It has been great to see the Government support local sporting organisations with interim funding, however many of these grassroots clubs and teams will need to take the opportunity to look at how they access and achieve sustainable funding and income streams.
Play in the whole field of funding
There has been a strong reliance on the gaming trust sector, and for many it has been the sole focus of funding precluding a diverse approach. Going forward sport organisations will need to have a wide range of funders, and the tools to plan for this diversity, be strategic, and sustainable. It’s time to start to develop a long term plan.
This post-Covid19 environment is an opportunity for sports clubs to look at how they can rebuild themselves into more efficient organisations and how they can diversify their income stream. It might be time to get a group of supporters, team coaches and committee members together and explore why a funder should invest in your team or club.
Rally your team by talking about what counts in sports funding
Organisations will also need to change the conversation they have with businesses, corporates, and philanthropic funders and be really clear on what they are asking for in order to support their community. You’ll need to focus on the outcomes you deliver back to your community and be prepared to measure them. Then you’ll need to show funders how their investment has helped deliver the outcomes.
Collaboration for the win
It’s also time to look at how different clubs and organisations can collaborate with each other. Despite the usual competitive nature of the game how can different groups come together within a community to build a sustainable future for their club or sporting code. There will be partnership opportunities that can be developed, however the way organisations look to these partnerships for support could be quite different.
I am a big believer in grassroots sports; with five children I’ve travelled the length of the country supporting them across many codes. It’s fun, it’s exciting, it’s a little bit competitive but more than that it is a gateway for connecting people in the communities, and ensuring we continue to build vibrant communities.