Fundraising

Many clubs would cease to exist without additional financial assistance gained through fund raising. Reasons for fund raising are many and range from the need for additional uniforms for the junior teams to the building of a major facility. The future of the cub may also be dependent on its ability to find extra money from sources outside the club.

Fund raising today must be carefully planned. A club must plan a fund raising strategy, a strategy aimed at convincing funding sources - the public, private companies (sponsorship) and the agencies that handle grant monies that you are an efficient and worthy organisation which will use funds wisely. The club must be sold as if it is a product.

Part of that planning process is in establishing the linkages between the various components of the club plan and the fund raising strategies. The committee responsible for fund raising and sponsorship should be aware of and involved in the development of the whole club plan - so it can relate its own needs to their committee.

Establishing the Funding Needs

Before the first step toward raising funds is taken, the club must be sure what the money is going to be used for. Have a specific goal or activity in mind.

Make sure everyone knows what the money is being raised for. The club must be able to convince people that the cause is a worthy one.

Outlining precisely what the funds are needed for also helps a club establish what is important to them and to structure a fund raising plan around it.

Once a club can establish a fund raising budget, the scale or organisation required will flow logically. If you intend entering a team in the AFL you will need millions of dollars - you will be looking at major corporate sponsors and, therefore, should be prepared to draw up a detailed proposal.

Alternatively, if the club simply wants to buy new uniforms for the Under 8 team it would be best approaching a local business, or gathering the parents of the players together to hold a garage sale, a bottle drive etc.

Follow these guidelines:

1. Set goals - establishing aims will help you recruit a work force and make it easier to approach members of the public
2. Make long range plans - how are you going to achieve your goal? How can you help your club over a long period?
3. Budget - how much money will you need?
4. Assess the resources you have already (people, property, money, commitment)
5. Develop a strategy - how will you raise the required funds? Work out a series of steps over an appropriate period.

Ingredients of Successful Fund Raising

There are a few simple steps which can help a fund raising campaign run smoothly and successfully:

Coordinate the campaign. Have a plan which allocates specific tasks
Spread the work load. Don’ t try to do it all yourself, and avoid placing all the burden on the usual few
Ensure the people involved in the campaign understand the project and are committed to it
Ensure the campaign is publicised "effectively"
Select fund raising methods that relate to what you want to achieve. Don't waste time, money and effort on projects that are too grandiose, beyond the resources of the club, too risky for the likely returns, or too small to achieve the purpose
Learn from other people's mistakes - no matter what mistakes you make, someone will have made it before you. Find out about other projects - assess "what worked" against "what didn't"
Ask other clubs in the local area
Budget for income, expenses, and profit. Ensure that all the costs of the project are included in the budget and then add about 10% for leeway
Make the fund raising drive something which binds club members together, rather than focusing only on making money
Be prepared for disasters - they can and do happen
Work to a timetable

Here are some other suggestions:

Develop a list of people you think may be able to contribute. Decide on how they will be approached and who will approach them
Use a variety of approach methods to cover as many potential contributors as possible. Work out the cheapest way of direct mail approaches and personal follow-ups
Start with as few names as possible to raise the required amount. Go to the well-off first
Major donors are the key to success; make a list of these with another list covering secondary donors. Typically one third of all donations come from the top few donors. Plan your workforce accordingly
Start person to person asking
Put a time limit on fund raising and work intensively during that period. This is more effective than a low-key campaign which drags on
It is very important to reward and thank donors
Keep a record of people who donated and who did not donate. This information may be useful in coming years
Evaluate how well the campaign went. Were there areas that could be improved on?
Discuss the campaign with all concerned. Make a note of conclusions and store them for future reference

Remember, hard work has its rewards. The only limit to the number of ways a club can raise money is in the imagination of their officials. Be ready to try different and unique ways of raising funds. A club, which is successful, will have a range of fundraising options and tailor them to their specific needs.

What to look out for

Poor planning
Choosing the wrong people to take key roles
Targeting the wrong donors
Getting so tied up in promotions you forget to ensure the needs of the donors are fulfilled
Starting a mass anonymous appeal where everyone is approached without paying attention to whether they have any interest in the project
Letting a campaign drag on

There are literally hundreds of ways to raise funds for your club. Through careful planning and selection of the right fund raising venture, your club will benefit. Here are some examples of different fund raising ideas that you may be able to use:

Holding a ball, a dance, a disco, sausage sizzle, fancy dress, meet a celebrity party, hire a movie theatre for an evening and sell tickets, car rally, harbour cruise, gala, fair, garage sale, scrub-clearing, painting, section clearing, washing cars, raffles, sponsored walks, bottle drives, snail racing, gumboot throwing, touch football tournament, wine bottling, selling chocolate, Christmas paper, Easter eggs, a fun run.