ASF Newsletter - December 2010
From the General Manager
After the dust has settled on the sports funding discussions that occur at federal and state budget time, and on the economic stimulus packages for developing sporting facilities, it is often community club-based sport that is left contemplating its future.
Sport is often regarded as the lifeblood of communities, particularly in regional and rural areas. Community sport programs have been developed by locals to meet local needs, but they are struggling to retain volunteers in sport and to source funding for developments that will create further opportunities for participation. Sport is also a transient industry and while there are many notable exceptions, community sport often sees a regular turnover of people involved as coaches, on committees or as volunteers.
With this in mind, I thought it timely to refresh the way that the Australian Sports Foundation (ASF) can offer support to existing client organisations, as well as to generally highlight how the ASF can play a role in supporting potential clients with their sporting initiatives.
The ASF is a public company initiated by the government in 1986 specifically to support the development of sport in Australia. It is listed in the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 as a deductible gift recipient (DGR), and any non-profit incorporated sporting organisation, community group, council or school can apply to register a sport related project with the ASF. Donations to the ASF from individuals, businesses or other philanthropic organisations in support of a registered project are tax deductible.
While sport is not a charitable purpose at law, it fulfils a significant number of beneficial community roles ranging from social cohesiveness, inclusiveness, active participation and hence health benefits, employment, economic contributions, leadership and positive involvement of youth. The DGR status awarded to the ASF recognised the importance of sport to Australian society and created an ability for sport to utilise a new income stream in addition to existing sources such as government grants, sponsorship, membership, loans, events and local non-tax deductible fundraising.
The Federal Government’s Australian Sport — the pathway to success document released earlier this year included a response to the report of the Independent Sport Panel. The view was expressed that Australia’s active lifestyle is under threat and the sport system which has evolved over our history is struggling to adapt and compete with modern challenges, including more passive leisure pursuits. The starting point for addressing these challenges is community sport.
Based in Canberra but operating Australia-wide, the ASF is the only organisation listed in taxation law that has the ability to support sport development at all levels throughout Australia. Projects are able to be registered with the ASF in five discrete categories:
• facility development
• equipment
• sport development
• team travel
• hosting a major sporting event
A focus of the ASF is to support initiatives in regional and rural Australia. Over 20 per cent of current projects are based in regional or rural areas as are approximately 40 per cent of enquiries received. This is regarded as significant given that regional and rural Australia accounts for approximately 13 per cent of the national population.
The sports sector is reported to have held up well in the financial crisis (Managing in a Downturn report, 2009), and the ASF is evidence of this with over 560 projects now registered Australia-wide, and discretionary grants issued in 2009–10 amounting to $15.94m. For example, communities have benefited through projects designed to build new sporting venues, purchase equipment enabling novices to learn from qualified coaches, and facilitate access to sport for those with transportation difficulties. Other specific initiatives have been registered to support target groups identified in the sports policy.
In 2009–10, the ASF celebrated the dual milestones of 25 years of operation and issuing discretionary grants totalling over $150m since it began. In 2010–11 that figure is now over $170m. The ASF continues to foster the complementary goals of further growth in participation in sport and supporting the development of elite sport.
Merry Christmas
The team at the ASF would like to take this opportunity to wish all clients and stakeholders a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year. We have enjoyed being part of the development of your sport in 2010 and look forward to a continuation of the partnership in 2011.
CaseStudies
Buckingham Rowing Club
The project
To purchase necessary equipment to replace defunct or deteriorated boats and accessories to enable young rowers to train and compete at state level.
The need
The Buckingham Rowing Club has in its day been a thriving club producing state and national champions. In its early days it also flourished as a social swimming club. In 2010, the club celebrated its centenary and organised a number of festivities, inviting as many former rowers as possible.
Many clubs with at least 100 years of continuous activity will be able to recall good and poor times. Buckingham Rowing Club is no different, and is currently rebuilding as a competitive club after a period when numbers of rowers dropped to unacceptably low levels, equipment quality lapsed and motivation was not sufficiently conducive to maintain the club as a viable entity.
The rebuilding of the club has been driven by a handful of stalwarts who had the vision, driven by tenacity and passion, to make the club a thriving and successful organisation.
