Club development fund now open for applications

The SOA club development fund is now open for a further round of applications, with a deadline of Oct 14th for clubs to submit requests for support.

Details about the fund and the application form are available here

The fund supports projects that will help a club to grow or develop its current members rather than subsidising capital equipment or resources (e.g. maps) which could be categorised as regular club operations. Projects that assist in increasing levels of participation and club membership will receive priority. This could include grassroots development e.g. coaching, delivering orienteering to the local community, or building links to schools. Projects aimed at more advanced levels of orienteering, innovative use of technology, or volunteer development will also be considered.

Examples of items for which it would be appropriate to seek support include: costs associated with coach training, incentive schemes, promoting orienteering, special events and volunteer training. Other capital costs, such as mapping or equipment, will only be considered where they clearly demonstrate how they will contribute to development over and above usual club operations. It is unlikely that funds will be awarded for anything that could be interpreted as recurrent, e.g. travel costs to annual events.

Earlier this year the club development fund made the following awards:

Clydeside Orienteers – £500 towards updating their club website which will shortly become obsolete

Roxburgh Reivers – £314 towards buying lightweight stakes to help encourage more members to get involved with planning and organising events

EckO – £750 towards remapping of Coille Nathais, conditional on pursuing wider club development objectives, in particular to seek funding for a part time Club Development Officer.

Anyone thinking about submitting an application should contact their Regional Development Officer, who will be able to advise on the suitability of your project and help develop an appropriate application.