ALL clubs large and small, urban and rural, are often finding they are spending increasing amounts of money. Many clubs have taken the step of appointing a fundraising unit whose remit is focused on ensuring that the club has a healthy revenue stream that fulfils the financial needs of the club.

The fundraising unit should report to the club finance sub-committee with the club treasurer appointed as chairperson of the group. It is recommended that the group consist of at least five but not more than eight individuals.

It may be that not all are club members as the expertise of any individual on a specific project might be of great benefit to the club.

When a fundraising unit has been set up within a club and the financial needs of the club have been identified, the next step is to explore all fundraising options and determine what is best suited to the needs of the club at the time and what is feasible to achieve in the community in which the club exists.

When considering any project, take into account what other fundraising is taking place in the geographical area and the impact that this will have on your activity.

Fundraising events come in all shapes and sizes. Some are easier to deliver than others, some ideas are likely to raise more money than others and some might be more appropriate for your members and community.

Outlined below are some ideas that might help you develop an effective fundraising event for your club.

Membership fees

Collecting an annual membership fee is an often under-rated way of raising funds for your club. For example, 200 adult members paying an annual fee of €/£25 raises €/£5000 for a club annually. Some tips for maximizing membership fee income include:

– Appoint a club registrar whose sole job is to look after membership and fees.

– Look at providing certain benefits for members (i.e. priority access to big match tickets).

– Collect membership fees at AGMs – only those who are paid up members can vote.

– Make sure all adult players are paid up members.

– Consider a family membership scheme.

– Remind members about the good the GAA delivers to its members and its communities.

Gate Receipts

Charging an admission fee is sometimes overlooked by clubs, but by even charging a nominal fee much needed funds can be generated. For example, if your club has 10 adult home games with an average of just 100 in attendance, by charging as little at €/£4 or €/£5 there is potential income of €/£4,000 to 5,000.

Some areas to consider:

– Agree and implement a club admission pricing policy.

– Adopting the principle that all games have a value and therefore attract an admission fee, however small.

– Put in place a team of people who will be responsible for looking after gates.

– If at all possible, put turnstiles in place; ensuring that every entrant pays their admission.

Club lotto

Clubs all over the island have been using the club lotto to raise funds. Small fundraising lotteries normally require a government licence. If you are currently running a fundraising lotto, it is critical that you have an active licence. Many clubs are now using online systems; by offering lotto tickets for purchase online, clubs can maximize sales by reaching out to supporters and friends all over the world.

Sponsorship

Sponsorship of teams and the sale of advertising boards around the club pitch and clubhouse are core sources of income for most GAA clubs. Many club sponsors and advertisers are involved because they want to support their club and community rather than for purely commercial reasons. But that’s all the more reason why they should be treated well and in a business-like manner.

Structured Giving

Many GAA clubs have put in place planned giving schemes as a core part of their fund-raising strategies. The basic principle is very simple: you ask people who have the welfare of the GAA in your club area at heart to commit to paying a set amount to the club. The commitment can be open ended or for a set period. In most cases the payment is of the order of £20/€20 per month.