Club Fundraising This document contains some ideas and suggestions for clubs who want to raise money for equipment or specific projects. There are some hints and tips for anyone new to making funding applications. It also includes some information about, and links to, a number of funding sources. Some of these are directly focused on sport, others on wider benefits to the community and others specifically aimed at supporting opportunities for young people. Not all of these will be appropriate for your club or your project. Club in-house fundraising activities There are a number of things clubs can do to raise funds without having to resort to external funding bodies some of them might even be fun! Sport specific fundraisers: Learn to Row Courses Membership fees Corporate Rowing Events Sponsored Events General Fundraising Ideas Social Events quiz nights, race nights etc. Supermarket Bag Packing A 100 club or raffle Tuck shop Internet giving sites such as www.easyfundraising.com Scottish Rowing Centre, 366 Hamilton Road, Motherwell ML1 3ED Tel: 01698 250206 Registered in Scotland SC357505
External Funding and Grants For large one-off areas of expenditure such as new equipment or a specific project, club fundraising may not be sufficient and you may need to consider an application to an external funding body. Taking the time to plan and prepare your application and identify the right funding partner will improve your chances of a successful application. The Project 1. Funders like to fund discrete projects with a clear beginning and end, not club running costs. The project title should convey to the lay reader the essence of the project and grab their attention. The description of the project must be written in clear simple language for the non-rower to understand. 2. Your application should contain clear measurable objectives for the project. You should have a clear timescale for the delivery of those benefits. Funders will expect your project to benefit a section of the wider community not just improve conditions for your existing members. 3. Funders will look for evidence to support your case such as research or statistics. Details of a successful pilot will further strengthen your case and will also demonstrate your commitment to the initiative. 4. Include a realistic financial plan for the project and show how the money you are requesting will support the delivery of the plan i.e. how will the money be spent! If you are seeking part funding, explain how the balance will be funded. 5. Include details of how you propose to measure the benefits of your project. Finding the right fund 1. Don t try to fit your project to a fund spend time researching the funding options and look for a fund that will be interested in supporting YOUR PROJECT. 2. Check the guidelines set out by the funder Do you need to be a recognised charity to apply? Does your project meet the objectives of the fund? Does your project fit with any other rules imposed by the fund such as timescales for completion, length of project (e.g. equipment investments may require the equipment purchased to have a useful life of X years). Is your project aimed at the section of the population targeted by the funding body? Does the application process fit your timescales. Document Updated February 2013 2
Other considerations 1. Take your time to plan the project and the application and do a professional job. Competition for funds can be fierce and it is important to make your application stand out. 2. Include some background info about the club and its membership and how the club fits in to the wider community. 3. Ensure your constitution is fit for purpose check the Scottish Rowing model constitution if in doubt. If your constitution hasn t been reviewed for some time it may need updating which will require approval at an AGM/EGM. Also see Appendix 1 for guidance from sportscotland and the Big Lottery Fund on their requirements. Sources of Funding sportscotland funds Sports Facilities Fund This fund is aimed at the provision of new or upgrading of existing facilities. Equipment can also be funded under this scheme provided that it has a life expectancy of more than 7 years. Applications are open to properly constituted clubs who do not need to be a recognised charity. The fund has two streams: The small project stream funds between and 10,000 and 100,000. Clubs can apply for 100% funding on projects up to 50,000 subject to certain conditions. Otherwise, clubs can apply for up to 50% funding under the scheme (there are exception to this see sportscotland website for details). The large project scheme for projects over 100,000. There are different application procedures for each stream the small project scheme being quicker and easier. Awards for All This is a lottery grants programme for small community groups or sports clubs looking for small sums of money. Applicants must be non-profit making groups and are expected to contribute something in cash or kind towards the costs of their project, although 100% awards are available in exceptional circumstances. Awards of 500-10,000 are made towards projects. www.awardsforall.org.uk/scotland/index.html sportsmatch Sponsored projects should aim to include either increased participation at the grass roots level, new or enhanced activities, or activities that provide links to the local community and ensure long term benefits. Priority will be given to projects which can be seen to benefit young people, disabled Document Updated February 2013 3
people, ethnic minorities, school related projects, or projects in rural or urban recreationally deprived areas. The scheme matches commercial business sponsorship on a for basis. Sponsorship can be in cash or in kind with regards sporting equipment. Any not-for-profit group such as a sports club, local authority, governing body of sport, school etc. can apply. Awards start at a minimum of 500 and go up to 10,000 per project. Legacy 2014 Active Places Fund The Legacy 2014 Active Places Fund supports the Scottish Government s legacy ambitions to encourage more people to be active and take part in sport. The Fund will do this by providing funding for capital projects which create or improve places in local communities where people can go to get active. Grants of between 10,000 and 100,000 are available for a wide range of community-led. In total, 10 million is available until 2015. Find Out More Details of all these funds and more and how to apply for them can be found on the sportscotland website by following the funding link on the home page. Document Updated February 2013 4
Other Funding Bodies In addition to the organisations highlighted by the sportscotland website, there are many other places to look for funding. The organisations listed below all state that they fund sport to some degree. Some of the funds are directly for sport, while others have a more social/community remit but will consider sport related activities where there is a clear social improvement/inclusion objective. The list is not exhaustive.. Funding Body Details Funds available Contact Details The Rowing Foundation To promote the participation in rowing of young people (those under 18 or still in full time education) and the disabled of all ages. 500-2,000 www.therowingfoundation.org.uk/ Mars Refuel Fund Small grants awarded monthly to help people play longer. Up to 500 www.marsrefuel.com Cash4Clubs The Gannochy Trust Scottish Community Fund Cash 4 Clubs offers small grants to sports clubs in the UK. Sports and recreation projects to develop Young People through active participation. Funds small charities and community groups that deliver support, services and activities in the heart of their communities. Focused on small volunteer-led organisations or those which have just one or two paid members of staff. 250-1,000 www.cash-4-clubs.com www.gannochytrust.org.uk www.scottishcf.org 0141 341 4960 Document Updated February 2013 5
