1. business and industrial
2. advertising and marketing
3. marketing

How to …………
assisting associations toward excellence
Introduction
Basketball Victoria has produced a ‘How to’ manual to assist its member
associations. This will help them in the development of tasks required to build their
associations and to develop them into more effective businesses.
Why have this manual?
This manual has been produced to assist those associations who do not know where
to start when trying to move ahead in areas that are not traditional basketball related
areas. They are written to provide indicators and advice, to trigger thoughts and to
stimulate discussion amongst board and / or committee members.
This manual has not been produced to be the one stop answer to all of the problems,
but rather for associations to start to think about what needs doing. It is important for
an association to set aside time for their planning and ensure that it receives the
attention that it requires. It is probably more economical to schedule a planning
meeting as part of your association’s regular meetings.
Who should use this manual?
This manual has been designed for use by those who feel that they do not have the
confidence to attack the specific subject matter or do not have relative experience in
it. They have been written in a plain to understand format and in simple language.
The information can be used by a single portfolio holder, or a sub-committee of an
association.
An association that continually discusses and updates its plans, policies and
procedures, will be an association that will stay on top of the developing business of
basketball, and therefore stay ahead of any new trends or pitfalls that non-planning
associations fall into.
Further assistance?
This manual is available for download from the Basketball Victoria website.
Basketball Victoria hopes that you find this manual both helpful and informative.
Contents
How to ………..
Create a Marketing Plan
Marketing is a key part of business success. You need to decide which customers to target. You
need to work out how you will reach and win new customers. You need to make sure that you keep
existing customers happy. And you need to keep reviewing and improving everything you do to stay
ahead of the competition.
Write a Successful Grant Application
Each year there are literally millions of dollars that are distributed to organizations in the form of
Grants and Funding. The trick to ensuring that your association is in line for some of this assistance,
is to make sure that your funding application is presented in such a way that there is no doubt as to
your association’s legitimacy and a definite requirement of the funding.
Create a Volunteer Management Plan
Basketball Victoria recognizes that one of the most significant resources that any association can
have, is its volunteer base. Without this dedicated band of hard working and loyal workers,
associations would be hard pressed to provide the continued level of service that they currently do.
Associations must be better placed to be able to meet the needs and expectations of the modern day
volunteer.
Create a Fundraising Plan
The need to raise extra revenue seems to be a continual process for many basketball clubs and
associations. Much of this additional income source can come through three main avenues;
sponsorship, fundraising and grants. Whilst there is a large amount of money available through
local businesses, charities, sport and recreation governing bodies and government agencies, there is
also usually quite a lot of competition for that money by associations and other sporting groups.
How to create a
Marketing Plan
Marketing is a key part of business success. You need to decide which customers
to target. You need to work out how you will reach and win new customers. You
need to make sure that you keep existing customers happy. And you need to keep
reviewing and improving everything you do to stay ahead of the competition.
Your marketing plan should be a reference document you use as a basis to execute
your marketing strategy. It sets out clear objectives and explains how you will
achieve them. Perhaps most importantly, it looks at how you can ensure that your
plan becomes a reality.
Remember that marketing in itself will not guarantee sales, but by adopting a wellresearched and coherent plan, you have a much better chance of building long-term,
profitable relationships.
This guide outlines the key areas to look at and what to include in an effective
marketing plan.
• What is a Marketing Plan?
A marketing plan provides direction for your marketing activities. Marketing plans
need not be long or cost a lot to put together. Think of it as a road map, with detailed
directions on how to get to your destination. Sure there may be a few bumps along
the way, perhaps a diversion or two, but if the marketing plan is carefully researched,
thoughtfully considered and evaluated, it will help your association achieve its goals.
The marketing plan details what you want to accomplish with your marketing strategy
and helps you meet your objectives.
The marketing plan:
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Will allow the association to look internally in order to fully understand the
impact and results of past marketing decisions.
Will allow the association to look externally in order to fully understand the
market in which it chooses to compete.
Will set future goals and provides direction for future marketing efforts that
everyone in the association should understand and support
Is a key component in obtaining funding to pursue new initiatives?
A marketing plan will allow associations to see at a glance what is happening within
the promotion of their brand (association). By having a plan, monthly or weekly
activities can be coordinated to allow the best use of your association’s resources.
Without this plan, activities are usually met with some form of failure – not enough
people helping out, not enough flyers produced, people not being where they are
meant to be, poorly run events, etc. This then has a negative impact on the product
you are trying desperately to portray – a go-ahead, vibrant, well run association that
players want to join.
When marketing your product (in our case, basketball)
do not be limited to just marketing the playing side of
the association. Remember that there are other
aspects of your association that would also benefit
from some marketing, for example: coaches, referees,
volunteers.
• How do I begin?
Marketing is about communicating your
association’s message, activities and facilities to attract
members, funds and other resources.
It can be as simple as placing an ad in the local newspaper, or as complex as
repositioning your association in the marketplace. Marketing focuses on finding out
who your customer is and tailoring your activities to that market.
The purpose of marketing is to make a sale. It is more than just advertising, publicity
or sponsorship and involves:
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finding a market for your product or activity (people, place)
making your product desirable to that market (promotion, position)
exchanging your product with that market for something that you value (price)
Any marketing plan that is produced, at a minimum should include the following:
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Summary and Introduction
Marketing Objectives
Situation Analysis
Target Markets
Strategies
Tracking and Evaluation
Summary and Introduction
Your marketing plan should always start with an executive summary. The summary
gives a quick overview of the main points of the plan.
Although the executive summary appears first, it should always be written last, as
this ensures that all of the points of the plan have been included. Writing the
summary is a good opportunity to check that your plan makes sense and that you
haven’t missed any major point.
Marketing Objectives
Your marketing objectives should be based on understanding your strengths and
weaknesses, and the business environment in which you operate in. They should be
linked to your overall Business or Strategic Plan.
As with any strategic initiative, a marketing plan should start with objectives. Your
marketing objectives will guide your entire marketing plan and be used for
evaluation. Without objectives you may get off-track and will not know when you
have reached your ultimate goal.
Your marketing objectives need to be SMART.
Specific
Specific – for example, you might set an objective of
getting ten new teams for the competition.
M
Measurable
Measurable – whatever your objective is, you need to be
able to check whether you have or have not reached your
desired goal.
A
Achievable
Achievable – you must have the resources you need to
achieve your objective. The two key resources to any
project are usually people and money.
R
Realistic
Realistic – targets should stretch you, not de-motivate you
because they are unreasonable.
T
Time
Time – you should set a deadline for achieving the
objective. For example, you may want to get those ten
new teams, for the winter season.
S
Situation Analysis
A situation analysis details the context of your marketing efforts. In this section, you
will take a close look at the internal and external factors that will influence your
marking strategy; this is called a SWOT analysis.
A SWOT analysis combines the external and internal analysis to summarize your
association’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.
Target Markets
The concept of target markets is one of the most basic, yet most commonly
overlooked aspects of a marketing plan. There is no such thing as the ‘general
public’ when it comes to marketing, especially when we are talking about basketball
associations. It is highly unrealistic to think that you can attract, or need to attract everyone!!
By defining your target markets, it will help you to plan where to commit your
resources and what kind of marketing strategies to use. This is commonly referred
to as the Five P’s.
Product – having or producing a product or service required by others. This could
be your sport, the association, the competitions or other activities on offer.
People – customers or the people who use the services or products on offer.
Includes your employees, volunteers and members.
Price – pricing the product or service at a market price. Includes membership fees
and structure, discounts and the “cost” of member’s time.
Promotion – ensure potential customers are aware of your product. This can be
advertising, publicity, sponsorship, brochures, posters or personal selling.