To attract young athletes the club needs good coaches, and to attract such coaches, good equipment is required. Hence the ASF became a critical component in the club’s equation to source suitable resources to meet its need. However, fundraising for the club has been, and will continue to be, challenging.
There is also the fast approaching need for new club facilities. The current club rooms, sheds and gymnasium are subsiding and are close to the end of their useful lives.
The goal
As the numbers of rowers increase in all grades and age groups throughout the club, the number of boats for training and competing needs to increase at a comparative rate.
The goal for this project has been to provide a range of quality second-hand equipment that meets the training and competition needs of athletes. However, this ever-present goal needs to be reassessed constantly as priorities for equipment change and new boats and equipment become available.
Therefore, since the goal of the club is generally never satisfied on a long-term basis, fundraising avenues such as the ASF become essential and complementary to other fundraising activities, rather than a luxury.
The approach
Fundraising has always been a challenge, and is likely to continue to be. However, there are two critical factors when the task appears too large to overcome.
The first one is to ensure that immense time and effort is not expended for inadequate returns, so while the club was undertaking major fundraising activities it was decided that a project should also be registered with the ASF. Initially it was thought that any funds raised this way would be a bonus, however the effectiveness of the ASF was seriously underestimated since it has turned out to be a major factor in raising funds for equipment purchases.
The second factor is being driven by long-term goals while being responsive to short-term needs. So as funds were raised to purchase identified necessary equipment, additional funding through the ASF enabled the purchase of more and better quality equipment.
The challenge
The ASF is an effective fundraising avenue and therefore its positive attributes, such as the tax effectiveness of donations, should be emphasised. However, while it was reasonably easy to embrace the ASF as a fundraising strategy, the club did have to educate potential donors on the process.
One of the challenges was to allay any donor concerns regarding confidentiality. Another was to inform donors that donations were voluntary with the amount being their choice. Donors can use the ASF for a $100 or $100 000 donation, as all donations of $2 or over to the ASF are tax deductible.
The successful strategies
The strategy to use the ASF, initially thought to be a behind-the-scenes mechanism, has in fact been a remarkable success in the club’s case. More funds have been raised through the ASF than was ever anticipated. People from within and outside the club wishing to make donations could do so in a confidential manner and with tax deductible donations being the ultimate ‘win-win’ situation.
Relying solely on the ASF was not considered the preferred option by the club, but as a fundraising tool they believe it has a ‘life of its own’ with application to other sport-related projects. In terms of fundraising, all strategies should be considered, and if adopted, maintained and followed, with the ASF used in the club’s case as a second string in their fundraising bow.
For other organisations, the greatest success in strategically using the ASF to encourage additional funding is to realise the ASF’s vast potential enabling stakeholders to use it to achieve their own goals.
It fits perfectly as a consistent and flexible fundraising avenue with the potential to deliver significant funds that can make the difference between success and failure.
For Buckingham Rowing Club it has been a lifeline.
Location - Buckingham Rowing Club is located in Hobart.
Cora Lynn Football Club
The project
The first stage of upgrading the phase power at the Cora Lynn Recreation Reserve was completed in August 2010. The second stage includes the installation of the lighting infrastructure of four 30 metre light towers and 36 x 2000 watt sun flood lights. The current lux levels at Cora Lynn Oval are a very poor level of 8.9 lux. The proposed new lights will see this increase to 150 lux, which will be approximately 16 times stronger than what the oval has today.
The need
The long-term sustainability of the Cora Lynn Recreation Reserve is the goal and the need of the Cora Lynn community, because it is the main facility in the tiny hamlet. In addition to the reserve being used for football, cricket and netball, there are many other groups that utilise the reserve throughout the year that will benefit from the major upgrade in lighting capacity. These other regular users include motor homes associations, farmer and car groups, cycling clubs and local schools.
The lighting project will enable the Cora Lynn Recreation Reserve to be used on a more regular basis by all, including the Cora Lynn Football Club during the winter months. With five football sides training regularly every Tuesday and Thursday night, the quality of the lighting has been well below Australian safety standards and has been a concern from an occupational health and safety point of view for a number of years.
One of the direct benefits of good quality lighting will be to provide a first-class training facility for the footballers and cricketers and enable the hosting of night games in the region. It will also cater for the anticipated future growth in football and netball club members emerging from Pakenham as a result of the ambitious junior program. This facility will be the only one east of Pakenham with the double advantage of the capacity to host night games as well as boasting one of the best surfaces of any club in West Gippsland.
