The Network holds regular virtual events on key club development issues. They range from Network forums covering several topical issues to more focused single-subject themes with both internal and external speakers. We are driven by member demand and topicality
Fundraising with purpose: generating new income streams
The webinar on November 30 featured a quick tour of the current fundraising landscape and what clubs are doing that’s scaleable and repeatable.
There was a more in-depth look at some interesting opportunities clubs may want to consider in developing new income streams
Clubmark 2023
The wideranging discussion with new ECB Clubmark supremo, James Simpson, explored critical Clubmark issues, its contribution to club development, past shortcomings, members’ aspirations for its future and how you can play a part.
Finance, funding and surviving the energy crisis
What does the government energy price capping mean for your club? What’s happening to prices now? Is forward fixing still an option? What happens when you come off your current fixed deal? These are just some of the questions we explored in the wider context of current funding and finance environment for clubs.
The habits of highly effective clubs; the 7Fs Framework
Dr Chris Gunn has just completed doctoral research into the critical success factors in thriving cricket clubs. In this March 2022 Forum he explains the 7Fs he identified: Finance; Fundraising; Facing outwards; Facilities; Future focus; Families and friendship; Facilitative, flexible and functional.
Volunteering 101: the who, why, how and what (next)
Every conversation on every issue in relation to running a club ultimately turns at some point to ‘who can we get to help’? Or ‘how can we get more people to do more things’. To start answering these questions we were joined by Dr Eddy Hogg, co-author of The Complete Volunteer Management Handbook, in February 2022.
Class and classroom; is cricket becoming less inclusive?
Is the Azeem Rafiq affair just about race or does it say something about the wider inclusivity of cricket? Is it too late to do anything about cricket in state schools? What other factors are at play? And what role for clubs? We welcomed Duncan Stone and Darren Talbot to lead a wideranging discussion.
Improve your chances of a royal funding boost
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Activity Fund and the Places and Spaces matchfunding scheme are Sport England funding opportunities for clubs. Sport England investment partner, and former ECB Clubmark supremo, Martin Jones and his colleague Ian Silvera provided insights into clubs’ eligibility, the funding priorities, how to apply and some critical DOs & DON’Ts .
SHMS implementation
In the run up to the SHMS wave 1 deadline of 31 July 2021, we were joined by ECB SHMS head, Rich Dixon, to look at implementation issues, where clubs are falling down, and how they can ensure complaince.
Back to the future: building a sustainable club
We have all heard the ‘build back better’ post-Covid mantra. But what does it mean in cricket when there will be less money available to develop clubs and facilities? And beyond Covid there is the pressure for Net Zero operations, the challenges of climate change and what ECB is calling the ‘Club of the future’. We were joined by ex-ECB head of facilities and investment, Chris Whitaker, funding expert, Andrew Heaward, and architect, Jonathan Platt, for a wideranging discussion in three parts here.
Delivering sustainability: the finance imperatives
Sustainability this time in terms of securing long-term financial viability. Firstly, some ways of cuttings costs on energy, insurance and ground supplies. Then we heard from clubs who are generating new income streams from delivering innovative and diverse products and services. And finally an overview of the funding landscape, sources of funding and how to access new sources and increase your chances of application success.
Developing the agenda – beyond Clubmark; what now for club development?
February 25 2021 and the first of this year’s events saw us address the future of Clubmark, SHMS implementation, some new and practical club development approaches, including volunteer recruitment and retention, and introducing the Club Excellence Framework. We also explored leadership in a club context and whether club leaders are born or made.
Getting the game on
Responding to the members’ survey on clubs’ attitudes to the ECB management of Covid-19 and current issues around playing were Richard Cox, then ECB Regional Head for West Midlands, Alastair Symonds of Cricket World, and Colin Mico of Aston Lark insurance. Details and the webinar recording can be found here.
Covid-19: Business Continuity
In an immediate response to the evolving Covid-19 crisis, the Network looked at the preparations members were making and the issues being confronted, set against a standard business continuity framework, as revealed in a survey of over 300 clubs. The interim survey results are included in the webinar slides and notes here.
Marketing & Communication
From March 2018, then ECB head of Digital Communication, James Nickson, responds to the Network survey on clubs’ favoured communication and marketing tools, platforms and approaches. The webinar recording, slides and results can be found here.
All Stars Cricket
From March 2017, then ECB head of Participation & Growth, Matt Dwyer, and his team respond to the Network’s survey findings and recommendations on implementation and delivery of the new All Stars Cricket concept. .