Place – where the product is bought. Includes where you train, compete (home and
away) and other facilities on offer.
There are also two other P’s that can be included, as we are in the service industry:
Process – you need to ensure that your employees have the right training and that
your administrative processes are the same.
Physical Evidence – the appearance of your employees and the ‘front of house’
people within your association have a huge impact on the way in which your
association is viewed from the outside.
Strategies
The nuts and bolts of the marketing plan. The who, what, when, where and how?
This section will highlight how you are going to do things, how you are going to
attract new members, the plans in place, etc.
Strategies are simple action plans that detail how your product (in our case,
basketball competitions), is going to entice more members (in our case, more
players), to utilize your particular environment (in this case, your association).
Tracking and Evaluation
This is probably second in line to Target Markets, when taken into context with your
marketing plan. If you do not evaluate where your resources are being delivered,
you may not be getting a proper return on your investment (ROI). In other words,
you could be throwing good dollars away in marketing that is not getting any returns.
• Putting it together
Your marketing plan must do more than just say what you want to happen. It must
describe each step required to make sure that it happens.
The plan should include a schedule of key tasks. This sets out what will be done,
and by when. Refer to the schedule as often as possible to avoid losing sight of your
objectives under the daily workload.
It should also assess what resources you need. For example, you might need to
think about what brochures you need, and whether they need to be available for
digital distribution (by email or via your website). You might also need to look at how
much time it takes to sell to customers and whether you have enough salespeople.
The cost of everything in the plan needs to be included in the budget. If your
finances are limited, your plan will need to take that into account. Don’t spread your
marketing activities too thinly – it is better to concentrate your resources to make the
most of your budget. You may also want to link your marketing budget to your sales
forecast.
Control
As well as setting out the schedule, the plan needs to say how it will be controlled.
You need an individual who takes responsibility for pushing things along. A good
schedule and budget should make it easy to monitor progress. When things fall
behind schedule, or costs overrun, you need to be ready to do something about it
and then adapt your plan accordingly.
From time to time, you need to stand back and ask whether the plan is working.
What can you learn from your mistakes? How can you use what you know to make
a better plan for the future?
How to write a
Successful Grant
Application
Content for this section has been provided by www.ourcommunity.com.au:
Building stronger communities through stronger community organizations
Each year there are literally millions of dollars that are distributed to organizations in
the form of Grants and Funding. The trick to ensuring that your association is in line
for some of this assistance, is to make sure that your funding application is
presented in such a way that there is no doubt as to your association’s legitimacy
and a definite requirement of the funding.
How you present your funding application, is just as important as the information that
it contains. If the application looks shabby, then the organization giving out the
funding, will be less likely to look at your application favorably. However, a neatly
presented application, will have them looking past the front page and into the
program or project details in more specifics.
To assist your association in gaining some of this funding, you need to know some
tricks of the trade in relation to writing your application; some minor points that will lift
your application past the others in the grant givers pile of worthwhile projects.
• Why apply for Grants
Each year millions of dollars are distributed amongst sporting organizations and
community groups in grants funding. The trick is in ensuring your group is one of the
recipients.
Hunting for grants
The first challenge is to find the right grants program for your group.
When your organization is looking for funds it pays to take a wide and generous view
of your operations. Thinking broadly about your activities, members and supporters
could make you eligible to apply for many more grants from governments,
foundations, philanthropic organizations and councils.
Once you have identified all the areas you might qualify for, it's time to get choosy.
It's important to pick the right one.
Counting the Cost
The more things you have to do to get the money the more you have to consider
whether you're actually gaining on the deal. The bare bones of running a grant take
up some of your resources - drafting applications, planning programs, running
evaluations, reporting - and the more things you have to do the more resources it
takes. You could have to carry out special outreach programs, advertise, or
organize.
Don't go for a grant just because it's there; think carefully
about your resources before making the decision to apply.
This is probably one of the biggest mistakes that an association can make when it
applies for a grant. Yes, you want the money, yes, you have a great program or
project to work on, BUT, you must have the personnel to administer or facilitate that
program. If not, it is just another good idea without the legs to run!!
(You should also ask yourself, though, whether these things are worth doing anyway.
A wider audience is a good thing in itself, and may pay for itself over time in
increased members or in an association’s case - teams.)
Grants are not the same as sponsorship or fundraising, as there are usually
a strict set of criteria that an association must meet in order to qualify for a
grant.
What does a funding agency look for in a grant application?
Despite the great diversity of the various grants programs and the amazing array of
interests and target markets, funding bodies really need to be convinced of two
things: that a significant need exists and that the applicant has the capacity to meet
that need in a creative and fiscally responsible manner. Below is a list of just some of
the things different agencies may be looking for:
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Projects that will affect or involve as many people as possible - a small project
may have broader applicability if it can be used as a model elsewhere.
Realistic projects with strong and dedicated backing and a high likelihood of
success.
Projects that have broad community appeal and support.
Projects that provide a long-term solution rather than a short-term fix.
Projects that will make a difference.
Something new or visionary that is being held back only because of a lack of
funds.
Numbers – facts and figures
Partnerships and Collaboration
Remember – every question must be answered,
every requirement met and every claim proven.
• Researching your application
Most grant applications seek submissions that include the following.
A brief description of the organization
This is not the place to write a long-winded history of your organization but to
describe your purposes and long-term goals. The grant evaluators want you to
demonstrate how your existing programs were developed to meet identified
community needs. You will need to establish confidence in your organization’s
capacity to deliver. Include short descriptions of the qualifications and experience of
key staff and general project management competencies.
The case for support
It is critically important to establish a specific solution to a problem or issue in a
geographically identifiable area. Addressing the problem should be realistically
achievable by your organization. A small community organization will not be able to
solve all the problems of the world.
Subjective impressions will not hold any sway but a simple evocative case study
illustrating the issue may capture the imaginations of assessment panels. This
should be backed up by accurate data based on objective research. Statistics that
are out of date or incorrect will damage your case, sometimes irreparably.
Evidence of community support is often required. Don't just include letters of support
for the organization but rather ones supporting the project and outlining why they
think it will make a difference to the wider community.
Provide evidence of how the project clearly aligns with your Association’s Strategic
Plan and how it will help achieve at least one objective.
The proposed project
In this section you should demonstrate that you have developed a clearly defined,
creative, achievable and measurable strategy to address the issue/s previously
described. Make sure you:
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Clearly define your aims and objectives - An aim or goal is usually an
abstract but very succinct description of what your program hopes to achieve.
These objectives should be specific, achievable within a 12-month time frame,
relate to a distinct geographical location and result in real outcomes that are
easily measurable.
Outline your methodology - The objectives need to be matched with
strategies that show how each will be achieved, by whom and by when. This
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should begin with a rationale for why the particular approach was chosen at
this time and for this community.
Provide an evaluation strategy - Grant proposals need a detailed evaluation
strategy to measure accomplishment of program objectives. Ideally, provision
should be made for an independent outside evaluation of the proposed
project.
Address the budget - The required presentation of the program budget can
vary from a simple, one-page statement of income and expenses to a more
complex set of budget papers, including explanatory notes and revenue or
expense items. The main thing is to be honest about your proposed
expenditure and income.
• Writing your application
Earlier we talked about how to find the right grants program for your group, what
funding agencies usually look for in a grant application and what sort of elements
your application should contain.
Now it's time to think in more depth about your application strategy.
Do your research
Make sure you do some careful research about the funding body you are applying to.
Read their annual reports and get on their website and see what their priorities are,
who they have funded before, why, and how much. If possible, make an appointment
to discuss your application with them before you submit your application. Don't
hesitate to ask questions.
