The Value of Skills-Based Hiring in Ireland’s Nonprofit Sector
Change is the only constant, and with the rise of AI, Irish nonprofits are increasingly focusing on soft skills developed through life and work experience.
2into3 and Chartered Institute of Housing Ireland Announce Partnership
We are delighted to announce our partnership with Chartered Institute of Housing Ireland (CIH), the professional body for housing professionals. This strategic partnership aims to enhance support for housing organisations across Ireland.
This collaboration brings together our expertise in Advisory, Funding and Talent services with CIH’s commitment to promoting professional standards and providing educational resources within the housing sector. Together, we will offer a comprehensive suite of services designed to empower housing organisations to achieve our missions effectively.
Shannon Barrett, Head of Talent at 2into3 said, “Partnering with CIH allows us to extend our reach and provide housing organisations with the resources they need to navigate the complexities of the housing sector.”
Caroline Moloney, Director of CIH Ireland, added, “CIH is dedicated to supporting housing professionals to create a future in which everyone has a place to call home. This partnership with 2into3 aligns perfectly with our mission, enabling us to offer enhanced support and resources to housing organisations, ensuring they are well-equipped to meet current and future housing challenges.”
Key initiatives of the Partnership include:
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Webinar and Event Collaboration
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Content Development
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Shared Insights
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2into3 Discount for CIH Members
This partnership underscores a shared commitment to fostering a robust and professional housing sector in Ireland, ensuring that housing organisations are equipped with the necessary resources and expertise to provide quality housing solutions. For more information on 2into3 and CIH’s services and supports available, please visit 2into3’s website and the Chartered Institute of Housing’s website.
About 2into3
2into3’s mission is to build the capacity of organisations to have a transformative social impact. Since 2006, we have worked with over 500 social impact organisations, providing support within our Advisory, Funding and Talent Services. Our offices in Dublin, Belfast, Newry, Galway and Cork enables our organisation to provide services to social impact organisations across Ireland.
About the Chartered Institute of Housing
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) is the professional body for people who work in housing, the independent voice for housing, and the home of professional standards. CIH has a diverse membership of people who work in both the public and private sector housing, in 20 countries on five continents across the world. The organisation’s goal is to support housing professionals to create a future in which everyone has a place to call home by providing housing professionals and their organisations with the advice, support, and knowledge they need.
CIH is a registered charity and not-for-profit organisation with any profit made put back into the organisation to fund the activities carried out to support the housing sector. Further information can be found at www.cih.org.
Get in Touch
For further enquires on this partnership, contact Shannon Barrett, Head of Talent Services at shannon.barrett@2into3.com.
For queries on the Chartered Institute of Housing, contact Caroline Moloney, Director of CIH Ireland at caroline.malloney@cih.org.
5 Reasons to Champion DEI – Even as Others Backtrack
Written by Sheena Horgan, Director of Advisory Services, 2into3.
Embracing Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity (DEI) in organisations has become increasingly recognised as not only a moral imperative but also a strategic advantage [1]. But don’t take my word for it, here’s five evidence-based reasons why DEI matters.
1. Enhanced Innovation and Creativity
Diverse teams bring diverse experiences and thinking. Consequently, this fosters creativity and innovation, which in turn facilitates superior problem solving [2].
2. Improved Financial Performance
There’s a proven correlation between diverse leadership and financial performance as companies in the top quartile for gender and racial diversity are statistically more likely to outperform their peers on profitability [3].
3. Attraction and Retention of Talent
Organisations that commit to DEI can be more attractive to a broader range of candidates, who, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, prioritise working for employers that demonstrate a commitment to social responsibility and inclusivity. Employees value diversity and inclusivity in their workplace, and it impacts talent attraction and retention [4].
4. Enhanced Employee Engagement and Satisfaction
Inclusivity is instrumental in employee engagement and therefore enhancing workplace satisfaction and productivity. The sense of belonging directly translates to job satisfaction, and moreover, this in turn can positively impact productivity and loyalty, thereby increasing outputs and reducing talent churn and the cost of recruitment [5].
5. Better Decision Making
Diverse teams are shown to make better decisions because they consider a wider range of perspectives and options which can lead to improved outcomes in business strategy and operations [6].
