05/05/2023
What is the difference between a grant and a donation?
Grants are provided to fulfill a specified purpose, and a definite outcome. It may be given to an organization, a group of people collectively, or an individual.
Donations are a charitable gift that is given to any organization or cause. It can be in the form of cash, kind, property, or services. The two parties in a donation are Donor and Donee. Under Section 80G of the Income-tax Act, 1961, the government provides for tax benefits on the donations. Specific donations made towards relief funds and organizations can be considered as deductions.
ELEMENTS OF A DONATION AGREEMENT
A donation agreement establishes proof of donation to an organization. It may also be referred to as a gift. A donation agreement specifies about the donor and the receiver, the description, and the intended use of the donation.
A few common elements in a donation agreement are:
Purpose – of the donation.
Budget – the amount of the donation.
Terms of donation – the terms and conditions that have to be followed to maintain the donations.
Fund management – is to be specified to prevent misuse of funds.
Miscellaneous – additional terms that are to be added as per the needs of the parties.
Donations Inter Vivos – this depicts that these agreements can take place only between living people.
REQUIREMENTS FOR DONATIONS/GRANTS:
Similar to any contractual provisions,
Offer and acceptance must be present between the parties
The parties should have the legal capacity to provide and accept the donation/grant
A donation/grant must be legal and feasible
A donation/grant must be identified or identifiable
GRANT AND DONATION
Grants and donations may seem similar, but they vary as grants are meant to be more rigid than donations. Licenses are issued for fulfilling a specific purpose, while donations are more flexible than grants. A donation can be used to support a nonprofit’s programs, services, or operating expenses. It is less common for a donation to have strict restrictions on how the funds can be used.
Template for donorship: