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Happie Pingol
Community Manager
Feb 25, 2026 1:33 AM UTC

When do recurring gift email confirmations need to be sent?

Overview

Mastercard requires that organizations send confirmation emails after each recurring gift charge, including the very first charge when the gift is set up. 

 

Step 1: Understand the confirmation email requirement 

  1. Confirmation emails must be sent after each time a donor's credit card is charged 

  1. This includes the first charge when the recurring gift is initially set up 

  1. The emails serve as receipts and reminders of the ongoing commitment 

Step 2: Configure confirmation emails for online forms 

  1. When setting up your custom contribution form: 

    1. Look for the checkbox option "Send an additional confirmation receipt when each recurring payment processes" 

    2. Ensure this box is checked (it should be checked by default) 

 

Note: The "Send an additional confirmation receipt when each recurring payment processes" option is not available in smart contribution forms.

  1. This setting applies to both: 

    1. Existing recurring commitments 

    2. New recurring commitments created through the form 

Step 3: Set up confirmations for manually created commitments 

  1. For recurring gifts set up directly in the application: 

    1. Create an automation to send confirmation emails after each charge 

    2. Include a link to a self-service page in these emails 

  2. The automation should trigger when a recurring payment processes successfully 

Step 4: Ensure confirmation emails include required information 

Confirm that all emails sent include: 

  1. Gift amount 

  1. Frequency of the recurring gift 

  1. Cancellation instructions or link to self-service page 

  1. Any other gift details like designation or tribute information 

 

Not quite what you were searching for?

2 replies

jweber
Rising Star III
Rising Star III
May 5, 2026 12:28 AM UTC

I have recurring donors who are saying they are not receiving receipts. I see in your article Step 2>1.1 that I’m suppose to check a box to send a receipt with each recurring donation but I’m not seeing that option anywhere on my Optimized Contribution form.

Happie Pingol
Community Manager
May 5, 2026 5:42 PM UTC

Hi ​@jweber,

Thanks for catching that! You're looking in the right place—Step 2 of our original contribution forms does have that checkbox to send confirmation emails for each payment. Unfortunately, that feature hasn't made it into the Optimized Contribution form yet.

But here's the good news: this is exactly the kind of feedback our product team loves to hear. We'll absolutely pass this along as an enhancement request. Recurring donor transparency is so important, and we get why you'd want that option available across all form types.

Appreciate you bringing this up! 💙

 

Happie at Bonterra