The approach
The Cora Lynn Recreation Reserve and the Cora Lynn Football Club worked closely in researching and sourcing the appropriate funding for this project from various government bodies. In addition to the government funding that has been critical to the success of this project, there has been the fundraising achievement as a result of registering this project with the ASF.
The challenge and successful strategies
The challenge in terms of any fundraising, and in particular this project, is to have a ‘burning platform’ to market the concept and, most importantly, how the project is communicated to the various members of a small community. The standard of the lighting has been poor for so long that the fundraising support from the community has been overwhelming. The club’s strategy was to focus on all people associated with the community, both past and present.
The club continually kept the community up to date with the progress of the project via bi-weekly newsletters, emailing the membership database while strongly promoting the tax deductibility for the ASF donations.
In addition, formal approaches made to key stakeholders by designated representatives from the club assisted the fundraising.
There is no question the quantum of the donations was higher than expected in some circumstances because of the benefit of each donation being tax deductible. This has been a key factor in the project growing from concept to reality.
The key to the success of the project has also been attributed to the ability of the recreation reserve and the football club to work closely together to achieve an outcome that will be benefit the entire community as well as the entire region of West Gippsland.
Location – Cora Lynn Football Club is located in Pakenham, approximately one hour’s drive south west of Melbourne.
ASF grant recipients July 2009–June 2010
This is the list of sporting organisations, shires and councils, community groups and schools that shared in the $15.9m the ASF issued in discretionary grants in the period July 2009 to June 2010. If your organisation is not mentioned here, ask the ASF about how to register your sports project, or visit the ASF website (www.asf.org.au) for more information.
Athletics
Albany Athletics Group, WA
Athletics Australia, VIC
Box Hill Athletic Club, VIC
Glenhuntly Athletic Club, VIC
Australian football
Adelaide Football Club, SA
AFL Northern Territory
Australian Football League, VIC
Box Hill Hawks Football Club, VIC
Brisbane Bears–Fitzroy Football Club, VIC
Carlton Football Club, VIC
Collingwood Football Club, VIC
Geelong Football Club, VIC
Glenelg Football Club, SA
Greenvale Football Club, VIC
Hawthorn Football Club, VIC
Men’s Outreach Service, WA
Newtown & Chilwell Football Club, VIC
North Melbourne Football Club, VIC
North Ringwood Football Club, VIC
OSFC Foundation, VIC
Perth Football Club, WA
Port Adelaide Football Club, SA
Port Adelaide Magpies Football Club, SA
Red and Blue Foundation, VIC
Richmond Football Club, VIC
Sandringham Football Club, VIC
St Kilda Saints Football Club, VIC
Sydney Australian Football Foundation, NSW
The Kimba Districts Football and Netball Club, SA
Wantirna South Football Club, VIC
Western Bulldogs Forever Foundation, VIC
Woodville West Torrens Football Club, SA
Basketball
Ballarat Basketball Association, VIC
Community groups
Donnica Clarke Foundation, NSW
Geelong Cats Sports Foundation, VIC
Layne Beachley — Aim For The Stars Foundation, NSW
Parallel Sports, VIC
Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust, NSW
The Wally Foreman Foundation, WA
Cricket
Glenelg District Cricket Club, SA
Hamilton Cricket Club, VIC
Lake Cargelligo District Cricket Association, NSW
Queensland Cricket Association
South Brisbane District Cricket Club, QLD
The Hampton Cricket Club, VIC
Cycling
Australian Cycling Federation, VIC
On Track for Life Foundation, VIC
Equestrian
Adelaide Horse Trials Management, SA
Huntingfield Pony and Riding Club, TAS
Fencing
NSW Fencing Association
Fishing
Fly Fish Australia, NSW
Flight
