Durham Sports Commission’s Post

🚀 Ready to break free from fundraising fees? Discover how switching to fee-free platforms can empower organizations and maximize resources for youth sports programs! 💪✨ Say goodbye to unnecessary fees and hello to making a real impact. Learn more about the difference Schoolfundr is making nationwide, helping schools raise more while keeping what they earn in this blog post: https://lnkd.in/gG8t4uB5

A perfect example. 👀 For funders to show fundraisers a little insight into their grant making. Well done to The Robertson Trust who today told us: ❓How many grants they had made. 🕣 The timeframe in which they were awarded. 💫 The success rate. 🏆 And a breakdown of how the money was awarded by theme, type and location. Here's the link - https://lnkd.in/en9qpFxe If you have any similar examples you would like to share, comment below.👇🏻 ♻️ And if you want other Funders to see this post for inspiration, hit the repost button. #philanthropy #funders #fundraisers

The business of football (soccer to my American friends) is fascinating, exhilarating and often precarious. I’ve been on the board of Lancaster City FC (one of the world’s oldest football clubs, established 1911) for almost two years now. Lancaster is a small northern city on the west coast of the UK. Manchester is the nearest big footballing name, about an hour away down the M6 motorway. I went to University in Lancaster almost 30 years ago, which is how I got involved in the club again. We’re in the Northern Premier League, seven leagues down from the Premiership, and three leagues below the Hollywood fairytale of Wrexham. But the realities of non-league football for most clubs don’t end with Ryan Reynolds buying your club. Every week is a constant battle to keep the financial wolf from the door. Our sponsorship, gate and diner revenue is all up 30% over the last two years, and yet we still struggle to make ends meet with a multi-thousand pound defecif to manage due to rising energy costs, business rates, ground maintenance and player wages. And we’re one of the buoyant ones! Marske FC, peers in the Northern Premier League, have recently taken drastic action to recoup costs, effectively demoting themselves to the league below to give them a hope of surviving financially (cheaper players, less league-mandated ground upgrades required etc). That’s no surprise to me. Balancing fan expectations, overspending managers, player ambitions and financial realities is a real eye-opener in terms of what it takes to keep a non-league football club afloat. And their importance goes well beyond sport. These are institutions at the heart of communities - they keep people together and give neighbourhoods a collective purpose through good times and bad. They create social cohesion among strangers, combatting loneliness, forging friendships and building support networks that translate into huge social benefits that often go unacknowledged by local councils and politicians. This season alone, Lancaster has engaged hundreds of schoolchildren, refugees and vulnerable groups, to give them a sense of belonging, aspiration, support, and purpose beyond the daily grind. And it’s all done by volunteers - there are no fat cats creaming off the profits here. In fact, there are no profits at all - only debts! It’s a precarious situation that local councils should be more attune to and supportive of. These local sporting institutions, central to the community, give back so much and yet are constantly on a knife-edge, drawing on the good will of volunteers and donations to keep them afloat - whether that’s the board members, the lady on the gate, or the unseen hours of the people digging the pitch or cleaning the diner oven. So thank you to the volunteers, the part-timers and the giver-uppers. Without you, these local football clubs would be knocked down and replaced with your next out of town multi-story car park. 👇

🥳 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 - 𝐁𝐢-𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫! 🥳 😎Fancy a quick early afternoon break? Why not give our Bi-Monthly newsletter a read! Featuring updates within all services, record-breaking fundraisers, and much more! Follow the link below↙️ https://lnkd.in/d2qtMDNr

One of GolfStatus’ Account Managers, Ken Boatman, tells us what he wishes people knew about running a golf tournament ⛳️ Get the most out of your golf tournament by making strategic foursome pairings with GolfStatus, like pairing donors with someone directly affected by your cause! Get more tips like these, plus the latest in golf fundraising at the Golf for Good blog ➡️ https://bit.ly/3QoUQhD

⚠️ In my experience mental health professionals can do more than pull people out of the river! They have a role in every part of this image 💪🏻 I see a version of this where politicians, organisations and businesses are consulting with therapists to mend that bridge, and make it strong 🏞️ Let’s move our efforts upstream! #upstream #prevention #earlyintervention

"By listening to the people you want to learn from you can have clarity on how to engage the communities that matter to you." This smart statement was made by Emily Taylor, a #listening specialist. This is the very reason that Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Toronto Chapter is hosting listening sessions with GTA fundraisers. The next session is virtual and will be held on Friday, March 1 at Noon. During the session, we ask attendees: ❓ What is your perception of Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Toronto Chapter? ❓ What have been your experiences with the Chapter? ❓ What do you need from the Chapter? You don't have to be a member. All are welcome. There is no fee to participate. Your responses are anonymous. Your input will inform and shape the work of the Chapter. Here is the link to register: https://lnkd.in/gPmAWYfT

These listening sessions are important perception gathering points. Give consideration to attending and sharing your thoughts.

The past two years working in rural sports development have been eye-opening. Fundraising is crucial for success, and social media plays a vital role. But the question is..... How do we use social media effectively to raise funds without resorting to portraying poverty? We all know the challenges. Farmers often struggle, and children lack access to proper sports facilities. While these are realities, focusing solely on poverty might not be the most empowering message. So, my question to my network is What are some creative ways to represent rural sports development on social media to attract fundraising support?

Hot fundraising tips coming your way! Check this quick video where GiveCampers put their former fundraising hats on and share some great tips. My personal favorite is investing in personalization!