Club Matters offers support and guidance to clubs in a wide range of topics.
To help find what you need, select the option below which best describes your current situation.
My club is new or in the process of getting set-up
My club wants to maintain what we have and check we're doing the best we can
My club is struggling in one or more areas and is looking for some specific guidance
>My club wants to achieve Clubmark accreditation and/or I want to understand more about Clubmark
If your club is new or in the process of being set-up, we recommend exploring our Start a Club section.
This section is split into the following topics:
For further information on the support available across Club Matters, visit our Get Started with Club Matters section.
If your club wants to maintain what it has, or check you’re doing the best you can, we recommend exploring our main topic areas in more detail.
Sign-up to workshops which cover key topic areas such as business planning, marketing, club structures, finances and tax.
Register for free for full access to our resources
Click on these boxes to access toolkits, online modules and interactive content. Have a look around to see which areas your club could benefit from.
For further information on the support available across Club Matters, visit our Get Started with Club Matters section.
My club is struggling on one or more areas and is looking for specific guidance.
1. Think about the best way to market your club to reach potential new members
2. Make sure your club is welcoming and inclusive to appeal to new members
3. Make your club experience extraordinary, so that your current members want to stay
Check out the following pages for specific guidance:
Marketing Inclusivity Members and Participants1. Get into a routine of checking your club’s financial position and keeping records
2. Plan for the future and develop a budget, to help you keep costs on track
3. Get your income from a variety of sources, to stay sustainable
Check out the following pages for specific guidance:
Managing Money Budgeting Generating Income1. Create a clear club development plan to show funders that you have realistic goals
2. Research the best funding for your club
3. Don’t forget the other ways to raise funds for your club, including fundraising, forming partnerships and gaining sponsorship
Check out the following pages for specific guidance:
Club Development Plan Funding Guidance Generating Income1. Look beyond your current volunteer base - don’t just rely on those who already have a link to the club
2. Convey the wider benefits of volunteering, such as improving a CV or boosting self-confidence
3. Improve the experience of your current volunteers to reduce the risk of them leaving
Check out the following pages for specific guidance:
Finding Volunteers Developing Volunteers Keeping Volunteers1. Governance is all about having the right people, policies, procedures and structure in place at your club
2. Protect your club’s reputation by creating, communicating and following a robust set of policies
3. Have an effective committee with clear roles and responsibilities, skills and experiences
Check out the following pages for specific guidance:
Governance Policies and Procedures Effective Committees1. Explore all the options available and consider seeking legal advice
2. Incorporating your club creates a separate legal entity and protects your committee and members from entering into contracts in their own name
3. Adopting charitable status or becoming a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) can provide benefits such as tax relief for your club
Check out the following pages for specific guidance:
Club structures Incorporated Charitable Status CASC1. Carry out risk assessments for the facilities you use
2. Hiring or leasing facilities is often the simplest solution if you only need to access them for a few hours each week
3. If you own your facilities, make sure you are clued up on business rates and energy saving measures to keep costs down
Check out the following pages for specific guidance:
Club Facilities Risk Assessment Managing Costs1. The way people participate in sport is changing, you need to make sure your club is flexible and can adapt to modern lifestyles and demands
2. Seek feedback from your members
3. Every club can improve, keep trying to make your club’s experience even better by creating and following an action plan
Check out the following pages for specific guidance:
Understanding Your Members Understanding Your Offer Delivering a Great Experience Being Consistently BrilliantIf your club is keen to develop and you want to improve your current offer, we recommend using our Club Improvement Tool.
The tool prompts you to think about how your club is performing now and where you would like it to be in the future. Based on your responses, the tool directs you to specific resources to help you reach your goals.
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For further information on the support available across Club Matters, visit our Get Started with Club Matters section.
Clubmark is Sport England’s universally acknowledged, cross-sport accreditation scheme.
If your club wants to achieve Clubmark accreditation or you want to find out more, we recommend exploring our Clubmark section.
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For further information on the support available across Club Matters, visit our Get Started with Club Matters section.
On 1st November, financial experts from Grant Thornton and Sport England are taking over our Facebook page to answer your questions. Head over to and leave your questions on our most recent post for the experts to answer. They will
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Earlier this year, Club Matters caught up with Disability Sports Coach (DSC) at their summer festival to celebrate sport in the disabled community. Hear from Louis Wickett-Padgham, who has worked at DSC since 2012, and see the benefits people gain
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With Safeguarding Adults Week (19th – 25th November) just around the corner – and our Safeguarding Adults podcast and online workshop launching next month – we thought this was the perfect opportunity to share a bit more about why it is an
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We hope you’re enjoying our Managing Your Finances online workshop series which is now live on the Club Matters website (hyperlink to training videos). We also have further updates on some new online workshops coming your way, which provide information on Running Your Club’s Social Media. You can head to
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World Mental Health Day took place on 10th October and saw a host of sport industry organisations and partners showing their support for the occasion. Even doing a small amount of physical activity each day can have a positive impact on
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Club Matters is pleased to share that Sport England have teamed up with several other organisations to create a guide that will help you implement good hygiene across your club simply and effectively, no matter the activity, sport or venue.
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This month, Club Matters met with English cricketer Sam Northeast to hear about his involvement in grassroots sports and his desire to encourage more people to get involved in cricket. How old where you when you joined your first Cricket
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Sport England need your help. Have you: * applied for planning permission to improve your clubs facilities? * had a new development affect the facilities you currently use? * ever commented on a planning application, Local Plan or Neighbourhood Plan?
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The Sports Club Survey report summarises the key findings of the Sports Club Survey 2017/18, identifying major trends, providing a SWOT analysis of sport and recreation clubs in England and offering a range of recommendations to Sport England and sport
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Club Matters caught up with Disability Sports Coach at their amazing summer festival to celebrate sport in the disabled community. With over 400 participants and 50 coaches, volunteers and helpers the event was an amazing success and truly inspirational in
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