USPCA's Success in Streamlining Gift Aid & Donations | Wil-U

The Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) is a vital organisation dedicated to preventing cruelty and alleviating the suffering of both domestic animals and wildlife. Guided by its core mission and values, the USPCA works toward creating a society where animals are treated with respect and live free from unnecessary harm.

In the last five years, the organisation has tirelessly developed its charity retail operations to grow its income. We visited their Banbridge store in December to see how they are getting on with our solutions and to understand their Gift Aid and donations process a bit more.

Like many charity shops, budgeting can be tight, so investments in operational improvements—such as technology upgrades—must be carefully prioritised. A couple of years ago, the USPCA faced a few key challenges that they were determined to address:

• Gift Aid Management: The manual tracking and processing of Gift Aid were time-consuming and error-prone, limiting the ability to maximise revenue from eligible donations.
• POS Systems: The existing point-of-sale systems were outdated and inconsistent, resulting in inefficiencies both at checkout and with inventory management.

These challenges ultimately prompted the charity to explore a new charity retail system.

The USPCA joined our Wil-U Family in 2023, and since implementing the tablet-based Epos & Gift Aid systems they have had significant success in their retail operations. Giving USPCA the tools and insights that they can use to grow their retail impact.

The team at the Banbridge shop has successfully transformed the donation and Gift Aid process further than expected by using its flexibility to its full potential. Upon entering the shop, donors are immediately greeted with the opportunity to donate and sign up for Gift Aid through an innovative setup. Leveraging a flexible tablet-based system, the USPCA team has mounted the device on a wall to serve as a streamlined donor sign-up station.

This thoughtful approach is complemented by the creative use of a vintage trolley as a designated donation drop-off point. This practical yet visually appealing solution simplifies the process for supporters, creating an inviting and efficient environment.

The results speak for themselves. The Banbridge shop consistently receives between 800 and 1,000 donation bags each month, highlighting the community's generosity and the system's effectiveness.

By implementing these innovative tools, the USPCA has maximised its Gift Aid claims and donor sign-ups, significantly increasing funding for their rehoming centre. The USPCA demonstrates how strategic use of technology and donor-centric design can drive a measurable impact.

Rachel McGreevy, USPCA Store Manager states “In the first year of operations (before Wil-U, Gift Aid contributions were approximately £800. This has grown to £8,000 annually, a tenfold increase. The automated Gift Aid system has made the process seamless for donors, boosting our store participation and accuracy.

She continues, “The time spent processing Gift Aid claims has decreased by approximately 50%, freeing up staff and volunteers to focus on other tasks.”

Our Gift aid solutions are designed with Donors in mind, making the process simple and effective and eliminating the struggles that may be presented to your staff and volunteers.

Seeing charities like the USPCA grow their income and develop their retail strategies using our charity retail solutions, makes everything worthwhile for us. We understand the efforts and difficulties that come with running a charity shop to the best possible practice.

If you would like to be a part of our Wil-U Family or are interested in understanding how our Gift Aid solution can help your charity shop, then get in touch today.