Donors → [Donor Name] → Generate Acknowledgment
2. Select the contribution date range
3. Choose a letter template (standard, formal, informal)
4. Download as PDF or send directly by email

IRS requirement note: No goods or services were provided to the donor in exchange for the contribution, or if goods/services were provided, the letter must state the estimated fair market value. You can configure this language in Organization → Settings → Letter Templates.

Public Recognition

On your museum or club's public page, a Wall of Thanks section can display donor names:

1. Go to Settings → Public Page → Wall of Thanks
2. Toggle it On
3. Set the minimum contribution level for inclusion (e.g., donations over $100)
4. Donors with "Anonymous" preference are excluded automatically

The Wall of Thanks updates automatically when new qualifying contributions are recorded.

Giving Level Tiers

Define recognition tiers by giving level:

Configure tiers under Organization → Settings → Recognition Tiers. Tier labels appear next to donor names on the Wall of Thanks.

Next Steps

• Museum Accession Workflows — link donations to accession records
• Creating Public Galleries — display the Wall of Thanks on your public page
• Member Management — manage volunteer contributors