Lake Keepit Soaring Club, NSW
Victorian Motorless Flight Group
Football
Holland Park Hawks Football Club, QLD
Melbourne Victory Supporters Club, VIC
Sandringham City Junior Soccer Club, VIC
Yerrinbool Bargo Football Club, NSW
Gaelic football
The Queensland Gaelic Football Association
Golf
Commonwealth Golf Club, VIC
Glenelg Golf Club, SA
Golf Australia, VIC
Greg Norman Golf Foundation, QLD
Heidelberg Golf Club, VIC
Huntingdale Golf Club Foundation, VIC
Jack Newton Junior Golf Foundation of New South Wales
Kingston Heath Golf Club, VIC
Leongatha Golf Club, VIC
Mount Lofty Golf Club, SA
NSW Golf Association
Sorrento Golf Club, VIC
Spring Valley Golf Club, VIC
Stuart Appleby Junior Golf (Victoria)
The Blackheath Golf Club Foundation, NSW
The Royal Adelaide Golf Club, SA
The Royal Melbourne Golf Club, VIC
The Yarra Yarra Golf Club, VIC
Victorian Golf Foundation
Woodlands Golf Club, VIC
Gymnastics
Ceres Calisthenics Club, VIC
Gymnastics Victoria
Hockey
Adelaide Hockey Club, SA
Aquinas College, WA
Eastern Suburbs Hockey Club, QLD
Hawthorn Hockey Club, VIC
Melville City Hockey Club, WA
St George Randwick Hockey Club, NSW
Toorak East Malvern Hockey Club, VIC
Lawn bowls
Natimuk Bowling Club, VIC
Warringah Bowling Club, NSW
West Pymble Bowling Club, NSW
Local government
Loddon Shire Council, VIC
Macedon Ranges Shire Council, VIC
Shire of Coolgardie, WA
Shire of West Arthur, WA
Motor sports
Australian Motor Sport Foundation, VIC
National bodies
Macabbi Australia, VIC
Netball
Victorian Netball Association
Orienteering
Orienteering Australia, ACT
Regional and state bodies
Australian Commonwealth Games Association (Western Australia)
Central Coast Academy of Sport, NSW
Maccabi NSW
Maccabi Victoria
Victorian Commonwealth Games Association
Victorian Institute of Sport
Rowing
Banks Rowing Club, VIC
Barwon Rowing Club, VIC
Black Mountain Rowing Club, ACT
Buckingham Rowing Club, TAS
Canberra Rowing Club, ACT
Capital Lakes Rowing Club, ACT
Centenary Rowing Club, QLD
Diamond Phoenix Dragon Boating Club, ACT
Dutton Park Rowing & Supporters Club, QLD
Essendon Rowing Club, VIC
Glebe Rowing Club, NSW
Hawthorn Rowing Club, VIC
Melbourne Argonauts Queer Rowing Club, VIC
Melbourne Rowing Club, VIC
Mercantile Rowing Club, VIC
Mosman Rowing Club, NSW
Murray Bridge Rowing Club, SA
New South Wales Rowing Association
Newcastle Rowing Club, NSW
Newington Masters Rowing Club, NSW
North Shore Rowing Club, NSW
Port Adelaide Rowing Club, SA
Powerhouse Rowing Club, VIC
Richmond Rowing Club, VIC
Rowing Victoria
Swan River Rowing Club, WA
Sydney Rowing Club, NSW
The Bobby Pearce Foundation, NSW
Toowong Rowing Club, QLD
Torrens Rowing Club, SA
Rowing — schools
All Hallows’ School, QLD
Ascham School, NSW
Brighton Grammar School, VIC
Brisbane Grammar School, QLD
Brisbane State High School, QLD
Carey Baptist Grammar School, VIC
Cranbrook School, NSW
Friends of Ruyton, VIC
Loreto Kirribilli Association, NSW
Loreto Mandeville Hall Association, VIC
MLC School, VIC
Newington College, NSW
Pembroke School, SA
Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney, NSW
Presbyterian Ladies’ College, WA
Prince Alfred College Foundation, SA
Queenwood School for Girls, NSW
Radford College, ACT
Scotch College, VIC
Scotch College, WA
Seymour College, SA
St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School Parents & Friends Association, QLD
St Augustine’s College Sydney, NSW
St Catherine’s School, VIC
St Ignatius’ College Riverview, NSW
St Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace, QLD
St Margaret’s School Council, QLD
Stuartholme School, QLD
Tara Anglican School for Girls, NSW
The Hutchins School, TAS
The Scots College, NSW
The Southport School, QLD
UCA Kinross Wolaroi School, NSW
Unley High School, SA
Walford Foundation, SA
Wesley College Melbourne, VIC
WH Pincott Club, VIC
Xavier College Foundation, VIC
Rugby league
The Australian Womens Rugby League, NSW
Rugby union
Brothers Rugby Union Club (Townsville), QLD
Eastwood District Rugby Union Football Club, NSW
Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Team, NSW
