Club Fundraising Ideas

[hvreynolds]

Hi all

I guess a few of your BSAC clubs have had similar troubles to ours over the last couple of years - one of them being dwindling numbers.

We have to re-tube one of our RIBs but the club funds just aren't there. Do any of you guys have any fundraising ideas that worked or didn't work for your club

thanks in advance for your suggesstions

Hannah

[northern_diver]

sell one of your RHIBS? do you really need more than one, you mightyou might not, but is it really worth while?

Look at sponsorship from Lottery, i know of some clubs that have some lotto help, though i admit to not knowing the process off the top of my head.

If reasource rich, such as having a compressor or again the RHIB, hire your reasources to other local clubs. Charge less on the fills than they can get (try not to **** off a dive shop, if this there top up site though) and have more dive trips, where outsiders come. Charge them, helps run the RHIB, opens up larger world of diving. Dont be put off if different agency either.

i could think of others, but they are unspeakable

HTH

John

[davebarber]

An auction is very effective especially if you have a particular goal to raise money for.

You get up a list of donations and attach a price guide, they have to be over £10. Mug all the members to contribute. It can be anything, goods, services (service your central heating/car, days gardening ), etc. Ask your LDS and regular hardboat skippers to donate. Also restaurants, cinemas, McDonalds etc they will all give something.

Get someone with a bit of blarney (market trader type) to run the bidding. Do it in the pub after a few beers. Make sure no one is underbiding and they reach fair value.

If you are registered as CSC you can also reclaim tax on the donations.

I have run 2 auctions, Expect to get a shoe box full of money on the night.

Dave

[GaryC]

If reasource rich, such as having a compressor or again the RHIB, hire your reasources to other local clubs. Charge less on the fills than they can get (try not to **** off a dive shop, if this there top up site though) and have more dive trips, where outsiders come. Charge them, helps run the RHIB, opens up larger world of diving. Dont be put off if different agency either.

i could think of others, but they are unspeakable

HTH

John

Isn't that somewhat dangerous ground. When a club starts to charge for air and services then they become commercial. Then they fall under the gaze of the HSE etc. I would not say don't do it but it seems to be step change. All your instructors would have to be HSE approved and that includes the £100+ medical. (That is an assumption)

This is why most clubs don't charge for air but suggest a donation to the club, without specification.

To the OP. Dwindling numbers really needs to be looked at in detail to find out why the numbers are dropping. Additional funding will only put off the pain.

Gary

[wendydive]

Look in your local paper for community grants or contact your local council for help -they will have specialists in seeking out grants.

As a result of a newspaper ad, a few hours sourcing quotes and filling in forms followed by a 2 minute presentation we are now better off to the tune of £439 toards a new O2 kit.

hope this helps
wx

[Edward]

Isn't that somewhat dangerous ground. When a club starts to charge for air and services then they become commercial. Then they fall under the gaze of the HSE etc. I would not say don't do it but it seems to be step change. All your instructors would have to be HSE approved and that includes the £100+ medical. (That is an assumption)

Must agree, providing services to anyone who isn’t a member of your own Branch could lead to issues under the Sale of Goods Act as well as HM Customs and Revenue taking an interest – Taxes of various types.

This is why most clubs don't charge for air but suggest a donation to the club, without specification.

There is nothing wrong in charging members for using their own facilities, however, you could have an interesting AGM. Recovering annual maintenance and fuel/electricity for a compressor from those who use it sounds reasonable (these costs have to be meet anyway), but making a profit wouldn’t.

To the OP. Dwindling numbers really needs to be looked at in detail to find out why the numbers are dropping. Additional funding will only put off the pain.

Gary

I would add, doing the budget projection for running a RIB (or 2), compressor, etc. is essential for the survival of any Branch.

Regards

Edward

[julian.carroll]

I guess a few of your BSAC clubs have had similar troubles to ours over the last couple of years - one of them being dwindling numbers.


Hi Hannah,

From my experience, dwindling numbers can come about because the club's leadership is getting tired. My club takes in trainees and cross overs every year and the numbers had been decreasing year on year for quite a while. A recent DO made a huge push to entice more students on-board and introduced lots of new ideas. We did things like get senior members to donate old gear(fins, masks, semi-dry suits) which the newbies could then use meaning the up-front cost for students decreased dramatically. The following two years we reached our maximum quota of newbies and we won BSAC branch of the year. This particular situation may not apply to your club (we are a university club), but I think it is indicative of what some new thinking and an injection of new enthusiasm can do to an old club.

In terms of raising money, we also had a "fin swim" to raise funds for a new compressor. People raised money and finned 1km (with the tide) at a leisurely pace. What we've found is that people will only really raise funds when there is something particular that the club requires (in your case, getting your RIB fixed up).

Thanks,

Julian

[hvreynolds]

Hi guys

Thank you very much for your ideas. They are all very good & I will try and find ways (and time) of putting them into practice.

Thanks again

Hannah