It is an interesting question and worth taking a second to consider.
The most common answer we hear from clubs is “To minimise the cost of participation to members”.
This is an interesting concept because taking this to the logical extension, if fundraising is to reduce the cost to members, then fundraising activities should be primarily targeted at people other than members.
Most clubs target members for their fundraising activities, but in reality this does not reduce the cost to members, it is just charging them in a different way.
Clubs need to recalibrate their thinking about their fundraising activities and look for ways to target the broader community rather than continually tapping members to open their wallets.
This is not to say that fundraising activities such as social events and activities for members should be stopped. One of the main reasons people join clubs is for the social opportunities. However, a clubs reliance on its members as the major fundraising source should be reconsidered.
If not members, then who else should Clubs seek to raise funds from?
From a fundraising perspective, clubs often don’t look beyond current players and members to their fundraising detriment.
From a fundraising perspective clubs traditionally generate their funds from a very small group of current day supporters but clubs have access to a far greater group of people who not only have a relationship with the club but in many cases a deep caring relationship. Clubs can easily raise funds, with the right fundraising strategy from a much broader audience including:
- Current players friends, family and work colleagues
- Current members friends, family and work colleagues
- Supporters, their friends, family and work colleagues
- Local, State and Federal Government members
- Club Volunteers
- Local, state and national sporting bodies
- Local businesses (sponsors)
- Opposition clubs and competitors
- Past players, family and work colleagues
- Family members and sponsors
- The broader local community (not just those who support your club)
- Those who may never have even visited your club
- Club suppliers