Melbourne Rugby Union Football Club, VIC
Melbourne University Rugby Club, VIC
St Ives Rugby Club, NSW
Sydney University Football Club Foundation, NSW
Universities Rugby Football Club (ACT)
Victorian Rugby Union
Wahroonga Rugby Club, NSW
Woollahra Colleagues Rugby Union Football Club, NSW
Sailing
Australia Day Regatta, NSW
Avalon Sailing Club, NSW
Black Rock Yacht Club, VIC
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, NSW
Davey’s Bay Yacht Club, VIC
Flinders Yacht Club, VIC
Fremantle Sailing Club, WA
Hunters Hill Sailing Club, NSW
Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation, WA
Middle Harbour Yacht Club, NSW
Northbridge Sailing Club, NSW
Royal Brighton Yacht Club, VIC
Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, WA
Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron
Royal Yacht Club of Victoria
Sailors with Disabilities, NSW
Somers Yacht Club, VIC
Southport Yacht Club, QLD
Squadron Yacht Racing Foundation, NSW
Tamar Yacht Club, TAS
The Australian Open Skiff Trust, NSW
The Sail Training Association of Queensland
Vaucluse Amateur 12ft Sailing Club, NSW
Warren Jones Memorial Youth Regatta, WA
Yachting Australia, NSW
Yachting Victoria
Schools
Goornong Primary School, VIC
MLC School, VIC
Mornington Island State School, QLD
St Joseph’s Nudgee Junior College, QLD
Sydney Boys High School, NSW
The King’s School Foundation, NSW
The Southport School, QLD
Wesley College Melbourne, VIC
Westfields Sports High School, NSW
Skating
Skate Australia, QLD
Swimming
Leongatha Amateur Swimming Club, VIC
Pambula Aquatic Centre, NSW
Tenpin bowling
Victorian Vision Impaired Tenpin Bowling Association
Tennis
Barry Road Tennis Club, VIC
Grace Park Lawn Tennis Club, VIC
Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, VIC
Macleod Tennis Club, VIC
Tennis Queensland
Royal South Yarra Lawn Tennis Club, VIC
Sale Tennis Club, VIC
Tennis SA
The Royal Melbourne Tennis Club, VIC
Victorian Tennis Association
Volleyball
Heathfield High School, SA
Winter sports
Australian (Victorian) Biathlon Association
Ice Skating Australia, NSW
North Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club, WA
Ski & Snowboard Australia, VIC
The New South Wales Ski Association
Schedule of discretionary grant rounds for 2011
The discretionary grant rounds for 2011 will be:
| January 2011 | Includes funds accepted by 28 December 2010 |
| March 2011 | Includes funds accepted by 28 February 2011 |
| May 2011 | Includes funds accepted by 30 April 2011 |
| July 2011 | Includes funds accepted by 30 June 2011 |
| September 2011 | Includes funds accepted by 31 August 2011 |
| November 2011 | Includes funds accepted by 31 October 2011 |
Funds accepted are donations deposited into the ASF bank account and cleared, or credit card donations processed through the ASF terminal by the date specified.
Working for sport
The ASF is pleased to be able to work with a broad range of not-for-profit organisations contributing to the development of Australian sport. Here is a snapshot of projects registered with the ASF by not-for-profit organisations addressing disadvantage.
Men’s Outreach Service
Sport is a fantastic way to engage Indigenous Australians and help alleviate some of the mental and physical health issues within their communities. Australian rules football has proven to be a great outlet for Indigenous youth, with the game benefitting from their unique skill and creativity. The Men’s Outreach Service says that youth suicide is a huge issue in Indigenous communities, with an 18-year-old Indigenous male from the Kimberley seven times more likely to take his own life than his non-Indigenous peer. The ‘Alive & Kicking Goals!’ initiative uses football clubs and youth groups to engage youth at risk and support them through hard times.
By partnering with the Broome Saints Football Club, the project has been a major contributor to good mental health and wellbeing. The project provides a healthy conduit for the peer educators to make a difference in their own lives as well as to others.
