Access to good facilities has been identified with the Active Australia framework as a critical factor in motivating the community to participate in sport and recreation.
Increasing pressure on Councils to fund new or redevelop existing sporting facilities has forced many Councils to look at alternative ways to raise funds. Many Councils and community groups have turned to the Australian Sports Foundation, a non profit organisation set up by the Federal Government in 1986 to raise funds to develop Australian sport through tax deductible donations.
Councils and non profit community organisations meeting certain criteria conduct fund raising campaigns under the umbrella of the Foundation and are entitled to promote the Foundation’s tax deductible status, an attractive incentive for donors. The Foundation then uses the funds raised from these donations to make grants to assist the various community projects.
Since 1986, some $55 million has been returned to the community for sports development, the vast majority of it for facility projects. There is no limit to the amount of funds communities can raise, or a limit to the number of projects that an organisation can register.
The Foundation has partnered with many Councils across Australia, including Goulburn City Council to raise funds for an indoor heated swimming pool, the City of Geraldton for the Geraldton Aquatic Centre, Shire of Katanning for the Katanning Sport and Recreation Centre, and the Greater Taree City Council for the Manning Swim and Leisure Centre.
Councils can use a variety of strategies to gain support from their communities to encourage donors to donate to the Foundation. These range from using high profile sportspersons to endorse projects, such as Anna Windsor, an Australian Olympic swimmer who has endorsed the Orange City Council Swimming Pool project; developing partnerships with local service clubs and schools; and promoting the project via newsletters to local ratepayers and offering them the opportunity to donate along with their rate payments.
Other projects have enlisted the support of high profile public figures to act as ambassadors for their projects. In addition to facility projects, the Foundation can assist community organisations raise funds for travel to international and national competitions, major events, equipment purchase, and general sports development, including training camps.
So while, Councils may not have projects which need assistance, they might consider providing information on the Foundation to assist local community groups raise funds for worthwhile projects. The Foundation publishes a regular newsletter with general information on taxation, accounting and incorporation matters and other grant and philanthropy programs.
Its future plans are to promote projects on its website, and to offer clients a fundraising consultancy service with information on fundraising strategies and promotional activities.
For further information on the Foundation, contact Karin Hughes on (02) 9256 0992 or email info@ asf.org.au or visit the website www.asf.org.au