The Risks of Backtracking on DEI
As an advocate of social impact, of course I’d laud that DEI is important, but for those who prefer an economic argument, as the research here shows, DEI also leads to competitive advantage with substantial benefits across various dimensions of organisational performance.
Which is why Accenture’s recent move away from DEI is a surprising one, ”Accenture scraps diversity and inclusion goals, memo says”. Not just because it’s a management consultancy that depends on the strategic thinking and problem-solving competencies of its people. Or, because it relies on its people’s commitment to Accenture over the competition, so talent acquisition and retention is critical. But because it smacks of hypocrisy flying in the face of its own research, reports, manifestos and PR over the last few years. For example, Accenture (2020), “Getting to Equal 2020: How to Make Diversity and Inclusion a Reality”, Accenture (2018), “When She Rises, We All Rise: Advancing Gender Equality in the Workplace” and Accenture (2019), “The Inclusion Imperative: How to Build a Culture of Belonging”.
I get that the rationale is a reaction to a significant State-side sentiment shift. But whilst some organisations may be benching DEI (no doubt to resurrect it sometime in the future when the winds change), there are many who remain committed – quietly or vocally – to its principles and practices. And these organisations will need partners and advisors who can demonstrate a genuine shared commitment to these values.
And whilst the press release announcing the move cites “… a workplace free from bias, and a culture in which all our people are respected, feel a sense of belonging and have equal opportunity”, this is actually only part of a fuller text from the 2024 360° Value Report: Delivering Value From Every Angle | Accenture that goes on to say in the next paragraph: “We [Accenture] are committed to helping all our people thrive, which includes advancing inclusion and diversity for all genders; people of different races and ethnicities; persons with disabilities; neurodivergent individuals; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) people; people from different cultures; people with different religious and faith-based traditions; and people from different age and social groups”.
The same report is peppered with mentions of DEI’s importance, including praising its network of 143,000 Allies in Action (as at August 31, 2024) “who advocate for cross-cultural inclusion, disability inclusion, neurodiversity, gender equality, mental health and well-being, racial and ethnic inclusion, and LGBTIQ+ inclusion”.
Championing social impact means advocating for DEI. Delivering DEI and delivering business success are not mutually exclusive – but DEI needs allies, not adversaries.
Footnotes
[1] EY (January 2025) DE&I Interventions that Deliver de-and-i-interventions-that-deliver.pdf
[2] Page, S. E. (2007). The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies. Princeton University Press. This book explains how diversity leads to superior problem-solving capabilities.
[3] McKinsey & Company (2020). Diversity wins: How inclusion matters.
[4] Reference: Deloitte (2017). The Radical Transformation of Diversity and Inclusion: The Millennial Influence.
[5] Gallup (2020). State of the Global Workplace: 2020 Report.
[6] Reference: Nemeth, C. J., & Staw, B. M. (1989). The Tradeoffs of Social Control and Innovation in Groups and Organizations. Social Psychology Quarterly, 52(3), 275-284.
Key Talent Challenges Facing the Sector: Pay & Benefits Survey 2024
The latest findings on compensation, HR practices, and sector trends in the nonprofit sector, outlined in The Wheel’s ‘Pay & Benefits in the Community & Voluntary Sector Report 2024‘, highlight specific challenges for CEOs, boards, and governance structures. Here, we examine these from each perspective, considering key related challenges and their implications, and proposing a suite of potential remedies.
Pay and benefits 2024: The CEO Conundrum
1. Balancing Mission and Financial Viability
Once again, this report demonstrates the need for multi-annual funding to allow charities to strategise, recruit and retain talent; with talent retention selected as a high priority by 88% of respondents, and the top two concerns focussing on accessing / increasing funding (92%) and managing costs (89%).
The tension between delivering on the mission and ensuring financial sustainability is all too familiar to most organisations in the nonprofit space. If a limited budget wasn’t restrictive enough, then the short-term funding challenge requires CEOs to calibrate the least harmful trade-off between rewarding and investing in staff, operations, and infrastructure, and delivering on budget. With funding such a prevalent and thorny issue, exploring (and yes this may also mean investing in) organisational funding capacity can quite literally, pay dividends.
