Ulster Council – Clubs must change their approach during pandemic

The coronavirus outbreak has put an onus on GAA clubs to re-think their fundraising game plan. The days of relying on door-to-door ticket sellers and in-person cash fundraising seem a long way off – and clubs are having to adapt to ensure funds continue to grow.

One of the major consequences of the public health crisis will be the decline of physical currency. Cash changing hands at crowded member registration evenings in the clubhouse are also likely to be a thing of the past and club treasurers are probably less inclined to want to queue for longer practising social distancing in a bank to lodge money to the club account.

As cash is slowly replaced by card payments, via contactless card and smartphone transactions, clubs may well need to make plans for having this technology in place.

Local businesses who have previously given an outlet for selling tickets and providing sponsorship have also been hampered by the lockdown and many will not be in a position to contribute as we all begin to rebuild. Clubs have also relied on fundraisers like quiz nights, annual awards celebrations and dinner dances – all of which will probably be very slow to return in a post-COVID-19 society.

Fortunately, we live in a time where technology can help bring people together in new and creative ways without the requirement of being face-to-face with one another. A number of clubs utilised online platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom to host quiz nights during lockdown and with the addition of registration through the likes of Eventbrite or a donation via Just Giving clubs could generate some much-needed income from their local communities. Perhaps the annual awards presentations for 2020 may become a virtual event and with the introduction of an online prize draw or raffle for attendees there may be an opportunity to fundraise as well.

As all organisations are in a similar position, clubs will be competing with other sports and community groups for the contributions from the local community, perhaps a partnership approach may be worth considering, allowing clubs to increase their reach to the wider locality.

The GAA’s response in local communities during the pandemic has been immense and hopefully that goodwill can be reciprocated as our clubs look to return to some kind of normal in the coming weeks and months.