1. Purpose
This policy outlines the expectations and guidelines for all fundraising and sponsorship activities conducted on behalf of Clovelly JRFC. It ensures that fundraising efforts by, and on behalf of all members of the Clovelly JRFC community align with the club’s values, financial priorities and community engagement goals.
The club encourages and supports fundraising for both club-wide and tour-specific initiatives, provided it is conducted in an ethical, well-organised and coordinated manner that aligns with the broader interests of the club.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all club members, including players, parents / friends, coaches, managers and volunteers who engage in fundraising activities to support club operations, age-group initiatives and special events such as tours; both international and within Australia.
3. Fundraising priorities
It is the priority of Clovelly JRFC that all fundraising activities must align with the following priorities:
- Club-wide fundraising: The primary focus is on raising funds for the overall benefit of the club for operational costs, investment in coaching, skills development and equipment.
- Age group or tour-specific fundraising: The club encourages age groups to raise funds for team tours, as these experiences contribute to player development and team culture, provided it does not conflict with club-wide efforts and has the prior approval of the Clovelly JRFC executive.
- Community engagement: Fundraising events should provide a community service component, reinforcing the club’s role in fostering positive relationships within the community and work to enhance the public perception of the club.
- Strategic sustainability: Fundraising must align with the club’s long-term financial health. The club recognises that the parent community is a finite audience, and efforts must be carefully managed to avoid fundraising fatigue.
4. Guidelines for sponsorship
Sponsorship is a key component of the club’s financial sustainability and visibility in the local community. The following rules apply:
- Club-wide sponsorship only:
- Sponsorship is managed exclusively at the club level
- Age-group sponsorships are not permitted under any circumstances
- This ensures a consistent approach and protects the value of sponsor relationships
- Sponsor category exclusivity:
- To maintain sponsor value and avoid conflicts, the club permits only one sponsor per business category (or “vertical”) at a time
- Once a sponsor is secured in a given category, no other sponsor from that vertical will be accepted during the sponsorship term
- Values and alignment:
- Sponsors must reflect the club’s values and family-friendly image
5. Guidelines for fundraising activities
- All fundraising initiatives must be pre-approved by the club committee to ensure alignment with club objectives. No bookings, investment or other arrangements should be made prior to such approval.
- Fundraising should be conducted through ethical and community-friendly means such as BBQs, raffles, sponsorships or merchandise sales.
- The club’s major annual fundraiser will take precedence over all other fundraising activities.
- Should fundraising include the selling of raffle tickets or similar, those selling such items should be identifiable as representing Clovelly JRFC by visibly displaying Clovelly JRFC clothing or such items.
- When raising funds for Clovelly JRFC or age-specific groups, you are representing the Clovelly JRFC. As such, adherence to the club’s code of conduct is required.
6. Additional guidelines for age group or tour-specific fundraising:
- Tour fundraising should not compete with the club’s major fundraiser or diminish its impact.
- Instead of large-scale, club-wide events, age groups should focus on smaller, targeted fundraising within their own networks and age group, and take the lead in organising. The club is not required to facilitate or drive participation across the entire membership.
- If a major fundraising event is proposed, the club committee must be informed and approve to ensure alignment with broader club priorities.
- Funds raised for age-group tours should primarily support non-essential costs such as team merchandise (e.g. t-shirts, board shorts) or donations to host schools/clubs rather than covering accommodation and travel expenses.
- A fundraising cap of $750 per player is recommended for tour-related initiatives to prevent excessive reliance on club fundraising for such events and avoid reducing the impact of club-wide fundraising.
- Where applicable, tour groups may receive a designated percentage of funds raised at a club-wide event as determined by the committee, however must be used for the above stated purposes.
- Age group fundraisers should not approach existing club sponsors for additional funds. Should such approaches be desired, this must be done in consultation with the club committee.
7. Financial oversight
- The club committee must be informed of all significant fundraising plans.
- Final discretion on fundraising alignment, sponsorship conflicts and event approval rests with the Clovelly Eagles committee
- All funds raised must be recorded and submitted to the club treasurer for proper tracking and transparency.
- A financial report on fundraising outcomes should be presented to the committee at regular intervals.
- For tour fundraising, records must be signed off by the age group manager and at least two team level managers.
8. Roles & responsibilities
- Committee: Approves and oversees all fundraising activities.
- Sponsorship and fundraising manager: Ensures all those involved are both aware and comply with this policy.
- Age managers and team managers/coaches: Liaises with parents and players to coordinate fundraising events.
- Players and parents: Actively participate in approved fundraising initiatives. The club strongly encourages parents and volunteers to support club-wide initiatives, not just those benefiting their child’s age group. A shared effort across age groups helps maintain fairness, reduces pressure on individual teams and ensures the success of major events.
10. Club-wide contribution expectations
Clovelly JRFC relies on the support and goodwill of its volunteer community. While it is natural for parents to focus on their child’s age group, a successful and sustainable club requires shared responsibility.
- Whole-club participation is expected: Volunteers are encouraged to contribute to club-wide fundraising and events, even if their own children are not directly benefiting from a specific initiative.
- Fairness across teams: A consistent imbalance in volunteer effort can lead to inequality between age groups. Contributing to whole-club events helps ensure all teams receive appropriate support.
- Recognition and appreciation: The club will acknowledge those who contribute at the club-wide level and look to distribute opportunities for involvement equitably.
- Stronger community: Working together across age groups strengthens the sense of community and connection that defines Clovelly JRFC.
11. Review & amendments
This policy will be reviewed annually by the committee and updated as necessary to reflect best practices and club priorities.
Approved by the Clovelly JRFC Committee on 24 July 2025