Funding Body Details Funds available Contact Details The Robertson Trust Community sport including young people, volunteers and increasing participation by girls and women and increasing the use of community sports facilities. www.therobertsontrust.org.uk/ People s Postcode Trust The Torch Trophy Trust Peter Harrison Foundation Community development including increasing public participation in sport. The Trust provides small Bursaries to assist volunteers in sport to help them develop their skills. Sporting activities or projects which provide opportunities for people who are disabled or otherwise disadvantaged to fulfil their potential and to develop other personal and life skills. 500-10,000 www.postcodetrust.org.uk 100-1000 www.torchtrophytrust.org/ www.peterharrisonfoundation.org Carnegie Dunfermline Trust Projects, activities and schemes with social, community, educational, cultural, sport and recreational purposes for the benefit of those within the defined geographic area of the operation of the Trust. Typically between 300 and 10,000 www.andrewcarnegie.co.uk Dunfermline Building Society www.dunfermline.com Document Updated February 2013 6
Funding Body Details Funds available Contact Details MCR Holdings Charitable Foundation Targets projects that encourage build & help realise the talents and potential of individuals and groups in inner city based communities. Includes sports participation. www.mcrholdings.com/foundation Moffat Charitable Trust Sport/Art particularly projects which help young people develop and progress in their chosen sport and encourage young people to participate in artistic activities. Throughout the UK but with a preference for Ayrshire and SW Scotland. Up to 2,000 www.moffattrust.org.uk Pleasance Trust The policy of the Trust is to make grants to voluntary organisations in the Edinburgh area which are concerned with the welfare of young people, in particular, through the encouragement of participation in outdoor activities. 500-1,500 www.pleasancetrust.org.uk First Group plc Young people, health and the environment http://www.firstgroup.com/corporate/community Russell Trust Various including participation in sport 250-10,000 Markinch Glenrothes Fife KY7 6PB Document Updated February 2013 7
Funding Body Details Funds available Contact Details Bank of Scotland Foundation Developing and improving local communities Up to 20,000 www.bankofscotlandfoundation.org The Mickel Fund Wide range of charities 50-10,000 www.mickelfund.org.uk The Trades House of Glasgow Commonweal Fund Grants to schemes for social improvement in Glasgow. www.tradeshouse.org.uk Document Updated February 2013 8
APPENDIX 1 Governing documents: Guidance from Big Lottery Fund and sportscotland The Big Lottery Fund regularly receives applications from a variety of sporting organisations, particularly through its Awards For All and 2014 Communities programmes. If an organisation receives a conditional grant offer through either of these programmes, we will ask to see a copy of its constitution, otherwise known as its governing document. We use this document to make sure that an organisation is legally able to manage the grant, and that it operates in a way which means it meets both its constitutional and the programme requirements. We also need to make sure that the group operates within the spirit of our funding programmes. If the governing document shows that we are unable to fund a group, we have to withdraw our offer of a grant. There are a number of reasons why a group s governing document may present a problem to securing lottery funding. We want groups to be better informed about these potential problems so that they can address them before applying. The most common reasons for a conditional grant offer being withdrawn are listed below. If your organisation is considering applying for lottery funding, it is very important that your governing document addresses them. Membership: o Open membership we expect membership of an organisation to be open to all unless there is a good reason why this is not the case. We expect there to be a right of appeal for anybody who is refused membership. Similarly, there should be a right of appeal for members who are suspended or expelled from a group. o sportscotland approved wording Membership is open to all and no application for membership will be refused on other than reasonable grounds. There will be no discrimination on grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex; sexual orientation, political or other opinion. o Proposing and seconding of applicant members we are unable to fund organisations who require a prospective member to be proposed and seconded by current members; we consider this to be contrary to our funding policy on open membership mentioned above. o Displaying the names and addresses of applicant members Similarly, we are unable to fund organisations who display the names and
addresses of applicant members, such as on the Club notice board, for other members to view. This is also contradictory to an open membership Dissolution clause: o For all applicants, the governing document must contain a dissolution clause which explains what will happen in the event of the organisation ceasing to exist. We expect the clause to state that, Once all obligations have been met, the remaining assets will not be distributed among members. and that such assets to be given to another similar not-forprofit organisation. o sportscotland approved wording If, upon the winding up or dissolution of the Club there remains after the satisfaction of all the Club s debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall be given or transferred to some other organisation or organisations having objects (that is, aims and activities) similar to the objects of the Club, such organisation or organisations to be determined by the members of the Club by Resolution passed at a General meeting at or before the time of the dissolution, and in so far as effect cannot be given to such provision then to some charitable objects Financial checks and requirements In the majority of constitutional documents there will be a clause which outlines how groups should have their financial activities checked on an annual basis. It s important that groups actively take steps to ensure they meet the stated checks laid out. For example, if a group s governing document states that the accounts must be audited then we will expect the accounts to be audited. Further information about governing documents and the application process is available from: www.awardsforall.org.uk www.biglotteryfund.org.uk and from our advice line 0300 123 7110