Implementation steps
- Set Clear Objectives: Define the purpose of the fundraising effort, such as supporting youth programs, improving club facilities, or covering operational expenses.
- Select Fundraising Activities: Opt for activities that engage the local community, such as bake sales, charity matches, car washes, or quiz nights.
- Involve Club Members and Volunteers: Mobilise club members, parents, and volunteers to help plan and promote the campaign, ensuring wide participation.
- Partner with Local Businesses: Collaborate with nearby businesses to obtain sponsorships or in-kind donations, such as event prizes or venue space.
- Leverage Club Events: Use existing club events to incorporate donation drives or fundraising booths.
- Advertise Locally: Use flyers, posters, and word-of-mouth in the community to spread awareness and encourage participation.
Club benefits
Local Engagement: Creates a sense of community involvement and club loyalty through face-to-face interaction.
Flexibility: Can be tailored to fit the club’s resources, size, and supporter preferences, making it easier to adapt to different goals.
Quick Implementation: Fundraising events such as bake sales or car washes can be organised with minimal preparation and cost.
Ongoing Support: Regular campaigns build a culture of giving and foster lasting relationships with donors and local supporters.
Implementation steps
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- Register as a CASC or Charity: To take advantage of Gift Aid, clubs must register as a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) or a recognised charity. This status can be obtained through HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
- Educate Donors: Inform donors that their contributions can be eligible for Gift Aid if they are UK taxpayers. This information can be included on donation forms, club websites, and promotional materials.
- Collect Gift Aid Declarations: Ensure donors complete a Gift Aid declaration form that authorises the club to claim the tax relief. This form must include the donor’s name, address, and confirmation that they are a UK taxpayer.
- Submit Claims to HMRC: Gather and record the necessary details of each eligible donation, then submit claims to HMRC through their online service or by post.
- Maintain Accurate Records: Keep thorough records of all donations and declarations, as HMRC may request this information during checks.
Club benefits
Increased Revenue: Gift Aid boosts the value of donations by 25%, allowing clubs to make the most of their fundraising efforts.
No Cost to Donors: Supporters can contribute more to the club’s funds without paying extra.
Recurring Claims: Gift Aid can be claimed on one-off and regular donations, providing consistent financial support.
Easy Implementation: Once the initial registration and donor declaration processes are complete, submitting claims is straightforward and can be managed by club volunteers or administrators.
Implementation steps
- Assess and Tailor Offerings: Conduct a simple survey or ask for feedback to understand the preferences of your spectators and regular visitors. This insight helps tailor the menu to popular choices, such as vegetarian options or healthier snacks, which can boost sales.
- Simplify the Menu: Focus on key items that are top sellers, such as crisps, sandwiches, drinks, burgers, and fruit. A streamlined menu is easier to manage and reduces waste, ensuring the most popular products are readily available.
- Advertise Clearly: Use signs, announcements, and posters to inform spectators about what food and drinks are available. Visibility encourages sales and ensures potential customers are aware of their options.
- Mobile Selling: Increase sales by walking through the stands with trays of snacks and drinks during half-time or after matches. This proactive approach brings the products to the customers, increasing convenience and impulse purchases.
- Leverage Club Connections: Contact club members who may have ties to the food industry to secure discounts or reliable suppliers. Coordinating bulk purchases with other local clubs can also reduce costs and improve profit margins.
- Consider Sponsorships: Approach long-term suppliers for potential sponsorships that can benefit both the club and the supplier, such as discounted rates or joint promotions.
- Outsource If Needed: Partner with local caterers or vendors to set up food stalls on matchdays. This arrangement can involve a set fee or a revenue-sharing agreement, allowing the club to offer food without additional volunteers.
Club benefits
Enhanced Matchday Experience: Selling food and drinks creates a lively atmosphere, adding to the overall enjoyment of the event.
Increased Revenue: Simple, profitable items such as drinks, sandwiches, and snacks can significantly contribute to club funds.
Flexibility: Clubs can tailor food offerings based on customer feedback and adjust menus to match popular demand.
Community Partnerships: Collaborating with local suppliers or caterers fosters relationships within the community and can lead to sponsorship opportunities.
Sustainable Operations: With a simple, targeted approach, clubs can focus on their best-selling products to maintain steady sales.
Implementation steps
- Form a Social Committee: Create a committee involving former players or long-time supporters who wish to stay involved without the weekly commitment. This committee can plan, promote, and execute events.
- Plan a Schedule of Events: Plan the year with events timed around home matches or key dates to encourage participation. Send out this schedule along with the fixture list at the beginning of the season.
