The letter must explain who is gifting the money, where the donor's funds are coming from and the relationship between the donor and the recipient. Gift Letter For Mortgage Template.Your lender might give you a template to follow if you tell them you're using a gift for your down payment. A gift letter must contain the donor's name, the gift's value, confirmation that the gift is not to be repaid, and the donor's signature. A gift letter is a note from a donor to your lender regarding cash funds for your mortgage down payment. Spouses may not file a joint gift tax return. Each individual is responsible to file a Form 709. If you go through a bank they will provide the gift letter form to you to get completed. If someone provides a handwritten letter it is filed away. This guide explains how to document gift funds for a mortgage and meet lender requirements.