Making your case
We have already emphasized how important it is to think broadly about the full range
of grants categories you might be able to fit into. Now you have to make sure you
can sell these connections to the grant makers.
Take into consideration that the people you're asking for money probably have little
interest in your central goal - the game you love, say, or whatever other services or
cause your organization was set up to provide or work for. What they are into is your
common interests, which is why there may be money in it, but these common
interests - where your aims and theirs overlap - may make up a fairly small part of
your own core enterprise. You must target your application at that small part
only.
You have to be able to stand in the grant maker’s shoes and really understand what
it is that they want. They want to be able to give away money to people who can talk
their language and can promise measurable results.
Consultation
If you're claiming that your activities benefit the community, then you need to get the
community to say so. Compliments always sound better coming from somebody
else.
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Get the support of other groups
Hold a public meeting and ask for opinions
Sign up partners
Lobby for support from local councils and politicians and other community
leaders
Most grant makers will take more notice of a good proposal than letters of support
but if there are two projects that can't be separated on merit and your project has a
demonstrated wider community backing, it could make the difference.
Reliability
You have to be able to show that you'll contribute to the grant maker’s goals as well
as your own. Once you've promised to do something, you must be sure that you do it
- and that you can demonstrate you've done it.
You will need to plan the stages of implementing the grant and document the
performance of each stage. The plan will need to include an evaluation, so that you
can prove that the grant money has achieved the aims of the grant making body and
that they should give you more. Keep in constant contact with the grant making body
so they know what you are doing.
Make it easy on them
You need to make it as easy as possible for the funding body to understand who you
are and what you want to achieve - and how they can help. Don't pad your
application with purple prose and useless information. Make sure you can back up
your claims.
Write in the active voice and in the first person, ie: ‘we will’, and have the President
sign off on the application.
Make your application enjoyable to read; be innovative and creative in your
presentation. Make it stand out.
Passion and enthusiasm are contagious so make sure you ensure your belief in your
organization and project shines through in your application.
Budgets
Be reasonable in the amount in which you apply for. It is imperative that the budget
matches the project description as this can often be the cause for many applications
in being deemed unsuccessful.
Make sure that you include line items, such as salaries (if applicable), workshops,
transport, court hire, resources, etc.
Don’t forget to include your own contribution even if this is in the form of ‘In Kind’
support.
The golden secret
The single biggest secret to having your grant application considered is to make
sure you follow the guidelines. If your organization is not eligible, don't apply. If the
guidelines say to include a copy of your constitution, make sure it's provided. If they
ask for a one-page application, don't provide three.
While it might sound obvious, most people would be amazed at how many grant
seekers miss out because they haven't followed the guidelines correctly. Remember,
grant seeking is a competitive process. Don't give the funders any reason at all to
put someone else's application ahead of yours.
Keep your eye on the end goal
This may all sound like an incredible amount of work - however, the pain will soon be
forgotten if and when the cheque arrives.
The other point to remember is that much of the work you put in now will save you
work later. Many of the aspects of a grants program are common to all or most
granting programs so you can re-use the information you have collected about your
group for other applications (but remember the second golden rule: make sure you
adapt each individual application. Grant makers do not look kindly on obvious
form letters).
And the third golden rule is don't give up and don't take knock-backs personally.
Learn from your unsuccessful applications and use this knowledge to improve on
your chances in the future. As with most things in life, the more you do it, the easier it
will become.
Writing tips
Layout tips
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Write simply and avoid jargon
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Use short sentences
but do so consistently. Eg: all
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Use the adjective rather than the
headings in one lettering or size,
passive voice when you can. (for
and sub-headings in another
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example: “specially trained project
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Number your pages
staff will run all training courses”,
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Bind or staple the document in the
rather than “all training courses
will be run by specially trained
right order
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project staff”).
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Use headings and sub-headings,
Use white spaces – have wide
margins
Check for spelling and grammar
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Don’t crowd the text
mistakes. Get someone else to
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Use a font that is easy to read
read it through and make
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Write for the non – technical writer
corrections
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Revise and rewrite if necessary
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Don’t exaggerate
• Think laterally
Most community groups think of themselves as having boundaries, categorizing their
work in terms of the field they're working in - animal welfare, arts and culture,
children, families, community development, education, etc.
While it's a good thing to have a clear idea of your mission and your goals it's also a
good idea to take another look at your self-imposed boundaries and see if you're not
selling yourself short. Just because you do one thing well doesn't mean that you're
not doing other things as well; and it may well be easier to get funding for those other
things. All it takes is a little lateral thinking.
Think outside the square
When your organization is looking for funding from grant makers - governments,
foundations, councils, etc. - it pays to take a wide and generous view of your
operations. There may be aspects of what you do that are of interest to others.
If you're a sporting organization, for example, your main aim is to get the team out
there on the arena every weekend. However, if you take a more detached look at
what you're actually achieving you could say that your club is:
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Building community spirit
Working with young people
Maintaining community facilities
Strengthening local identity
Promoting a health and wellbeing message
Promoting an anti-drugs message
Providing leadership training for young people
Promoting teamwork and communications skills
Providing a safe forum for young people to interact
Encouraging tolerance and understanding between people of different cultural
backgrounds.
By broadening your thinking, you can open up access to health, youth, anti-drug,
multicultural, indigenous and training funding programs, to name just a few.
Take another look
A sporting club is just an example it is worth looking again at your own organization
to see exactly how many different sectors of the community you actually provide
benefits for - and how you do it. If you are a health group providing benefits to people
of all ages...
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Have you looked at grants that are open to groups providing programs for
children?
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For youth?
For seniors?
For people in regional areas?
For people from a non-English speaking background?
Do you have a health solution that can be expanded to other parts of the state
or across Australia?
Do you provide training opportunities?
If you answer yes to any of these questions then there might just be other
organizations out there that want to promote those aims. They may be able to pay
you to promote them.
Breaking new ground
You should also take the time to see how far you can extend your areas of common
interest with the grant makers. You may consider what new audiences or groups you
could involve in your organization’s activities. Could you get credit and funding if you
reached out to different groups? Could you involve older or younger people?
Indigenous people? People at risk of mental illness? People with disabilities?
There are things that you can do with your current membership that could bring you
into the area of interest for grant makers. Do you have the current Basketball Victoria
policies on:
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Reducing alcohol use?
Increasing sun protection?
Reducing injury?
Including people with disabilities?
Removing discrimination against gay and lesbian people?
Promoting greater religious and multicultural tolerance?
There are groups prepared to fund all these things. By ensuring you are mentioning
that you adhere to the Policy’s and Procedures as laid down by Basketball Victoria,
may add further weight to your application.
Casting your net
In order to benefit from the interest of grant makers, you need to find out what
opportunities exist in all the areas you overlap. Grants funding often falls under one
of the following categories:
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Animals
Arts & Culture
CALD
Children & Family
Community Services & Development
Disability
Economic Development
Education, Employment & Training
Emergency & Safety
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Environment Conservation & Heritage
Faith & Spirituality
General Community Grants
Health & Wellbeing
Indigenous
Infrastructure
International
Multicultural
Older People
Rural & Regional Development
Science & Technology
Sport & Recreation
Women
Youth
The primary purpose of your group will probably fall under one of those headings but there's no reason to stop there. If you're working for health through sport for
young multicultural women, that's five headings right there that you can search
under: HEALTH, SPORT, YOUTH, MULTICULTURAL and WOMEN. If you're
providing any sort of training, you could also make a strong argument for CAPACITY
BUILDING and LEADERSHIP grants. If what you're doing is fundraising to fix your
premises in an old building, that may well be HERITAGE. If you're doing it in the
country, that's RURAL - and so on.