- Diversify Event Types: Include a mix of events that appeal to different demographics within the club, from family-friendly activities to adult-oriented evenings.
- Budget and Pricing: Set ticket prices to cover costs and generate profit. Consider creative ways to monetise events, such as raffles, auctions, and merchandise sales.
- Involve Sponsors: Invite current and potential sponsors to events like presentation nights, offering them exposure and strengthening relationships that could lead to further support.
- Promote Widely: Advertise events and maximise attendance using social media, the club’s website, newsletters, and word of mouth.
Club benefits
Increased Income: Events provide a reliable way to generate revenue beyond regular matchday earnings.
Community Building: Hosting events helps members feel more connected to the club, improving retention and participation.
Flexibility: Events can be tailored to suit various age groups and interests, ensuring wide appeal.
Sponsor Engagement: Events offer opportunities to involve sponsors, giving them visibility and reinforcing partnerships.
Diverse Fundraising: Clubs can maintain a steady income stream throughout the year by organising different types of events.
Implementation steps
- Choose a Platform: Select a suitable crowdfunding platform such as JustGiving, Crowdfunder, or GoFundMe.
- Create an Engaging Campaign Page: Include well-written content, photos, and videos illustrating the club’s mission and funding objectives. Clearly state how the funds raised will be used and what the potential impact on the club is.
- Set a Realistic Funding Goal: Ensure the target amount is achievable and reflects the club’s needs while considering potential supporters' financial capacity.
- Launch and Promote: Share the campaign using the club’s social media, email newsletters, and community connections. Regular updates and progress reports can help maintain interest and encourage more contributions.
- Acknowledge and Thank Donors: Show appreciation to contributors by sending thank-you messages, acknowledging them on social media, or mentioning them at club events.
Club benefits
Wider Reach: Crowdfunding extends the reach of fundraising efforts beyond the local club community, engaging friends, family, and sports supporters across a wider network.
Community Engagement: Provides an opportunity to share the club’s story and build an emotional connection with supporters.
Cost-Effective: Compared to traditional fundraising methods, crowdfunding has minimal upfront costs.
Customisable Rewards: Clubs can incentivise donations by offering unique rewards such as club-branded merchandise, exclusive event invites, or special recognition.
Implementation steps
- Research Available Grants: Identify relevant grants offered by national and local funding bodies, such as Sport England, local councils, and charitable organisations. Pay close attention to each grant's purpose, eligibility requirements, and deadlines. You can find a list of different grants here (Link to separate page)
- Align Club Goals with Grant Criteria: Ensure that the club's needs align with the grant's objectives. For instance, some grants may prioritise youth development, community engagement, or facility upgrades.
- Prepare a Strong Application: Create a clear and compelling proposal that outlines the project or needs the grant will support. Include details on how the funding will be used, anticipated outcomes, and the benefits for the club and the wider community.
- Gather Supporting Documents: Include any necessary documents, such as financial statements, project plans, and letters of endorsement from community leaders or club stakeholders.
- Submit on Time: Ensure the application is submitted by the grant's deadline. Late or incomplete applications are often not considered.
- Monitor and Report: If the grant is awarded, track the use of funds according to the proposal and provide the grant provider with any required reports to demonstrate accountability and compliance.
Club benefits
Significant Financial Support: Grants can provide substantial funding, enabling clubs to undertake large-scale projects or make significant improvements.
Targeted Use: Grants are often designated for specific purposes, which helps clubs fund initiatives that align with their strategic goals.
Community Impact: Grant-funded projects can increase the club’s visibility and positive influence within the community, attracting new members and supporters.
Repeat Opportunities: Clubs that successfully manage and report on initial grants may build strong relationships with funding bodies, increasing the chances of securing future grants.
Implementation steps
- Plan and Structure: Establish clear goals for the community share offer, detailing how the funds will be used and what impact they will have.
- Engage with the Community: Hold meetings, presentations, and open days to explain the concept and potential benefits to club members and local residents.
- Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Register as a Community Benefit Society (CBS) or similar legal entity to facilitate the offer. You can download the registration form here
- Set Up the Offer: Develop comprehensive share offer documents that outline the terms, including share value, shareholder rights, and return expectations.
- Promotion and Launch: Use club events, social media, and local media to publicise the share offer and encourage investment.
Club benefits
Community Involvement: Empowers local supporters to become active stakeholders, enhancing loyalty and long-term support.
