Managing An Asset
Through this journey, we have gone through the process of finding an asset and presenting a case for it being transferred to your community or organisation. You might feel that you have been through a great deal but the hard work will really start if the owner says ‘yes’!
At the start of the process it is important to plan the future. How will managing a sports facility work? Who will maintain the pitches? How will you pay for new hockey sticks when the current supply is broken? Who will open up the centre on match day? Who will manage the aerobics bookings?
Without the answers to all these questions (and many more), it will be impossible to assess how successfully you will be able to manage and sustain the facility into the future.
The following list comprises those general issues asset management brings:
Staffing – Volunteers & Paid Staff
A sports club can often manage with no paid staff when it has no assets. However, as soon as there is a facility to manage the list of tasks which need to be done increases hugely – from cleaning the changing rooms to public relations. Having a facility to run is likely to mean a significant commitment of time – it is unlikely that an organisation will be able to rely on volunteers to do this.
Building / Facility Maintenance Plan
The building’s heating will need to be serviced, the paintwork will need to be re-done periodically, flooring will need to be replaced – there will always be some maintenance which needs to be carried out in a facility and, the larger the facility, the more work this will be.
Refurbishment plan
(including replacing worn-out equipment)
Items such as the showers, the boiler, security cameras, windows, will not last forever and will need to be replaced periodically. Additionally, sports equipment will wear out, get broken or even be stolen and will need to be replaced immediately.
Cleaning
Cleaning is not just important for the look of the place, it is important for health and safety reasons. A wet and muddy floor can lead to accidents, kitchen waste can attract vermin. Cleaning will need to take place inside and outside, and areas such as changing rooms, toilets and showers will probably need cleaning more often than others. And don’t forget the window cleaning!
Grounds Maintenance
Keeping pitches maintained and looking after the outside landscaping is a task that can take many hours every week.
Fundraising and Marketing Strategy
Once the funds have been raised to purchase the asset and carry out any building works, the real fundraising can begin. The facility will need a constant supply of funds to keep it running. Most grant and contract funding is only short-term – three years at the most – and yet your costs will be much longer-term. You will need to design, implement and review a realistic strategy to ensure an appropriate supply of funds. A Fundraising Strategy should include all opportunities for you to generate your own income – through selling your expertise (eg coaching), your facilities (eg hiring out the sports hall) or products (eg t-shirts).
Communications and Public Relations
To support your Fundraising Strategy you should consider developing a Communications Plan. This will set out how you will ensure that you retain the support and involvement of the local community if that is important to your continued success. It will also help you ensure that you are promoting the services you offer effectively, reaching out to new users of your sports facilities.
Security
Few facilities are in constant use – most will have periods of time when there is no-one around. In most locations, this unfortunately means that security is a key issue to be addressed as is the availability of key-holders to open up the facility when needed.
Financial Controls
Any sports facility is likely to have a complex range of payments in and payments out to keep track of. Many bills will be quarterly or monthly and some larger income and expenditures will be annual. Good financial controls will be needed to ensure adequate cash flow is available to cover bills, to ensure that money is transferred securely with appropriate records kept and that there is sufficient money available to cover incidental or unexpected costs.
Policies and Procedures
(incl. human resources, health and safety, equal opps opportunities etc)
Not only will paid staff and volunteers need protection with a range of policies and established procedures but users and visitors to the facility will also need similar protection. For example, what is the procedure if a child in the Under-12 football team is suspected of bullying others? What can the manager do if the squash teacher fails to turn up for the weekly classes?
Monitoring and Evaluation
Future funding and development plans will be dependent on knowing how the facility is working, who is using it, who isn’t using it and what people think about their time there. At a very basic level, this will mean keeping basic records of who attends the centre – their gender, age, disability, ethnic group, etc. – and what they attend for. These constant records can be reviewed every six months and can be supplemented by formal evaluations looking at particular aspects of the facility.