"to give, present as a gift, contribute," 1819, a back-formation from donation. OED and Century Dictionary mark it as (chiefly) U.S. Related: Donated; donating.
Entries linking to donate
donation n.
"act of giving or bestowing; that which is gratuitously given, a grant or gift," mid-15c., donacioun, from Old French donacion (13c.) and directly from Latin donationem (nominative donatio) "a presenting, giving," noun of action from past-participle stem of donare "give as a gift," from donum "gift," from PIE *donum "gift," from root *do- "to give."