Handheld computers encourage people to 'Gift Aid' their donation

13/08/08

The number of people willing to make Gift Aid donations has risen nearly ten per cent after fundraisers were given handheld computers to capture the details of donors.

Disability charity Scope tested the personal digital assistants in June in London and Manchester and found that those who were willing to sign up for Gift Aid rose from 82 to 91 per cent.

Charity website Third Sector reported in April that other charities had employed the technology on a test basis for 'prospecting purposes' although research has not yet been conducted into its effectiveness.

Explaining the benefits of the new system, Mark Foster, supporter acquisition manager at Scope, said: 'devices are more efficient, secure and faster than paper-based registration.'

'They enable information to be processed quickly, allowing donors to sign up on the spot, which is perhaps why they encourage a higher rate of Gift Aid declaration.'

After the success of the initial trial, Scope has said that it will roll out the use of handheld computers across all its fundraisers.

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