Sustainable Funding: Provides clubs with an injection of capital that can be used for significant projects or improvements.
Preserving Independence: Keeps control of the club within the local community rather than relying on external funding with strings attached.
Social Impact: Strengthens community bonds by aligning the interests of the club and its supporters toward shared goals.
Implementation steps
- Determine Eligibility: Ensure that the club is structured as a qualifying organisation, such as a company or social enterprise, that meets the criteria for EIS or SEIS. Clubs may need to consult financial advisors or legal professionals to verify eligibility.
- Apply for Advance Assurance: Before approaching investors, clubs can apply for advance assurance from HMRC to confirm that their investment proposals qualify for tax relief. This step provides potential investors with confidence in the club’s eligibility.
- Create an Investment Proposal: Develop a compelling proposal that outlines how the investment will be used, the expected outcomes, and the benefits to the club and community.
- Promote the Investment Opportunity: Use club communication channels, local networks, and investor platforms to reach potential investors, highlighting the tax benefits they can receive.
- Manage Compliance: Ensure that all documentation and compliance requirements are met, including submitting necessary returns to HMRC and providing investors with relevant certificates to claim their tax relief.
Club benefits
Attracts Investment: Offering tax reliefs makes investment in the club more attractive, encouraging both individuals and organisations to contribute.
Reduces Investor Risk: Tax reliefs such as those provided under EIS and SEIS can offer significant income tax deductions, reducing investors' financial risk.
Supports Growth: Investment tax reliefs can provide substantial funding for large projects like facility upgrades, community outreach programs, or expansion initiatives.
Encourages Long-Term Partnerships: Attracting investors who can benefit from tax reliefs fosters long-term partnerships that can benefit the club beyond initial funding.
Implementation steps
- Check Eligibility: Ensure the club meets the criteria for the Community Ownership Fund, such as having a clear plan for community ownership and demonstrating the asset's importance to the local area.
- Develop a Business Case: Prepare a detailed business case that outlines how the funding will be used, the project's impact, and plans for long-term sustainability. This should include financial forecasts and potential risks.
- Engage the Community: Gather support from local residents, members, and stakeholders to strengthen the application and show widespread community backing.
- Submit an Application: Apply for the fund during an open application window, providing all required documentation and adhering to submission guidelines.
- Plan for Implementation: If the funding is awarded, establish a clear plan for utilising the grant, including timelines, budget allocation, and community involvement in decision-making.
Club benefits
Secures Essential Community Assets: Helps sports clubs take ownership of facilities that might otherwise be sold or closed, ensuring they remain available for community use.
Enhances Community Engagement: By involving local residents and stakeholders in the ownership process, clubs can strengthen community bonds and loyalty.
Supports Sustainable Development: Funding can be used for improvements and upgrades, making facilities more appealing and functional for future use.
Reduces Financial Pressure: The fund provides significant financial support to reduce the immediate burden on clubs and enable long-term planning.
Implementation steps
- Form Partnerships with Local Clubs: Collaborate with other sports clubs to create a larger, multi-sport club that shares facilities and resources. This approach can reduce costs and increase funding eligibility.
- Adapt Clubhouse Facilities: Ensure that the clubhouse is suitable for hosting various events, such as business functions or parties. This may involve adding or upgrading amenities to support different types of gatherings.
- Offer Venue Hire Services: Market the clubhouse and fields as venues for private and corporate events. Highlight options like marquee events on club grounds where the clubhouse can be used for catering or as an organising space.
- Expand Community Use: Make rooms in the clubhouse available for hire by local community groups, fitness instructors, or youth clubs and babysitting services.
- Rent Pitches and Grounds: Hire pitches and outdoor areas for various events, such as sports festivals, training camps, summer fairs, car boot sales, and corporate sports days.
- Promote the Club’s Multi-Use Capability: Inform the community of the available facilities and services through local advertising, social media, and the club's website.
Club benefits
Increased Revenue Streams: Hosting multiple events and activities increases income beyond typical matchday revenue.
Broader Funding Opportunities: Multi-sport clubs can access more grants for facility development and community projects.
Cost Savings: Sharing resources with other clubs can reduce training and maintenance expenses.
Community Engagement: Opening the club to local organisations, events, and community groups strengthens the club’s position as an essential community asset.
Efficient Facility Use: Utilising the clubhouse and fields for events beyond matchdays ensures the club’s resources are used year-round.
Diverse Event Offerings: The club can attract various events, from wedding receptions and birthday parties to corporate functions and fitness classes, maximising exposure and revenue.