Why not you?
The secret to successful grant seeking is twofold - careful execution of projects, yes,
but also lateral thinking about possibilities and thinking how the values of your group
or project correspond with the values of the granting body.
Stranger organizations than yours have got grants from more unexpected sources
for odder things - the difference is that they have known what grants schemes are
available and have thought outside the square about their standing in the wider
community.
Wordlist
Descriptive Words – Grants and Funding Writing Nouns and Adjectives
Accessible
Decrease
Ideal
Opportunity
Secondary
Accurate
Active
Additional
Adequate
Advantage
Affordable
Aim
Alternative
Analysis
Aspect
Asset
Astounding
Awareness
Demand
Despite
Detailed
Disadvantage
Disconcert
Disconnect
Disengaged
Distinct
Diverse
Impact
Importance
Immediate
Inadequate
Informed
Infrastructure
Initiative
Innovative
Insignificant
Interactive
Integration
Isolated
Option
Outcome
Overall
Over arching
Severe
Significant
Skills
Specific
Stage
Stakeholder
Strategic
Strength
Structure
Struggling
Subsequently
Successful
Suffering
Support
Surrounding
Sustainable
Balanced
Barrier
Basic
Benchmark
Beneficial
Beneficiary
Benefits
Best Practice
Capacity
Easily
Effective
Element
Engaged
Environment
Essential
Evaluation
Evident
Existing
Expertise
Extensive
Facet
Facility
Factor
Challenging
Familiar
Clearly
Collective
Fluctuate
Framework
Community
Comprehensive Frequent
Concept
Full Potential
Connection
Fundamental
Consequently
Future
Considerable
Goal
Consistent
Greater
Consultation
Growth
Contemporary
Heavily
Context
Continue
Holistic
Creative
Hub
Crucial
Current
Jointly funded
Judicial
Judgment
Jump start
Key
Knowledge
Lack
Latest
Level
Likely
Limited
Link
Local
Maintenance
Marginalized
Maximum
Method
Minimum
Multicultural
Necessary
Negative
Network
Partial
Particular
Partnership
Passive
Perception
Popular
Positive
Potential
Powerful
Powerless
Practical
Primary
Principal
Priority
Prior to
Problem
Process
Profound
Progress
Project
Proportion
Protocol
Purpose
Quantify
Recent
Receptive
Regardless
Region
Renew
Resilient
Responsibility
Risk
Team
Traditional
Trend
Upgraded
User
Valuable
Variety
Various
Vast
Vibrant
Vital
Vulnerable
Wellbeing
Wordlist
Action Words – Grants and Funding Writing Verbs
Access
Account
Achieve
Act
Address
Advise
Advocate
Aim
Allow
Analyze
Anticipate
Apply
Approach
Assert
Assess
Assist
Associate
Attribute
Become
Begin
Believe
Belong
Benefit
Break Down
Build
Capitalize
Categorize
Change
Cohesion
Collaborate
Combine
Commit
Compare
Complement
Compose
Conclude
Conduct
Confirm
Connect
Consider
Consult
Contain
Continue
Contrast
Contribute
Coordinate
Counteract
Create
Decide
Dedicate
Define
Demonstrate
Depend
Derive
Describe
Design
Determine
Develop
Devise
Differ
Direct
Discuss
Distinguish
Divide
Educate
Elevate
Empower
Enable
Encourage
Endeavour
Engage
Enhance
Ensure
Entail
Envisage
Establish
Estimate
Evaluate
Exemplify
Exhibit
Expand
Explain
Explore
Extend
Facilitate
Finalize
Focus
Form
Foster
Fulfill
Gather
Govern
Harness
Help
Highlight
Hinder
Identify
Illustrate
Impact
Implement
Include
Incorporate
Indicate
Influence
Inform
Initiate
Input
Inspire
Instruct
Integrate
Intend
Interact
Introduce
Invest
Investigate
Involve
Know
Lack
Lead
Learn
Listen
Maintain
Manage
Minimize
Mobilize
Modify
Monitor
Motivate
Need
Negotiate
Network
Observe
Occur
Operate
Organize
Outline
Overcome
Overlook
Participate
Partner
Perceive
Perform
Plan
Portray
Prepare
Prevent
Prioritize
Process
Produce
Progress
Prohibit
Project
Promote
Propose
Prove
Provide
Pursue
Qualify
Raise
Realize
Recommend
Refine
Reflect
Reiterate
Remind
Represent
Require
Research
Respond
Restore
Restrict
Return
Reveal
Review
Sample
Search
Secure
Seek
Signal
Specify
Start
Strengthen
Struggle
Succeed
Suggest
Support
Surround
Survey
Sustain
Target
Teach
Transform
Translate
Understand
Undertake
Upgrade
Use
Validate
Verify
• Follow up
There are two kinds of follow-up related to the writing of Grant and Funding
applications. Firstly, there is the ‘what’s happening’ kind of follow up, when you have
submitted a proposal and waited some time for a response. Secondly, if you are
fortunate enough to be successful in your application, there is the follow up that
helps to build strong and supportive ties between project / organization and donor.
Follow up the proposal
So you have done a proposal that meets the donor criteria, you have submitted it in
good time. You might get a quick response. You might not. Time drags on and you
are not sure where you stand.
What is the appropriate way for a project or organization to deal with the situation?
Make sure that your proposal has arrived and has been received by the donor. Then
you wait. After a reasonable period of time (this should be determined either by
when the donor representative told you that you could expect a response, or, if you
are not sure about when to expect an answer, after about a month or six weeks), you
should follow-up the proposal. You could do this either:
•
•
By telephoning the donor representative to ask how your application is doing,
and by when you should expect a response, or
Following up in writing to ask how your application is doing, and by when you
should expect a response.
Such follow ups should be:
•
•
Politely worded and pleasant
Persuasive rather than aggressive
Remember the donor does not owe you anything. You may hope that donor
representatives will be helpful and treat you with respect, but there is no guarantee.
Nevertheless, you cannot afford to get a reputation for being demanding or for
treating grants as your ‘right’. Such a reputation travels quickly in donor circles and
may make future grant applications less likely to be successful. You do not want to
alienate the donor community.
Even if the answer is ‘no’ at the end of the process, this does not mean that you
have reached the end of your relationship with the donor. There are often good
reasons for a ‘no’, answer, and you are entitled to ask for a reason for the donor
rejection, if one is not offered. Ask if there are other rounds of funding that you could
apply for. Consider asking for guidance from another successful association or other
successful local sporting club.
Some possible reasons for refusal include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
The donor’s criteria for giving grants are not met by your proposal
The proposal is not seen as being in a priority area for the donor
(geographical or issue priority);
No obvious community support or demand for the project
The budget does not match the program description
The proposal does not, for some reason, impress the representative who did
the initial screening;
The donor does not have sufficient funds at this time to support the proposal.
The more you know about the reasons for the refusal, the less likely you are to make
the same mistake the next time. Remember to do your homework. Sending in an
inappropriate application is a waste of everyone’s time.
Follow up the Grant
You have just heard the good news about your application and you have been
successful. The donor is happy with your proposal. It is clearly a job well done.
Congratulations.
Is this the end of the process?
No. In fact it is just the beginning.
From now on you need to work at building up a strong relationship with the donor so
that, when the time comes, you have a better than average chance of other
applications being successful and of forming on-going relationships with the donor
that is beneficial to both parties.
Here are some things you need to build a strong relationship with a new donor:
•
Thank the donor for the favorable response. By approving your application,
the donor has shown that your work is valued. You need to respond in a way
that shows that you value the donor’s commitment and support.
