Taking a nuanced approach to improve charitable engagement in football

The power of footballing bodies such as the Premier League and FIFA has allowed them to increasingly engage in charitable causes that tackle fundamental social issues such as poverty, racism, and gender inequality. For example, since its establishment in 2010, The Premier League Charitable Fund has become one of the largest charities in the world, distributing around £35million a year to professional football club community organisations. 

However, aside from how much funding is made available, there is still work to be done in terms of how that funding is distributed and administered to achieve maximum impact. 

Developing a partnership approach 

An issue is that a lot of funding opportunities are restricted, meaning charities are forced to adapt their own aims and objectives to meet the requirements of the funder. Larger corporate funders can sometimes approach charitable efforts with a calculated mindset – investing a set amount of money and expecting quick, tangible results to report back. While this can produce short-term outcomes, it overlooks the complexities of long-term, sustainable impact.  

A more sustainable approach would be to invest in local partnerships and capacity-building that allow communities to continue making progress long after the funding has been spent. Closer collaboration between stakeholders within sport for development can help address local issues more effectively and sustainably. 

A notable example is the Laureus Model City initiative. Implemented in various cities around the world, this programme harnesses sport to drive social change and community cohesion while tackling pressing issues such as youth violence, social exclusion, and mental health challenges within the community. By partnering with and bringing together local organisations, Laureus Model City has been able to find more collaborative and unique ways to address an area's specific needs, demonstrating the transformative power of sport-based collaborations. 

Inclusive support approaches can benefit communities and charities worldwide by ensuring that resources are allocated where they are needed most. This can lead to more impactful and sustainable charitable work, which, through a more nuanced approach, will ultimately create positive change on a larger scale. 

Ultimately, that is achieved by providing ongoing support, allowing time for new ideas to be tested, fostered, and adapted to their methods. Organisations like Women Win and Skateistan are great examples of this, as they focus on innovation and grassroots solutions while addressing critical social issues. By supporting smaller groups with funding and resources, they give them the freedom to experiment, fail, and learn from their experiences. 

Reducing bureaucracy 

Working more closely with charities would enable football organisations to have a better understanding of how they operate.  

Smaller NGOs often work with limited resources and lack the dedicated fundraising teams and administrative support that larger organisations enjoy. This makes it challenging for them to meet the requirements that funding bodies request, including prerequisites around specific monitoring and evaluation processes. This reduces their chances of securing essential funds, so ironically, the organisations most in need of support are often the least equipped to fulfil these criteria. 

To make funding more accessible, application processes need to be simplified. This could involve reducing the amount of required documentation, offering online application platforms, and providing support for smaller charities completing applications. Streamlining these processes would enable these charities to focus more on their mission and less on administrative tasks.   

Allowing for cultural nuances  

With football being the leading sport worldwide, adopting more flexible and inclusive funding processes would particularly benefit charities in developing countries. These organisations may lack equivalent records and documentation that are often required in application processes and are generally created from a Western perspective. Broader funding criteria would allow a greater range of charities to tailor projects to their local contexts, enhancing their chances of receiving support. 

Understanding cultural contexts is vital for effective charitable work. Different regions present different challenges and opportunities; therefore, a one-size-fits-all approach to funding and support is often ineffective. Funders must consider these cultural nuances to ensure their support is relevant and impactful. 

To ensure fair treatment of charities from developing countries, the large footballing bodies need to invest in better understanding of the local contexts in which these charities operate. This could involve conducting research, consulting with local experts, and providing tailored support that considers regional differences. 

One effective way to support smaller charities is by setting up regional networks where organisations from the same area can share their experiences. For example, a small charity that has successfully secured funding could run a workshop, backed by the funding body, to mentor others on how to write a grant application. This peer-to-peer learning approach could greatly enhance the capacity of smaller charities to access much-needed funds. 

Again, this reinforces the need for a collaborative approach within the football-for-development community—one that larger organisations can actively support rather than having smaller groups compete for the same limited funding.  

At Street Child United, for example, we use the power of sport to provide children living in street situations with a global platform through events like the Street Child World Cup, which proceeds the  FIFA World Cup as the flagship sport for good event . We partner with NGOs across the world, working in their respective communities to  address specific local challenges. Our network model creates multiple layers of impact, from local delivery organisations to larger funders, facilitating the sharing of expertise and resources. This allows local NGOs to implement their own interventions while benefitting from the broader support and structure of Street Child United. 

The Beyond Sport Foundation offers a great example of how small changes can have a big impact. By providing application forms in multiple languages, they removed language barriers and made funding more accessible to organisations that might have struggled with English-only forms. 

The future of football-charity collaborations holds great promise. By continuing to evolve and improve their approaches, football organisations can play a pivotal role in addressing social issues and supporting charitable initiatives. This vision includes greater flexibility, inclusivity, and collaboration, leading to more effective and impactful charitable work.