Development Project Funding: Guidelines

The guidelines are also available in rtf format, more suitable for printing. dev_pro_fun_gui.rtf

In line with the adoption of the Best Practices report, received 2001, the NZOF development budget is not only used to employ a Development Officer but also to provide development funding on a project basis. Accordingly clubs and/or individuals can apply for development funding for suitable projects.

Besides the extension into relatively new forms of orienteering (eg mountian bike orienteering, rogaines and park-orienteering – refer other development projects, below), the NZOF Council has indicated four further areas that it regards as priority areas for development projects, as follows:
• permanent courses
• stronger clubs mentoring neighbouring clubs
• orienteering in schools
• promotional resources (including web-based resources).

The primary aim in each case is to increase participation in the sport with a flow-on effect for the recruitment and retention of club members.

The first three areas are listed in order of priority and are areas where clubs may apply for NZOF funding. Guidelines for funding applications in each of these three areas are presented below. (NB: these are guidelines and are not definitive statements but all applications must include the club’s most recent annual accounts, preferably audited.) The fourth area (promotional resources) will remain the direct responsibility of the NZOF Council. Currently, its priority project is updating the Kiwisport manual and providing it online.

Permanent Courses (POCs)

POCs can assist in increasing participation and hence membership by enabling:
• People who may be apprehensive about trying the sport at an event to try it privately
• People to try orienteering who can’t make it to orienteering events because of work or other commitments
• Teachers / youth leaders to take classes / groups for orienteering
• Orienteering Clubs to run some events with minimal effort.

Thus for a POC to be effective it needs to be public, promoted and accessible. Accordingly funding applications for new POCs should cover:
a) Location of the course
b) Whether a joint venture with the local Council (or other organisation) and whether that organisation is contributing funds
c) Other funding sought besides NZOF, if any
d) Overall budgeted cost of project and that part unfunded
e) How the POC will be promoted
f) How maps will be distributed
g) Completion date for project

Clubs mentoring neighbouring clubs

The aim is to assist a neighbouring club to increase participation and hence the recruitment and retention of members. Therefore any assistance projects need to be directly serving these aims. Mapping, planning and controlling for major events, while beneficial, are, for development purposes, not directly linked to this aim, unless they are part of the introduction of new forms of orienteering.

Projects linked to directly increasing growth in another club include assisting the club to develop:
• Club visions and strategic plans
• Promotional orienteering series (eg Summer series)
• Permanent courses
• New forms of orienteering: ski-O, rogaines, MTBO
• Club coaching services
• Club website
• Orienteering in schools

Funding applications for Mentoring Neighbouring Clubs should cover:
a) Nature of project (as per, for example, list above)
b) Name of club(s) involved
c) Other funding sought besides NZOF, if any
d) Overall budgeted cost of project and that part unfunded
e) Completion date for project

Orienteering in schools

The aim is to increase access and opportunity for schools and pupils and thus give clubs a better chance of increasing interest in orienteering and consequently recruiting new members.

The Best Practices report suggested the following:
• Run a regional Primary/Intermediate/Secondary Schools Championship
• Run Have-a-Go Days
• Produce school and park maps
• Make club equipment available for loan
• Offer coaching, from Kiwisport upwards
Where clubs already provide any of the above, then the project would need to represent a major new development to the existing programme, such as, for example, a schools competition series.

Funding applications for Orienteering in schools should cover:
a) Nature of project: eg new regional championship, have-a-go day series, etc
b) Name of school(s) involved and likely number of students
c) Whether a joint venture with the local Sports Trust (or other organisation) and whether that organisation is contributing funds
d) Other funding sought besides NZOF, if any
e) Overall budgeted cost of project and that part unfunded
f) How the project will be promoted
g) Completion date for project

Other development projects

As stated above, applications will also be considered for the introduction or development of new forms of orienteering, eg:
• organising a rogaine, MTBO event or Park-O event if your club has not held such before
• making a dedicated MTBO map
• conducting event organisation training for rogaining, MTBO or Park-O.

Applications should follow the general guidelines presented above. Applications for development projects not covered by any of the above will also be considered. Projects should aim to develop orienteering by increasing participation, recruitment and retention.