Using the vehicle of football or sport to engage young people is a smart, realistic and culturally friendly tool that works holistically around issues such as self-harm, drug and alcohol abuse and unhealthy relationships.
The ASF project has aimed to increase football participation in the Broome region, including an overseas tour by the team.
Sailors with Disabilities
Sailors with Disabilities (SWD) is an organisation committed to changing society’s perception of people with disability. SWD’s members believe that people with disability are capable of participating in active and responsible roles in society and should not be treated differently because of a disability. Harbour sailing, ocean racing, inshore and coastal training programs, and youth and schools programs are just some of the ways SWD works to achieve this.
As part of the annual program people of all ages from special schools and community organisations on the east coast of New South Wales and Queensland are offered the opportunity to sail with SWD. They are able to offer this opportunity free of charge thanks to the generosity of supporters and volunteers.
During August and September with stops in Southport, Rockhampton, Mackay, Bundaberg, Coffs Harbour and Newcastle, the ever-changing crews of Kayle managed to give approximately 800 children, young adults and carers some wonderful sailing experiences and hopefully changed a few attitudes about what people with disability can do.
The ASF project is focused on introducing disabled and disadvantaged children and young adults to sailing leading to attainment of sailing competencies.
Mount Lofty Junior Golf Club
The Mount Lofty Junior Golf Foundation has been registered with the ASF as a sports development project for approximately 12 months. The Junior Development Committee at the club saw the structure provided by the ASF as an opportunity to provide junior golfers with a broader range of golf experiences (coaching, playing and support) at no additional cost to the club. To date, funds have allowed the club to provide:
• specialist coaching for talent squad members
• competition fee for selected members
• ‘come and try’ clinics for juniors new to golf
• a sub-junior club championship.
Beyond the availability of funds, the club has found that the existence of their Foundation has provided a focus for junior golf around the club, raising members’ awareness of the need to foster the next generation. Interestingly, since the inception of the Foundation and the accompanying support of junior golf, the junior pennant players have won both Adelaide Hills junior competitions that are available to them.
Rob de Castella's Smartstart For Kids
Rob de Castella embarked on a mission in 2009 to unearth Indigenous long-distance running talent in remote communities across Australia. Over 300 applicants, enthusiastic to become a part of the project and have an opportunity to run in the 2010 New York Marathon, came forward. From these applicants four outstanding young men were identified and demonstrated natural talent and commitment to running in the 42 kilometre event that was held on 7 November 2010.
The initiative is being captured on film and a one-hour documentary will be aired in mid-2011 with the hope of inspiring the nation and demonstrating that incredible things can be achieved given the opportunity. Juan Darwin (21) from Arnhem Land, Joseph Davies (18) from the remote mining town of Kununurra, East Kimberley, and Caleb Hart (18) and Charlie Maher from Alice Springs have overcome incredible obstacles and odds to get to the start line in New York.
‘The initiative is an incredible opportunity for the athletes to develop their running, enabling them to go from their outback communities to one of the world’s largest cities,’ de Castella said.
A major part of the project is the lasting health promotion within their communities and other Indigenous towns throughout the Northern Territory. Local fun runs, health assessments, kids’ programs and the development of a Certificate III in Indigenous Health, Sport, Recreation and Community Development have been established for which current and future athletes will become qualified leaders.
The project has captured the imagination of many, and through the ASF generous people have donated much needed funds to support the project. Through these donations and government funding it is hoped to take the project to more communities in 2011, with Rob’s dream being to have an Indigenous Australian on the 2016 Olympic marathon team.
More information can be found at www.themarathonproject.com.au
The Australian Womens Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League Development Women and Girls division is working hard to increase participation rates of females to the game, with great success.
With the funding assistance of the ASF, the Women and Girls division has been able to provide ten-week competitions in areas all over Australia where there is a need/interest in girls playing rugby league. Included in these ten-week competitions is an education component which enables girls to gain an accreditation in either Leaguesafe, refereeing or CPR. The competitions have been very successful and it is hoped to run more of these competitions throughout 2011.
In addition to these competitions, the Women and Girls division, again with the funding assistance of ASF, has provided support and information forums for women who are involved in the game at junior or senior club level on a volunteer basis (such as club secretaries, treasurers or presidents). Recently, there have been forums conducted in Queensland, Port Macquarie and Canberra. Guest speakers have attended these forums to share their stories regarding the importance of women in the game and the female influence that women had in their own careers. These forums are an important and vital part of strengthening female involvement at grassroots level.
