Hi jwbs, 

I'm here to help you record the donations for this year.

Recording a cash donation is different when recording donation of products or services that you sell. 

Make sure to set up the charitable organization as vendor if you want to record a cash donation. Then, record it as check or a bill and payment.

1. Click the Plus (+) icon on the upper-right corner.
2. Enter the charitable organization that you're donating to as Payee.
3. Fill in the necessary information required. Also, in the Category column, make sure to select an expense account dedicated for donations only.
4. Click Save and close.

Also, I suggest reaching out to your accountant for other ways on how to record donation. Here's an article that you can go through for more information: How to Record Donations Or Charitable Contributions.