Sport England and JustGiving today announced a campaign
to bring an extra £22 million into grassroots sport over the next
five years through a new partnership called JustGiving for Sports
Clubs.
JustGiving for Sports Clubs will help sports club members to
raise more money, and claim Gift Aid, using the same award-winning
tools as the biggest charities in the UK. JustGiving have dropped
their subscription fees – worth £180 per year for every Community
Amateur Sports Club (CASC) - so clubs can sign up today.
Ashley Cricket Club in Cheshire is one club that has already
tried out JustGiving and in just two weeks, raised £480 in
donations and received a further £140 in Gift Aid, with JustGiving
looking after all the administration.
Former England cricket captain, Mike Gatting, today joined Sport
England and JustGiving at Lords Cricket Ground to launch Just
Giving for Sports Clubs.
Sport England’s Chief Executive, Jennie Price, said: “In this
tough economic climate, we need to do everything possible to
support the community sports clubs that do so much to get more
people playing and enjoying sport. That’s why I’m urging sports
clubs across the country to take advantage of this fantastic
opportunity.
"Thanks to JustGiving for Sports Clubs, community sport’s
fabulous army of volunteers will now be able to spend more time on
sport and less time on fundraising.”
JustGiving Managing Director Anne-Marie Huby said: “Most people
who raise money on JustGiving each year do so through sport, and
yet the sports clubs they belong to keep struggling with
fundraising. This is our way of giving sports clubs a helping hand,
and letting them enjoy the fundraising success that thousands of
other small charities have achieved through JustGiving.”
The scheme is being delivered in association with CCPR, the
alliance of governing bodies of sport, who will make sure that
clubs who haven’t yet registered for CASC status can join almost
6,000 clubs already eligible for mandatory rate relief, the
entitlement to claim Gift Aid and the right to sign up for
JustGiving for Sports Clubs.
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) estimates that only one
in 10 CASCs currently take advantage of the right to claim Gift
Aid, meaning that grassroots clubs are missing out on vital funds
that they are fully entitled to claim. JustGiving for Sports Clubs
makes claiming this much-needed money much more quick and
efficient.
Tim Lamb, Chief Executive of CCPR, said:
“We hope that this change will not just enable existing clubs to
claim Gift Aid more easily but that it will encourage other
community sports clubs who have not yet registered as CASCs to join
the scheme. There are thousands of clubs out there which are
missing out on the benefits of CASC membership and in these tough
economic times benefits like this can make all the difference.”
The benefits for clubs of JustGiving for Sports Clubs
include:
- Money can be raised more easily and efficiently
- JustGiving make claiming Gift Aid easy, as they do all the
administration for you, saving you time and money. Through Gift
Aid, the Government will give you up to 28p for every £1 you
raise
- Payments through JustGiving are weekly, so you know when they
are coming, and can plan ahead
- Real people are on hand to give you and your supporters help
and advice seven days a week.
Sports clubs that want to take advantage of this scheme should
visit the JustGiving for Sports Clubs website.
JustGiving for Sports Clubs has the backing of the three main
political parties. The Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe,
said:
“Sports clubs are deserved good causes so it’s only right that
they should be able to make use of the fundraising opportunities
enjoyed by other charities. This fantastic new partnership between
Sport England and JustGiving will ensure sports clubs can now
afford to sign up to raising funds through the site, bumping up
their donations by claiming Gift Aid. I’m sure this partnership
will also help inspire thousands of people across the UK to play
more sport - by setting themselves sporting challenges to raise
money for their local clubs.”
Conservative Shadow Minister for Sport and the Olympics, Hugh
Robertson, said:
“This is exactly the sort of initiative that will bring much
needed income into our sports clubs at a time when many are facing
economic difficulties. I could not support more strongly.”
Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media
and Sport, Don Foster, said: “This is great news for grassroots
sports clubs and the hard working volunteers that support them. At
a time when every penny counts, we need innovative ideas to help
clubs raise extra funding. I urge all sports clubs to both take
advantage of CASC status and reap the benefits of this new
scheme.”
To register for JustGiving for Sports Clubs go to www.justgiving.com/sportsclubs
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Sport England
Sport England invests National Lottery and Exchequer funding in
organisations and projects that will grow and sustain participation
in grassroots sport and create opportunities for people to excel at
their chosen sport.
Sport England is committed to creating a world-leading community
sport system, and has set specific and measurable targets to
achieve by 2012/13:
- One million people doing more sport
- A 25% reduction in the number of 16- to 18-year-olds who drop
out of at least five key sports
- Improved talent development systems in at least 25 sports
- A measurable increase in people’s satisfaction with their
experience of sport
- A major contribution to the delivery of the five hour sports
offer for children and young people.
JustGiving
JustGiving is the world’s leading online service for charity
fundraising. To date over 11m users have collected £637m for
charities in the UK and the US.
JustGiving is a social business that re-invests its profits for
the benefit of charities, developing new and innovative products
that help charities raise more money and attract new
supporters.
The company is the UK’s largest agency for the reclaim of Gift
Aid. It has reclaimed over £125m in Gift Aid to date, taking the
full responsibility for its collection on behalf of charities.
The JustGiving website enables people to create a personal
fundraising page to raise money for any member charity, raising an
average of £600 per page, or approximately 30% more than they would
otherwise through traditional methods.
CCPR
CCPR is the alliance of the governing and representative bodies
of sport and recreation in the UK. It represents every activity
from football to folkdance, and rugby to rounders through its 300
plus members. In turn they represent some 150,000 clubs and 8
million regular participants.
CCPR exists to give sport an independent voice and to provide
its members with key services and support in order to help improve
their performance.