•
Keep the donor up-to-date on what is going on in the project and/or the
organization. This means sending regular reports and information that may
be of use or interest to the donor. If you have done your homework properly,
you should be able to personalize this process of keeping the donor up-todate. Invite donors to your events – even if you think they may not be able to
attend.
•
Meet the reporting requirements of the donor. This means providing the right
information (narrative and financial), in the right format, at the right time. As
soon as you sign a contract with the donor, diarize when the reports are due.
Make a note in your diary for a month before the reports are due so that you
have them ready in time.
•
Be available for meetings with the representatives of the donor. Be ready to
answer questions, organize field trips, and/or explain details. Whenever
possible, get donor representatives into the field where they can meet the
people who their contributions are actually helping.
•
Ensure where appropriate that the donors signage and logos a displayed at
events where they have had an active contribution to that program.
Basketball Victoria would like to acknowledge the generosity of Our Community for
the use of information in this chapter.
Our Community is a world-leading social enterprise that provides advice and tools for
Australia’s 600,000 not-for-profit community groups and sports clubs as well as state,
private and independent schools.
Our Community’s suite of resources includes the EasyGrants newsletter, which
enables community groups to easily search for available grants funding, as well as
fundraising and grantseeking training and a range of free policies and help sheets.
How to create a
Volunteer Management
Plan
Basketball Victoria recognizes that one of the most significant resources that any
association can have, is its volunteer base. Without this dedicated band of hard
working and loyal workers, associations would be hard pressed to provide the
continued level of service that they currently do. Associations must be better placed
to be able to meet the needs and expectations of the modern day volunteer.
The number of volunteers has remained steady over the years, but the way in which
they are managed has dramatically changed. With today’s busy lifestyles, people
prefer to volunteer for shorter periods on single or limited projects. They want a
fulfilling experience and for someone to thank them for their efforts.
This Volunteer Management Scheme has been developed by Basketball Victoria in
response to a call from the associations for assistance. The three main areas
needing assistance being - Recruitment, Retention and Recognition.
This resource will help associations in the way that they manage their volunteers and
how they can ensure that this much appreciated backbone of their organization can
continue to assist in the functionality of their business.
• Recruitment
Recruitment
The most important question to ask when contemplating the recruitment of
“Why do people want to
volunteer for our association?”
volunteers for your association is
By understanding what drives a volunteer to give up their valuable time to assist with
the running of the association, will ultimately allow you to understand what it will take
to make your association a volunteer magnet.
Research shows that
35% of
volunteers were
asked ‘face to
face’ to join an
organization
were
asked
volunteer. This
35%* of volunteers
by
someone
to
is in stark contrast to the 4.1%
who said they answered an advertisement in a Club
Newsletter or Newspaper.
The personal contact with a potential volunteer,
whether through family, friends or work colleagues
already involved in the organization, can be cited as
the most frequent way that new volunteers become
involved in voluntary work. This method re-enforces
the theory that people are more likely to join if they
already know someone involved.
When recruiting volunteers, it is very important to make sure that you emphasize the
benefits that the volunteer will receive, rather than the needs of the association. This
is because the tasks at hand may seem mountainous to a new person. Many
volunteers, who give up their time to assist an association, may not be as keen if the
recruitment drive is conducted in a work-like campaign. All volunteers need to feel
valued and an important part of the association. Volunteers are not to feel that they
are in this position because either no-one else wanted it or employing a self belief
that they were duped into being involved. This also includes being overworked in a
voluntary position.
Why do people volunteer?
Although not always seen as fulfilling, volunteer work can certainly make a person
feel a great sense of worth and pride in the job that they are performing.
* Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006 – Volunteers in Sport
In order to recruit volunteers, associations need to emphasize the opportunities that
volunteering provides for social contact, to be community minded and to do
something worthwhile. Whilst it is important to understand the work that a volunteer
will undertake, it is not the work itself that motivates the volunteer.
Reasons for becoming a
volunteer
Personal benefits of becoming a
volunteer
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Help others / community
Personal / family involvement
Personal satisfaction
To do something worthwhile
Social contact
Felt obliged / just happened
Use skills / experience
Gain work experience / reference
To be active
Religious belief
To learn new skills
Remember: these people are giving up their valuable time to assist you in the
running of a business.
Selection and Screening
For many sporting associations, and basketball is no different, it is rare to have more
volunteers than positions. This brings forward another problem, where the person
having to make the choices, may in fact have very little experience in performing
those functions. While we can get excited when we finally strike gold with a number
of people who might want to become involved in our association, we must still make
sure that we go through a proper screening process before our potential volunteer
can begin.
There are many ways in which potential volunteers can be screened. Listed below
are a few that need to be taken into consideration:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Application Forms
Interviews
Code of Conduct forms
Referee checks
Position Descriptions
Working with Children Checks
Declaration Forms
Trends of the Modern Volunteer
The trends of the modern day volunteer differ greatly from those of years ago. With
this in mind, there needs to be a shift in the response of the association, as it tries to
engage the assistance of those willing to help.
PERCIEVED TRENDS
POSITIVE RESPONSES
The trend of busier lifestyles, changing
family structures and changing work
patterns, affect people’s ability to
volunteer
The association needs to accept shorter
volunteer commitments, job sharing and
flexible hours that are more appealing.
Let your volunteers know exactly how
long you need them by setting start and
end dates.
There is a trend to thinking that the
sense of ‘community’ has diminished, as
has the concept of ‘giving back’. People
will no longer volunteer for the sake of
volunteering.
The association needs to find creative
ways to recruit volunteers.
Promote
volunteering for your club / association
like you are selling a fantastic product,
not as a role that no one else wants to
take on.
The perceived trend is that the ‘Baby
Boomers’ are approaching retirement
and will be looking for ways to put back
into the community. They are a huge
source of potential volunteers that so far
have been relatively untapped.
Do not waste their time, ‘Baby Boomers’
have great skills to offer, as they are
often retired professionals. Offer them a
position that interests them and lets them
use the skills they have gained over their
professional career.
There is a trend toward the steady
decrease in the number of young people
volunteering. This can be attributed to
them not understanding the benefits of
volunteering, or being considered too
young to be approached.
Young people have strength in skills they
can bring to your association. Identify
special positions that they can fill. For
example, most young people are good
with technology so why not recruit them
to develop or update your association
website or membership database.
Promote the benefits of having volunteer
roles on their resume.
Strategies to assist in recruiting volunteers to our Club / Association
Initial Contact
•
•
•
•
•
•
Try a personal face-to-face approach whenever possible to recruit a volunteer
Although an email or letter might be easier to establish initial contact, a
personal phone call is better
Ask a third person to make the first introduction if you do not know the person
Go out of your way to speak to family and friends who sit in the stands
watching
The desire and willingness to become involved as a volunteer usually takes
time to surface. Take your time and you will be rewarded.
Introduce potential volunteers to current members before approaching them
with a specific role
Recruiting
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Implement an executive committee structure with each executive member
chairing a sub-committee with a requirement to recruit their own subcommittee members
Appoint a member to act as the Association’s PR person being responsible for
simply talking to people, greeting visitors and making everybody feel welcome
Recruit an interested person to become the Association minute secretary
assisting the secretary
Present step-by-step information and basic instructions on tasks that need to
be done
Whenever seeking to recruit somebody to undertake a task, highlight the
benefits to the volunteer rather than the needs of the association
Ask a volunteer to assist in a small non-threatening task initially, that way they
can be eased into the association and its unfamiliar surrounds.
