The Counter Offensive: Facility Maintenance and Upgrades
Innovative solution for facility maintenance and upgrades problems faced by grassroots sports clubs, focusing on through strategic partnerships and community engagement.
“If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend the first four hours sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln
The Counter Offensive is a series of pieces that analyses the common approach to dealing with issues, why they fail, and a more unorthodox approach with greater chance of success.
SITUATION: Many grassroots sports clubs in Australia struggle with maintaining and upgrading their facilities due to limited financial resources.
THE COMMON APPROACH
Concept of Operations (CONOPS): Apply for government grants and organise fundraisers.
Centre of Gravity (CG): The availability and expertise of volunteers currently involved in the club.
Targetable Critical Vulnerabilities (TCVs): Grants and fundraising are the traditional methods because they rely on the goodwill of volunteers and the community. The TCVs are therefore:
TCV 1: Volunteer time and expertise. The 20% of volunteers who also do 80% of the work need to have the time to apply for grants and coordinate fundraisers, and also need the knowledge of available grants, selection criteria and a skill in grant writing.
TCV 2: Capacity to generate mass. Very few grants cover the entire facility upgrade. With projects running into the $10s of millions, the $2000 raised at a Bunnings Sausage Sizzle is a drop in the ocean.
TCV 3: Resupply. Grants and fundraisers provide a one-off injection of funds. Any change in volunteers or government threaten ongoing support (eg. the US support of Ukraine).
THE COUNTER OFFENSIVE
CONOPS: Build stakeholders with like-minded groups and businesses for sponsorships and in-kind donations or joint use arrangements. This approach also fosters community engagement resulting in other mutual benefits and will often include the same grant providers as above.
CG: The reputation of the organisation as a good corporate citizen.
Method: To enact the CONOPS, there needs to exist the following Decisive Events (DEs):
DE 1: Needs Analysis and Feasibility Study. Two separate and distinct reports to ensure the project or program is viable.
DE 2: Staff time and expertise. The boots on the ground. There needs to be both the expertise and the time resources to identify stakeholders and build synergies,
What success looks like: A prime example of this approach is the transformation of Coopers Stadium in Adelaide. Originally a cricket and AFL ground, it has become one of the best soccer grounds in Australia through strategic partnerships and community engagement. Both of which were aided, rather than were driven, by government funding - https://adelaideunited.com.au/news/coopers-stadium-a-journey-of-evolution-and-legacy/.
Are you ready to transform your sports club’s approach? Join the conversation and share your experiences with us! At Mission Command, we believe in empowering grassroots sports clubs to achieve their full potential. Contact us today at admin@missioncomd.com.au to learn how we can help your club thrive with innovative solutions and expert management. Together, let’s ensure every child has the opportunity to be involved in a sports team.