From beach to bobsleigh
Could this be Australia’s version of ‘Cool Runnings’? North Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club in Perth registered a project with the ASF to generate support for five of its sprint team members who were aiming to gain selection in Australia’s bobsleigh teams for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The project generated some support and plenty of interest.
The boys went from training in their normal habitat of sand dunes in the west to participating in selection trials on the ice in the northern hemisphere. The outcome? Congratulations to Duncan Pugh who was selected to compete in Australia’s four-man bobsleigh team and one of the two-man teams at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Donor recognition
Saying thank you to donors is an important element of successful fundraising. Donors who are recognised provide positive testimonials for a project and are more likely to continue to support fundraising undertaken by the organisation in the future.
Donations to the ASF in support of sport related projects are made in accordance with the gifting provisions of taxation law. For ASF projects, the contributions of donors can be recognised by organisations in modest ways including:
• letters of thanks
• commemorative pins
• names on bricks, pavers, plaques, honour boards, etc.
• certificates of appreciation
• lists of donors in publications, including annual reports.
Recognition should not be offered as an inducement to potential donors. Unacceptable forms of recognition include:
• advertising
• signage at venues
• invitations to fee-paying functions at no cost
• reduced membership rates
• season tickets
• company logo on bricks, pavers, etc.
In order to be acceptable for taxation purposes, a gift must be:
• made by way of disinterested and detached generosity. Therefore any fundraising promotions should emphasise that the objective is to raise funds in support of the sporting project and not lead potential donors to the perception that the object of making the donation is to provide the donor with some benefit, advantage, right or privilege other than of an insignificant nature (for example, a plastic lapel badge, a plastic pen or a sticker)
• voluntary, and not be the result of a contractual obligation or pre-existing agreement.
When a donor receives something tangible or of commercial value in return for a donation, or insists or is promised, or acts on an undertaking that a benefit, advantage, right or privilege be returned to them as a result of making the donation, the ASF is unable to accept the contribution as a tax deductible donation.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Why does the ASF only accept applications for projects that are sport related but not for ones that involve recreational pursuits or hobbies?
A: It really comes back to the reason why the ASF was established. The company charter of the ASF is ‘to support the development of sport’ and the Australian Taxation Office approved deductible gift recipient (DGR) status on this basis. This means that the ASF is only able to receive tax deductible donations in support of sport related projects. Sport is defined by the Australian Sports Commission as ‘A human activity capable of achieving a result requiring physical exertion and/or physical skill which, by its nature and organisation, is competitive and is generally accepted as being a sport’. This is the definition used in taxation law and by the ASF, and hobbies, pastimes and recreational pursuits fall outside of this definition.
Q: Why does an organisation need to be incorporated or have an established status at law to be able to register a project with the ASF?
A: Project registration enables an organisation to fundraise using the incentive of the ASF’s tax deductible status and also to be considered for the receipt of discretionary grants from the ASF. Associated with these processes are mutual accountabilities and some reporting obligations. Confirmation of incorporation, relevant legislation, or in the case of a trust, a legally drawn up trust deed assures the ASF of the formal entity status of the organisation seeking to register a project and provides a legal basis for the agreements that are signed by both parties to complete the registration process.
Q: My club is planning to build a new pavilion that will have change rooms, time-keeping facilities, meeting rooms, social areas and bar, viewing areas and a gym for the players. Can this be registered as a facility development project with the ASF?
A: The simple answer is yes. However what the ASF will do is work with you to determine the extent of the proposed development that will be regarded as relating directly to sport. For example, if the total pavilion cost is predicted to be $2.5m, the ASF would ask for an estimated cost of the change rooms, viewing areas, time-keeping facilities and gym that could be defined as relating directly to sport. This would then determine the proportion of the total cost that could be associated with a facility development project with the ASF. Presumably the club would have other sources of funding to meet the remainder of the development costs to ensure completion of the pavilion.
New project approvals
The ASF welcomes the following new projects that have been approved in the period 1 November 2009 to 31 October 2010.