Approach a potential volunteer with the offer of a specific task that provides
the reassurance they possess the necessary skill and attributes to
successfully undertake the task
Provide the potential volunteer with a clear understanding of the time
commitment and similar requirements of their proposed role in a detailed
position description.
Club Activities
•
•
•
•
Provide all volunteers with a calendar of important dates showing all
association activities and enable them to plan their time around those
commitments
Provide the potential volunteer with a brief run-down of your association,
especially its aspirations and vision
Issue personal invitations to attend any functions that they may wish to attend.
Do not rely on newsletters and notices.
Indicate to the volunteer how their role fits within the association structure and
its operations
• Retention
Introduction
The key to the continued retention of volunteers in any organization, and
basketball is definitely no exception, is effective leadership. Good leadership
facilitates the development of a motivating environment that should result in
both high standards of performance and satisfied volunteers.
Without strong and successful
leadership, people tend to be
uninspired, unsure of their role
and may lack commitment.
Basketball association’s rely heavily on
volunteers and therefore need those
volunteers to take an active interest in
the future of the organization and their
specific roles within it.
If the volunteers in the association are
viewed and managed as creative,
motivated people who seek responsibility, then they are likely to exhibit high
levels of performance.
Volunteers, who feel that they have made a worthwhile contribution to their
association, have been appropriately rewarded, recognized and feel
respected, are more likely to contribute to that association again.
Good management
To maximize your association’s performance in the area of volunteer
development and support, ensure
that the volunteer’s time
and effort contribute substantially to the
association’s operations. A lot of this comes down to how you
manage your volunteers.
Most associations appoint people to the key areas of their organization, such
as President, Secretary and Treasurer, but very few appoint a person to
oversee the most valuable asset that any association can have ……….. its
volunteers.
The Volunteer Coordinator would drive the association’s volunteer program
and ensure that there is ongoing support and provide a point of contact for
those within the association who give up their time.
Because volunteers are such an integral part of our sporting landscape, it is
extremely important that we ensure that they feel valued and part of our
association.
The role of the Volunteer Coordinator
Duties can include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Help volunteers feel welcome and supported
Work out how many volunteers are needed and for what roles
Develop Position Descriptions for each of the roles
Develop Policies and Procedures for volunteers
Plan how and where to recruit volunteers
Look after volunteer database and records
Organize selection and screening procedures
Put together orientation kits and start up packs
Arrange training and education opportunities
Plan for volunteer retention and replacement
Develop ways to recognize and reward volunteer efforts
Skills and attributes of a Volunteer Coordinator
When looking for the right person to coordinate your volunteers, you need to
make sure that they have certain attributes; they should include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Excellent communication skills
They know how to delegate
Positive and enthusiastic
Understand the nature of volunteering and what motivates people to
volunteer
Good at dealing with difficult people and conflicts
Negotiation skills
Organizational Skills
Time management
Plan and set goals
How the Volunteer Coordinator fits within your association’s committee
structure can differ depending on the size of your association, the number
of volunteers and the importance that you place on managing those
volunteers.
The committee must first decide whether or not the Volunteer Coordinator
will be a separate role or part of an existing portfolio holder’s responsibility.
Making it part of the committee will ensure that you always have an
ongoing commitment to the management of volunteers. Keep in mind that
the association’s constitution or By Laws may need to be altered to reflect
this.
Orientation
To show a new person around an association is still the best way to help
someone within a new role. By providing an orientation program, new
volunteers will settle in faster. If you want to avoid a lot of work in the long
run, ensure that your volunteer workforce is a well informed and a valued
unit.
Orientation can take place in a number of different ways. You may like to
try one or more of the following:
•
•
•
•
Group or individual orientations
Information or orientation Kits
Hand-over with the previous volunteer
Video and PowerPoint displays
During the orientation, make sure that you cover the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Position Descriptions for the volunteer role
Any rules and procedures
Volunteer Policies and Procedures
Introduce them to other volunteers and committee members
Occupational Health and Safety issues
Facilities (eg: parking, kitchen, toilets)
Financial procedures
Anything else that will make the volunteer feel comfortable with
starting in their role
A copy of Basketball Victoria’s Codes of Conduct
Training and Development
You should always ensure that training and development is a vital
ingredient in a good volunteer management program. Volunteers who are
offered some form of training (formal or
informal),
are
more
confident,
comfortable and efficient in the role.
Training and development
opportunities for your
volunteers are also a very good
Risk Management policy.
Training of volunteers can either be
done in a pre-placement environment,
on the job or through a training course
or seminar.
Replacement
The goal of every association should be to maintain a consistent group of
long serving volunteers. A stable volunteer base:
•
•
•
Reduces recruiting time and costs
Reduces training and education costs
Provides an important sense of continuity within the association
It is inevitable that sooner or later, volunteers will leave and new ones will
come on board. This may be due to a number of reasons, but how you
manage this replacement process is important to:
•
•
•
•
Improve your Volunteer Management program
Improve how you manage remaining volunteers
Make the departing volunteer feel that they can come back to the
association should they wish to.
Make the transition of volunteers have as little or no impact on the
running of the Association
When a volunteer leaves your
association, this is an ideal time to
gather information about the
volunteer’s experience. Evaluating
the reasons why volunteers leave
an association can be invaluable for
improving
your
volunteer
management practices.
Having a succession plan will
ensure a continuing successful
plan.
One way to collect this information is by asking the departing person to
partake in an exit interview. Sometimes this may not be possible, as some
people may leave an organization under somewhat stressful
circumstances. It is important to remember, that anything that can
improve how your association deals with its members, overall has to be
good for you.
It is only human nature to expect that when you receive some negative
feedback, you will become defensive and may not like what you are
hearing. Do not take things to heart. This person may only be expressing
what they feel; it may not necessarily be the feeling of the majority of your
volunteers. You and your committee should be open minded enough to
know if the person leaving is speaking the truth about your association.
These exit interviews can be formal or informal, conducted in person or
over the phone, or in the form of a feedback sheet that a person can
complete and return.
• Recognition
Ideas for recognition of service
Volunteers do not expect lots of thanks and big hugs, but they really
appreciate it when their contribution is recognized.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Smile and say hello and thank your volunteers regularly
Send welcome letters when volunteers are first recruited
Reimburse out of pocket expenses for volunteers
Nominate individuals for volunteer awards
Establish a volunteer suggestion box
Acknowledge the efforts of volunteers during committee meetings
Include volunteers in organizational charts
Establish a Volunteer Recognition Board in a prominent position
Present special memento’s to volunteers to recognize their service
Feature volunteers at special events throughout the year
Provide complimentary tickets to events and functions
Provide identification pins, badges shirts or caps
Send get well, birthday and Christmas cards to your volunteers
Provide discounted memberships to volunteers
Farewell volunteers when they move away or leave the association
Arrange discounts at local sports stores or restaurants for your
volunteers
Include volunteers in staff planning meetings
Arrange for volunteers to attend conferences and seminars
Organize informal morning teas
Acknowledge and profile volunteers in newsletters and on websites
Present volunteer awards at annual general meetings or award
nights
Present special awards for 1,3,5,10 years or more service
(remember to keep an active record of volunteer service)
Have a volunteer of the month award
Ask for opinions and ideas
Write letters and post cards of thanks to volunteers
Award Life Memberships for long serving volunteers
Name events or facilities after long serving volunteers
Hold special ‘thank you’ or social functions for volunteers
Remember – Basketball Victoria holds a yearly Awards Dinner
that recognizes the commitment and contribution that volunteers
make to our sport.
