Giving season is upon us, so this seems like a good time to review these guidelines. Organizations that do not follow these guidelines can be fined $10 per donation, up to $5,000 per fundraising event or mailing. In any case, it shows lousy business sense not to acknowledge gifts (think of it as a thank you note); further, donors generally cannot deduct gifts of $250 or more on their tax returns unless they receive an acknowledgement from the organization.