There are few departments within a charity that don’t play a role in the process of Gift Aid management.   It would stand to reason that all departments with any degree of responsibility in the management of Gift Aid share the responsibility to help grow this valuable income stream.   Although fundraisers spearhead the promotion of Gift Aid other departments such as Marketing, Supporter Services, Finance and IT all can make a valuable contribution.

This makes it all the more important that suitable systems and processes to effectively manage Gift Aid are not only implemented but also kept up-to-date.  It is already becoming vital that such systems offer the kind of Gift Aid program clarity that will help induce growth. 

Business growth generally is driven through investment in more advanced technology.  Although generally the focus of Gift Aid growth is concentrated upon innovative ways of appealing to the socially conscious public can growth be realised through greater clarity of your existing supporter base?

Gift Aid in it’s current form (post changes to the Finance Act 2000) took 2-3 years to start realising it’s strongest growth.  One reason suggested for this lethargic start was the time required to invest in new systems.

Is there still scope for improvement in the management process of your Gift Aid program and will a more granular analysis of your supporter base lead to even greater Gift Aid success?   

Experience tells us the answer to this is Yes.

So, what possible steps can an organisation take in order to start maximising the return on Gift Aid scheme investment? 

Perhaps a good starting point would be to take full stock of the existing ‘health’ of your Gift Aid and non-Gift Aid supporter base.  By analysing and understanding possible grey areas in the current management of Gift Aid a firm platform can then be established allowing you to confidently claim, develop and grow Gift Aid income for the years to come.   

Looking at the amount of Gift Aid revenue that is left with the Chancellor each year and in light of his recent budget announcement it is clear that improvements in Gift Aid management must be sought, and that this responsibility should not be solely shouldered by Fundraiser’s.