Volunteer Management Checklist
When planning for volunteer management, you need to consider the
following:
Include a Volunteer Management Plan in your Strategic or
Business Plan
Appoint a Volunteer Coordinator or allocate the volunteers
portfolio to a committee member
Allocate a budget for your volunteers (out of pocket expenses,
recognition)
Identify skills already in the association and match these skills to
positions
Identify recruitment strategies to fill the gaps
Develop position descriptions or duty statements for each of
these roles
Keep an up to date database of your volunteers
Review all volunteer positions and skills required – can any
positions be broken down to provide short term volunteering
options
Put in place on-going recognition strategies
Outline and communicate roles and responsibilities of volunteers
and the organization
Identify training needs of the volunteers and find training
opportunities (local government, state sporting organizations)
Check that the insurance coverage is adequate
Ensure that the policies and procedures for screening of
volunteers as developed by Basketball Victoria are adhered to
Identify other ongoing support that will need to be provided
Develop an orientation process for new volunteers
Volunteer Management Action Plan
Developing an action plan will assist your association in maintaining a
consistent management strategy. By doing this, you will know what your
volunteers are doing and how they are doing it. Conversely, your
volunteers will know what they are doing and how this fits into the bigger
picture.
When developing an action plan for your association, try to incorporate
each of the stages of volunteer management. For each component, state
what you want to achieve, when you want to achieve it and who is
responsible for doing it.
The Volunteer Management Plan should be reviewed and updated
regularly.
Example Action Plan
WHAT?
WHEN?
WHO?
Recruitment
Develop position descriptions
for each of the volunteer roles
Before start of
season
Volunteer Coordinator, in
conjunction with relevant
committee members
Selection and
Screening
Adherence to Basketball
Victoria’s policies and
procedures for selecting and
screening all volunteers
Before start of
season
Volunteer Coordinator
and President
Orientation
Ensure that Orientation Kits are
up to date with new information
Before start of
season
Volunteer Coordinator
Training and
Development
Develop calendar of training
opportunities
Start of each
season
Volunteer Coordinator
(Treasurer to administer
budget)
Recognition
Recognition awards to be
presented
Association /
Local
Community
Presentation
Nights
President
Replacement
Conduct exit interviews with all
departing volunteers
Ongoing
President or Volunteer
Coordinator
How to create a
Fundraising Plan
The need to raise extra revenue seems to be a continual process for many
basketball associations and clubs of associations. Much of this additional income
source can come through three main avenues; sponsorship, fundraising and
grants. Whilst there is a large amount of money available through local businesses,
charities, sport and recreation governing bodies and government agencies, there is
usually quite a lot of competition for that money by associations and other sporting
groups.
In order to be successful in raising funds for your association, it is useful to appoint a
dedicated person or establish a committee.
The role of such person or committee would be to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Develop a fundraising plan.
Write the grant application or sponsorship proposal.
Determine what purpose the funds are being raised for.
Ensure the acquired funds are being used for the designated purpose.
Identify potential source of funds e.g. sponsorship, grants etc.
Maintain relationships with donors, grant agencies and sponsors.
Properly evaluate the success of the fundraising
• What is sponsorship?
Sponsorship is a connection between an association and a sponsor where this
relationship benefits the marketing needs of both parties. From the corporate point of
view, sponsorship is just one small section that comprises part of their overall
marketing budget.
Sponsorship is when a business provides funds, resources or services to an
association, in return for some form of assistance that the business can benefit from
commercially. This could be in the form of logos on shorts or singlet’s, signs at a
stadium or free advertising in the newsletter.
Sponsorship is not just about money. A good sponsor can add considerable value
by; for example, a sponsor could advertise your association or clubs of associations
on their business website as a community partner. This looks good for the business
and can spread your brand further that you ever imagined.
The best way to form any relationship with a sponsor is: “Make sure there is a winwin for both parties.”
Remember that donations are different to sponsorships. Businesses or individuals do
not expect any commercial advantage in return for their donation.
Types of sponsorship
Marketing sponsorship is sponsorship that will have a direct and positive effect on
the sponsor’s bottom line. Primarily, this type of sponsorship promotes products and
services to very specific target markets, or niche markets.
Corporate sponsorship is the provision of cash or ‘contra’ by a company for an
independent activity not directly related to the company’s normal business. Often
companies sponsor in this manner to reinforce a positive public perception, to
communicate to a defined target market or to build or maintain a desired image.
Philanthropic sponsorship is a donation or a gift with the sponsor wanting little or no
return.
Who to approach
•
•
Members, family and friends are always the first point of call. If people know
your association and understand what you do, then they are more likely to
listen and give the support required. There may even be someone within the
association who has a small business and is willing to sponsor the
association.
Local businesses and suppliers. Check with your suppliers of sports clothing,
food and equipment. Research local businesses and target those who could
benefit from a partnership with your association.
•
Larger organizations. Consider approaching larger organizations. They may
have more resources but keep in mind they may not have the interest or
commitment that you want. Your association may be too small to attract
enough value in their sponsorship dollar. Unless you have a contact, it may be
more difficult to get to speak to them as they are generally inundated with
requests for sponsorship.
Sponsorship proposals
Sooner or later in your association’s life, you will probably need to prepare a
sponsorship proposal. The sponsorship proposal is an offer to do business with
someone or somebody. It is important that it is a well-presented and concise
business document that contains enough information for a company to gain a
thorough understanding of what they are being offered.
Some larger companies might require exclusivity within their business genre. For
example, a community bank may want to be the only financial institution that has
sponsorship of your association.
Because you aren’t the only organization out there looking for sponsors, you should
make sure your sponsorship proposal stands out from the rest. Tailor the proposal to
individual needs of the company being approached. Do your homework. Find out as
much as you can about the business you are approaching, e.g. its desired image,
products and services, its corporate objectives.
Writing proposals, contacting companies and making your approach can be time
consuming work. It is important, early on, to decide how much tailoring of the
proposal will take place to meet the specific requirements of potential sponsors. Be
aware of how much time is required per proposal.
Preparation
Preparation is a vital key in achieving good results. Before embarking on a
sponsorship drive an association should identify:
• What type of support they are seeking e.g. cash or in kind.
• The types of businesses that could provide appropriate support.
• What benefits could be offered to sponsors.
• Whether members of the association have links with any potential sponsors.
Below are examples of typical contents for sponsorship proposals:
Cover letter
Overview
Objectives
The Investment
Sponsorship benefits
Target Market
Exclusivity
Servicing the sponsors
needs
Evaluation strategy
Conclusion
Address the proposal to the most appropriate
person in the sponsor’s organization. Try and get a
personal touch.
Provide an outline of the project and/or the
organization seeking support. What are you asking
to be sponsored (event, organization description)?
What and where does it happen? The use of
relevant statistical information in sponsorship
proposals can help the assessor get a picture of
your organization or event and identify cost
benefits. Market demographics are important to
define your membership, public and audience.
Identify niche markets your organization can deliver
to. It then becomes easy to match a product or
company to a particular audience.
Outline the objectives of the project and/or the
organization seeking support. Try and align
yourself with the ‘ideals or visions’ of the donor.
Outline the funding amount or in-kind support being
sought (what is it going to cost the sponsor) and the
period of time for the agreement.
This is a critical component. Look to include
benefits such as naming rights, promotion
strategies, signage, media, brand awareness
opportunities, articles in newsletters or websites
etc. For 99% of companies, media exposure is an
important factor of sponsorship. Wherever possible
provide some or all of the following elements radio, TV, print and community access - in a
sponsorship package.
Outline who the project is aimed at or provide a
membership profile. Identify how it matches the
target market of the proposed sponsor or how it
could increase their market share. By taking the
time to tailor the proposal to a specific sponsor, a
successful outcome is more likely.
