Over the years, Narborough Cricket Club have spent a huge amount of time on fundraising. We rely heavily on Bonfire night fund raising, which is hard work but raises a healthy four figure sum whilst entertaining almost a thousand people. We've also done Race Nights, Quiz Nights, Bingo Nights, Boogie Nights, Starry, Starry Nights, New Year Nights, Ribbed Black Knights, Gladys Knights, Baron Knights; in fact we've hammered every poor club member into the ground for their last groat.

Whilst this internal fundraising activity has been necessary, it's only lately that the penny has dropped about just how valuable spending time on applying for funding from various sources can be. There's the necessary form filling that goes with applying for funding, which is why we've managed to unload this task onto Whacko Jacko by creating the post of Fund Raising Manager. It could become a full time job for him!

Here's some sources we have recently found useful to get funding:-

1. Gift Aid - If your club is a CASC (Community Amateur Sports Club) you can access Gift Aid which means a club can claim back around 25% rebate from the tax man on subscriptions, donations, gifts etc that your club members make. Once you're registered for Gift Aid, you just claim the loot every year. Of course, this is government money, and they'll take forever to pay you, but eventually, when hell is about to freeze over, you'll get a cheque. Google "Gift Aid" to get to the relevant HMRC page. See http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/gift_aid/index.htm

2. Charity Commission. Google the Charity Commission to see if you qualify as a Charity. If you do, register your club with them. This is another labour of love that will put years on you, but it's worth it in the end, as you can qualify for Gift Aid, .............. and a lot more funding options open up too if you register as a Charity. See http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Start_up_a_charity/default.aspx

3. Sport England - There's lots of support you can get here from the Lottery. They call it Small Grants, but to us, it's significant money. We're funding coaching in three junior schools with this. There's also ground and equipment funding that's worth investigating. We got a fantastic junior coaching equipment package and also top of the range mobile covers. You need to have a good business plan to get the funding agreed. See http://www.sportengland.org/funding.aspx

4. County based funding organisations - We used Norfolk Community Foundation to help fund provision of a decent outdoor net. See http://www.norfolkfoundation.com/funds.htm They were very efficient and helpful. We tried to use Active Norfolk to fund coaching at the club in the summer, but we heard on the gravevine they had turned us down, although nobody's bothered to contact us officially to tell us anything yet. See http://www.activenorfolk.org/ So, we applied to Breckland District Council instead and got the funding agreed within 24 hours. See item 10 below.

5. Club Mark. We aren't there yet because the feeling has been that it's not meant for village based clubs. With the help of the County Board, we are registered to start applying for accreditation towards the end of this season. See http://www.ecb.co.uk/development/clubs-and-leagues/clubmark/

6. Social Enterprises. Google "Social Enterprise" and see what funding you might find is available in your area from dear David Cameron's Big Society wheeze. If you can work out exactly what "The Big Society" is, then maybe drop him a line to explain what it means. Try: http://www.private-eye.co.uk/ first.

7. SEB2B. If your club is located in the East of England, see this link - http://www.seb2b.co.uk. This web site gives details of funding and special deals for social enterprises, which is what many cricket clubs can be classed as. Membership and club listing is currently free!

8. Ask your County Cricket Board for help. Ours in Norfolk have been very helpful. See http://www.norfolkcricket.co.uk/

9. ECB. If your club is located outside Norfolk then locate the county cricket board in your area through the ECB at http://www.ecb.co.uk/development/development-structure-and-contacts/how-ecb-and-county-boards-work-together,1493,BP.html.

10. District and County Councils. These local government monoliths have a hard earned and justifiable reputation for self interest and a complete disregard for the community they are supposed to serve. They might try to fob you off with hard luck stories about having no money, but most have loads of dosh invested in safe and secure Icelandic Banks, and are paying their CEO's a small fortune. As an example of this, see this link to the exploits of darling Arndreah Hill, CEO of Suffolk County Council: http://www.eveningstar.co.uk/news/revealed_suffolk_county_council_chief_andrea_hill_s_1_800_hotel_bills_1_850130) They still have to provide some sort of service for the vast amounts of Council Tax we have to hand over to them every month. (See Ms Arndreah Hill - Hood's autobiography- "Robbing the poor to pay the rich made easy" - available from Swaffham Market on Saturday mornings.)

The best place to start asking a Local Authority about funding is their Council Sports Development Officer. We've got an excellent one in Breckland District Council. He does things you would never expect. He returns phone calls, answers emails, explains and streamlines the funding request process and says "yes" quickly if you put a reasonable funding suggestion to him. Maybe we're just lucky in Breckland, but you never know, unless you ask. If you're in Breckland, try this link http://www.breckland.gov.uk/content/your-partnership-your-decision-year-2.

If you're not in Breckland, well, the best of luck. If your club is in Suffolk, then there's a million reasons to feel sorry for you, even after Roy Keane bit the bullet. Some one up there clearly doesn't like you.