Adelaide Hills Soccer Club, SA Facility development
Adelaide Soaring Club, SA Sport development
Balmain Rowing Club, NSW Facility development
Bayview Golf Club, NSW Facility development
Bonny Hills Youth and Community Projects Group, NSW Facility development
Bowls Australia, VIC Sport development and facility development
Brighton and District Old Scholars Football Club, SA Facility development
Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club, SA Equipment
Bulls Masters, QLD Sport development
Circular Head Council, TAS Sport development
Coffs Coast Dragon Boat Club, NSW Equipment
Collegians Football Club, VIC Equipment
Commercial Rowing Club, QLD Equipment
Cora Lynn Football Club, VIC Facility development
Cowes Yacht Club, VIC Facility development
De la Salle Old Collegians Amateur Football Club, VIC Sport development
Denmark Country Club, WA Facility development
Drummoyne Rugby Foundation, NSW Sport development
Eastern Suburbs Rugby Union Foundation, NSW Sport development
Equestrian Australia, NSW Team travel
Essendon Football Club, VIC Facility development
Frankston Golf Club, VIC Facility development
Glenelg Regional Hockey Association, VIC Facility development
Gold Coast Academy of Sport, QLD Sport development
Graham Wise Athletics Scholarship Fund, VIC Sport development
Gympie and District Hockey Association, QLD Facility development
Hamilton Cricket Club, VIC Facility development
Hamilton Soccer Club, VIC Facility development
Hawthorn Football Club, VIC Sport development
Huntingdale Golf Club Foundation, VIC Facility development
Illawarra Hockey, NSW Facility development
Lake Keepit Soaring Club, NSW Facility development
Liverpool City BMX Club, NSW Facility development
Macedon Ranges Shire Council, VIC Facility development
Melbourne High School, VIC Facility feasibility study
Melbourne Victory Supporters Club, VIC Facility development
Mt Hotham Racing Squad, VIC Facility development
North Cottesloe Primary School Facility development
Old Camberwell Grammarians Amateur Football Club, VIC Equipment
Old Westbourne Amateur Football Club, VIC Facility development
Onside Victoria Sport development
Peel District Cycling Club, WA Sport development
Phantoms Water Polo Club, WA Sport development
Port Melbourne Yacht Club, VIC Equipment
Rob de Castella’s Smart Start for Kids, ACT Sport development
Royal Canberra Golf Club, ACT Facility development
Sale United Football Club, VIC Facility development
Salisbury High School, SA Sport development
Sandy Bay Rowing Club, TAS Equipment
Shelford Girls Grammar, VIC Equipment
Skate Australia, QLD Major event
Sorrento Football Club, VIC Facility development
South Melbourne District Sports Club, VIC Facility development
Southport Yacht Club, QLD Sport development
Squash Australia, QLD Sport development
St James College, QLD Sport development
Ten Pin Bowling Australia, QLD Team travel
Tennis West, WA Sport development
The Australian Golf Club Foundation, NSW Sport development
The Friends School, TAS Equipment
The Lake Karrinyup Country Club, WA Sport development
The Mt Lofty Cricket Foundation, SA
The Sport Rewards Foundation, QLD Sport development
The Sydney Rowing Club Foundation, NSW Sport development
Tri State Games, SA Major event
Tweed Border Hockey Association, NSW Facility development
Vaucluse Amateur 12ft Sailing Club, NSW Equipment
Supporting your affiliates
National and state sporting organisations that represent the interests of affiliated clubs and associations can support their sporting initiatives by circulating copies of the flyer Raising Money for Sport with the ASF. By increasing awareness of the ways in which sport and the ASF can work together to achieve developmental outcomes, opportunities for successful fundraising campaigns can be enhanced.
Subject to availability, the ASF would also be pleased to attend meetings of affiliates planned to be held by NSOs/SSOs to discuss ways of supporting organisations to raise new money for developing their sport. Please contact the ASF on (02) 6214 7868 or info@asf.org.au to discuss arrangements.
The ASF team
Rod Philpot - General Manager
Leanne Read — Manager, Business Operations
Daniel Callan - Finance Officer
Dale Bertram - Project Officer
Robyn Fisher - Project Officer
Jaime Firman — Project Officer
Kim Horne — Project Officer
Matthew Read — Admin Support
- ASF Newsletter - December 2010 (
PDF - 902.5 KB)