Detail other sponsors and/or supporters of the
project or organization. Make sure that sponsors
are not in competition with each other.
Outline how you will cater for the sponsor’s needs.
Identify a designated employee or volunteer to be
the point of contact for the sponsor.
Outline how you plan to evaluate and measure the
success of the agreement.
Summarize the proposal, identify a follow-up
procedure and supply contact details.
Other issues to consider
The following tips will also help improve your proposal:
• Always provide a clear and attractive cover page outlining the proposed
sponsor and your association.
• Provide adequate space in the content so that it can be read easily i.e. don’t
squash all your information onto one page (unless it states to do so).
• Provide a contents page for larger proposals.
• Examine additional information and determine whether it is best placed within
the body of the document or as an attachment.
• Number the pages.
• For projects that have been undertaken previously, provide examples of
programs, newsletters etc, which show how previous sponsors have been
acknowledged.
Basic rule of thumb:
Grants are for new initiatives.
Fundraising is for specific programs.
Sponsorship is for ongoing running costs.
Finally, don’t do it all at the last minute. Give your association and your potential
sponsor plenty of time. The assessment, negotiation and planning involved to
successfully manage a sponsorship can take a while, so allowing adequate time
prior to when you actually need it is a good idea.
• What is Fundraising?
Fundraising is the system of approach that your association goes through to
secure additional funds for its operational budget.
Fundraising should not be a method of raising money to pay for the everyday
operational costs of your association; rather it should be used to fund special
activities such as special events, overseas team trips and new programmes or
projects.
Fundraising ideas can only be limited by your imagination. Raffles, auctions, Trivia
Nights, dinners, re-unions etc, are great ‘money spinners, particularly if they are for
specific projects (like sending the under 14’s team to the National Titles).
However, this sort of fundraising can be time and labor intensive. There is a lot of
competition from a huge number of community groups all making calls on people’s
generosity.
Establish a fundraising committee
First step - form a fundraising committee for the association if there isn’t one already
in place. Fundraising isn’t easy and it’s not fair to place all that work on just one
person’s shoulders. Allocate duties within the committee and agree to meet at
regular intervals to decide on activities and monitor progress.
10 fundraising principles to remember:
1. The 80/20 rule applies to fundraising - 80% of your income usually comes
from 20% of your supporters. Identify who they are and develop a long-term
relationship with them.
2. People give to people. Make sure that your potential donors know the faces
behind the names, understand your cause, and can relate to the purpose of
your project. Can you identify some patrons who would be prepared to
become the public face of your project? Patrons may be high profile and
respected sports people, business people or other public figures in your
community.
3. Always say ‘thank you’. Acknowledge donors in numerous ways - honor
boards, annual reports, certificates of appreciation, phone calls and letters
from your members.
4. Always let people know how much you would like them to give. It makes them
feel comfortable and makes you look competent.
5. Explain what the donor will receive for his or her donation. (e.g. a tax
deduction, and knowing that they are helping the local community).
6. Until you try something, you won’t know whether it will work. Be prepared to
test an idea on a small scale and assess if it works before you go to a greater
expense.
7. Try something different. All products go through cycles. Fundraising activities
need modifying from time to time. Look at how you can make some simple
changes. Your idea might be good, but might need refreshing.
8. Do not confuse the donor - keep everything simple, clear and easy to
understand.
9. Fundraising is not easy. Gather some committed volunteers who will support
the project through to the end.
10. Always tell the truth. Don’t be tempted to make your case stronger than it is.
When fundraising, remember that you
may be getting the same people to
contribute year after year. Your
supporters are no different to a
bargain hunter, they want value for
money. While selling chocolates
might be a good money raiser, it may
become monotonous for someone
who has been doing it for your
program for six or seven years. You
need to keep thinking of fresh ideas
for your income generation.
• What are Grants?
Grants are not the same as sponsorship or fundraising, as there are usually a
strict set of criteria that an association must meet in order to qualify for a grant.
Grants are funds received from statutory, voluntary or philanthropic agencies that
have often been established with the primary purpose of giving grants. This is to
meet their own objectives and strategies, such as government policy, community
development, or meeting the needs of the local community.
Therefore, it’s important to complete any application forms thoroughly and carefully
and in as much detail as has been asked for.
Tips for successfully attracting grants
Associations that are successful in attracting grants usually:
• Prepare a yearly calendar of closing dates for all funding sources.
• Request application forms well before the closing date.
• Prepare the application in advance.
• Pay careful attention to the details required and presentation of application.
• Clearly outline the goals and objectives of the project.
• Describe why the project is needed and support this with facts and figures.
• Detail the methods used to conduct the project.
• Indicate the expected outcomes of the project.
• Consult advisory officers.
• Submit applications before the closing date.
Sourcing grants
A number of different grant sources are relevant to sporting associations and
associations. The most common grant agencies include the Government, charitable
trusts and foundations and businesses.
•
Government - for the most part, it is your government (State or Local) that is
most likely to be able to help you at association or club level. Surf the web to
see what available grants are open to your association. There are also
several Grants dedicated sites available, some are a user pay system.
Regional Sports Assemblies are also great sources of Grants information.
•
Charitable trusts and foundations - most charitable trusts and foundations
provide financial assistance to those associations that can offer the trust or
foundation a tax deduction and which helps disadvantaged groups, such as
sporting organizations for people with a disability. Checking a directory can
determine whether there is a match between the interests of your association
and the funding agency.
•
Corporate/businesses - some corporations like AMP and Telstra have
established foundations that provide grants for particular causes. These
foundations cannot be used to promote the business interests of the specific
corporation, nor can they seek sponsorship benefits like signage and naming
rights.
•
State Sporting Body – from time to time, Basketball Victoria has available
Grants on offer for various programs to assist clubs and associations.
Don't apply for a grant just because it's there; think
carefully about your resources and your ability to do
the project justice, before making the decision to
apply.
Preparing a grant application
To be successful, applications need to well-prepared and written clearly. Grant
applications must demonstrate that the project in question is feasible and meets the
appropriate policy goals or priorities of the particular grant agency.
Although specific criteria may vary with each grant scheme, most grant applications
require similar types of information:
• Contact information for Project Manager
• Program/project description.
• Brief description of the organization applying.
• Include how you are going to monitor and evaluate the project
• Program/project budget.
• Amount of assistance requested.
• All other sources of additional funding for the project.
• Information on partners and their specific roles and responsibilities within the
proposed project
• Include Letters of Support from any prospective partners
• How the applicant organization meets the grant criteria.
• Guarantee that the program will proceed and monies received will be spent on
the purpose for which the money was given.
• Copies of the latest annual report and a copy of the audited financial
statements.
• And finally, some form of detailed evaluation or report at the completion of the
project, usually by a specified date.
• Remember that Basketball Victoria will supply a Letter of Support on request
for any project that it considers worthwhile.
Notes:
Many thanks to the Department of Sport and Recreation – Government of
Western Australia (www.dsr.wa.gov.au/clubsonline) for use of parts of the
publication Club’s Guide to Volunteer Management.
Many thanks to Andrew Tilley and Basketball New South Wales for the use of parts
of their ‘How to create a Basic Marketing Plan for Basketball Associations’.
This document can be downloaded from the Basketball Victoria website
www.basketballvictoria.com.au
This publication was developed as part of Basketball Victoria’s Association
Development Program with funding support from the Department of
Planning and Community Development—Sport and Recreation Victoria.
For further information contact:
Basketball Victoria
Box 3, Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre
Aughtie Drive, Albert Park, 3206
Phone: 03 9927 6666 Fax: 03 9927 6677
Email: enquiries@basketballvictoria.com.au