Printable version: Player Participation Incentive (PDF)
1. Purpose of the Program
- To assist in the progression of social bowlers to full registered player status.
- To provide financial assistance to clubs and to social bowlers to support their participation in pennant competitions.
- To provide clubs with another pool of players from which to draw to ensure that they are represented by complete sides in all BTS pennant competitions.
- To encourage club boards to be proactive in sourcing potential new memberships to ensure their club’s viability into the future.
2. Outline of the Program
All levels of bowls administration wish to increase player participation through the active recruitment of new members, both for the health and viability of individual clubs and for the sport of bowls generally.
BTS has introduced a new club affiliation fee format to encourage clubs to integrate novice bowlers (for example, beginning bowlers and “barefooters”) into formal pennant competition free of any affiliation or registration fee. However, there still remains the significant cost for new pennant playing members of purchasing BA-approved uniform, footwear, and basic bowls equipment.
The BTS Board recognises that the need to satisfy BA-approved uniform requirements can be an impediment and, for some, a reason why they do not proceed to a fully-registered playing membership. The Board also recognises that while the new affiliation fee format will enable clubs to select social or barefoot bowlers in their pennant sides without having to pay a registration fee, there remains the need to equip the player(s) with BA-approved uniform.
To this end, the BTS Board is making a grant available to each club of up to $1,000. The grant can be accessed by application to the BTS Secretary.
The primary intent of this grant is to assist with the transition of social and other previously unregistered bowlers to pennant competition. However, other innovative programs initiated by clubs to increase participation in social bowls activity will also be considered for support through this grant program.
The grant is open to a range of possibilities and each club board is encouraged to explore all possibilities for increasing their registered player numbers from within their local community.
3. What initiatives will attract financial support?
The types of initiatives that will be considered are:
- Assistance to offset the cost of pennant uniforms (for example, so that the club has a reserve stock of club uniforms for temporary loan).
- Purchase of second-hand bowls for use by social bowlers when playing in pennant competition.
- Funding support to a club to introduce a social (barefoot) bowls competition.
- Any other club initiative designed to create an interest in bowls as a sport within their local community.
4. Accountability
A condition of the grant is that clubs will be required to provide a summary review of the initiative for which the club has received this grant. This need not be an onerous task; a simple explanation of the program, giving an outline of how the initiative was progressed, the successes, as well as those things that did not go well, is all that will be required. Other matters that could be included in the review would be any comments from the participants, especially those positive in nature. Any photographs of activities would be very welcome.
It is the intention of the BTS Board to publicise initiatives funded through this program on social media to celebrate the successes achieved by individual clubs.
5. How to apply for a grant
There is no time limit for receipt of grant applications, although it is preferable that all initiatives are in place and operational by the end of December 2022.
Clubs should forward a description of how the funds will be used to the BTS Secretary that describes the plans to increase registered playing members from within the club’s local community.
Need help or further assistance?
If you require any further advice or assistance, or you have any questions in regard to the intent of this grant program, please contact Barbara Rankin (0417 033 651) or email bowls.south@bigpond.com.
PETER KIRBY
President
Bowls Tasmania South