Commercial Manager

[plain lazy]

And that's right about grants and the like Mrs. H. At club level that's the major untapped source of income. But it's the same problem that Graeme describes. A few years ago we had a club member who's paid job was sports development. He helped to get us a couple of significant sized grants. He knew just what to say and who to ask. With him gone there's no-one with the time/inclination/experience to apply for more.

It's definitely not easy gathering funding (I personally have not been involved in my club's many grant applications yet) but from my experience on the committee I am sure that each time an application has been put together it has been done under the guidance from the body/council that offered the grant. I don't think folk have been left completely alone in filling out forms and justifying figures etc...
And can't someone get in touch with the chap who left and ask for some advice?

I do however have experience getting sponsorship for squad/club clothing which had mixed success. Getting £800 from a local building firm (my employer at the time) towards our club tops was greatly received by 99% of the membership who enjoyed a large discount on their fancy new kit, and who didn't mind a small sponsor logo on the sleeve, sadly one club member took great offence at this sponsorship deal due to the building firm having erected new houses near his home so he took the decision to leave the club.

So a trained and skilled Commercial Manager should (I hope) be savvy enough to do his research and hopefully only arrange funding/sponsorship deals with fair and reputable companies/organisations.

[Sunlit Forres]

I have great sympathy with clubs who have to go it alone. In my paid post of Regional Development Offcer for Moray I've been able to work with Moravian who have secured over £26K of funding in the last 12 months for mapping and a major schools project (news of which on Day 4 of the 6 Days). But it all takes a lot of time and a lot of effort which many club members who might have the skills just can't commit to (on top of organising events, coaching etc etc).

There absolutely is money out there - it just needs someone with the time and motivation to seek it out, so I think the Commercial Manager post is a tremendous thing for the sport. I just hope that the indiviudual selected has the right motivation to do the job FOR orienteering and not because of orienteering.

[graeme]

the Commercial Manager post is a tremendous thing for the sport. I just hope that the indiviudual selected has the right motivation to do the job FOR orienteering

I fear you missed my point. The job description refers only to commercial sponsorship for "British Orienteering" the organisation, not "orienteering" in general. A Commercial Manager post for orienteering would be a good thing. But orienteering isn't mentioned in the job description. Maybe the individual selected will be motivated to do what you want rather than what they're hired to do, but don't hold your breath.

[SeanC]

The commercial manager surely isn't going to write grant applications. I can't see him/her doing small bits of sponsorship work for clubs unless there was a way of returning some of the profit for his/her salary.

BOF aren't going to employ a host of RDO's to help all the clubs get grants, they should, but it wont happen because there isn't the momentum from orienteers for this. We'd need to invest some of the funds idling in club bank accounts to do this. It should happen but it wont happen because there are too many orienteers who will see this as a waste of money.

However small groups of clubs could get together, or a region, to employ a grant application RDO. There is the possibility of a small group of clubs agreeing that this is a good idea. BOF could then be the employer to handle all the HR stuff, with the funding from the clubs/region. I suspect BOF might go for this if there was a forward thinking region or group of clubs out there.

[Sunlit Forres]

I fear you missed my point. The job description refers only to commercial sponsorship for "British Orienteering" the organisation, not "orienteering" in general.

Yeah, you're right Graeme - I think I did too. But the fact that we can attract funding must mean that commercial sponsorship is a realistic expectation, and I hope that the BO job achieves that.

We can do a lot to help make commercial sponsporship of orienteering attractive. If orienteers attending events such as RTC and the Scottish 6 Days, where there has been sponsporship, can make a point of supporting those sponsors, and letting them know it, hopefully that will help our case.

Benromach Malt whisky have been eager sponsors of Moray 2013 and I have a feeling they are about to be amazed at just how rewarding that partnership proves to be.

[graeme]

Benromach Malt whisky have been eager sponsors of Moray 2013

Never heard of it, but my whisky stocks are running low: is it nice?

[greywolf]

Benromach Malt whisky have been eager sponsors of Moray 2013

33.1 Advertising of tobacco and hard liquor is not permitted

[Glucosamine]

"Hard liquor"? Sounds horribly American. Perhaps take the ban more seriously if phrased in English (with apologies to our colonial cousins). Prefer an island malt myself - sponsorship or no sponsorship.

[King Penguin]

I gather Lord Shuggah has released a few potential apprentices back in to the job market so there are several high skilled people with A1 interpersonal skills just looking for the right opportunity just now.

From the bits IO have seen I would not describe their interpersonal skills as A1. More like backstabbing.

[Sunlit Forres]

Sunlit Forres wrote:Benromach Malt whisky have been eager sponsors of Moray 2013


IOF competition rules wrote:33.1 Advertising of tobacco and hard liquor is not permitted

That's why they're not specifically sponsoring the WREs. http://www.scottish6days.com/2013/benromach-sponsors-moray-2013

Graeme - best you book your tickets for the whisky tasting night in Dyke hall on the Sunday night and get on one of the distillery tours. http://www.scottish6days.com/2013/benromach-distillery-tours-for-orienteers