2. Talent Acquisition and Retention
Albeit allegedly a little more muted, the war on talent continues in 2024 and the sector still needs to face off private and public sector competition in terms of pay and benefits. The disparity in how employees are compensated within the wider sector is a problem in itself. When the sector is attractive to employees, the entire sector wins. Raising our game raises everyone’s game.
In particular, strong leadership is critical and the capacity of organisations to attain and retain good leadership is a hygiene factor to success. The opportunity cost of losing senior leaders is immense. Not only are there core strategic and knowledge losses, but financial ones too. Succession planning is an often overlooked but essential Board matter.
A further impact of the struggle to recruit and retain staff, is the pressure it puts on HR teams at a time when they are trying to implement a variety of significant legislative changes, including auto enrolment for pensions, gender pay gap reporting and more.
3. Resource Constraints Increase Burnout
Time lags for replacing and recruiting new staff mean either a stall in services, or that other members of the team pick up the slack. In some cases, it’s the CEO that is compelled to take on multiple roles, which can come at a high cost. The unsustainability of the situation, as evident in the survey, is high levels of stress and potential burnout.
Every organisation should view their labour resource as an asset and treat it accordingly. This may require being open to interim resourcing solutions whereby the obstacle is as much Boards’ and Executives’ attitudes to such hires, as it is reticence to spend money. Poor resourcing leads to poor service, outputs and ultimately weaker social impact.
4. Thinking Through Changing Working Conditions
It’s clear to all that the shift to flexible work arrangements is a given. Presumably, most CEOs and Boards are already re-thinking organisational and HR policies, but equally care and consideration needs to be given to technology infrastructure, team dynamics and the financial and risk implications of both. Organisations should ensure that any flexible and remote working is thoughtfully explored through an EDI (Equality, Diversion, Inclusion) lens and that employees are both included and consulted in the process to balance operational needs with employee preferences. The end goal should be a positive and productive work environment.
5. Rationalising Labour Costs
Public and arguably even political expectation regarding salaries and compensation in the sector is too often ‘low salaries, high morals’. However, being purpose driven only goes so far and the charity sector is struggling to recruit and retain staff as illustrated in the turnover rates increase from 9.9% in 2022 to 12.6% in 2024.
The cost-of-living crisis is undoubtedly driving some employees out of sector and organisations need to steel themselves to advocate for, and to justify, competitive salary levels, especially for CEOs and Executives. Equally, boardroom battles that centre around CEO requests for staff wage increases are undoubtedly a regular occurrence. Circumventing Board members’ overtly negative biases on this topic requires careful analysis which includes cashflow projections and funding forecasts, labour market trends and insights, and end user needs and service requirements. Executives should pre-empt and provide such rational arguments, and this survey can provide some of the data.
6. Benchmarking Tools
A total of 592 organisations, with a total of 10,898 employees (full time or part time), responded to the survey, making this is an excellent resource to provide a broad overview of the sector.
However, The Wheel can only analyse and publish data gathered from those who have volunteered their information and, therefore, this report is not directly reflective of, or comparable to all 32,000 plus organisations in the community and voluntary sector.
For example, from the sample gathered, the report does not include data for individuals at ‘Director of’ level and there is limited data available under ‘Head of Housing’ roles, despite the current high demand for Asset and Property Managers.
We understand that The Wheel’s report will serve as a useful benchmarking report to inform decision making for some, but others will require a more in-depth benchmarking tool, including data from directly comparable organisations. We have recently launched a salary benchmarking service which has been established to provide organisations access to directly comparable information, where required – more information here.
Concluding Remarks
The Pay & Benefits Survey signposts clear challenges in how the sector is resourced in terms of both finance and labour. Whilst most Boards considerably understand the financial challenges, but they also need to pay close attention to how they manage their employees – when the sector is attractive to employees, all of the sector wins.
If you’re interested in gaining support with attracting and retaining Talent, contact Shannon Barrett at shannon.barrett@2into3.com. Alternatively, if you require support with your Board’s governance, contact Sheena Horgan at sheena.horgan@2into3.com.
Written by Sheena Horgan, Director of Advisory Services & Shannon Barrett, Head of Talent Services at 2into3.
Trained Facilitator of LEGO®️ SERIOUS PLAY®️
Our Senior Associate within the Advisory Team, Fiona Barry, has recently completed her training to become a certified facilitator of LEGO®️ SERIOUS PLAY®️ method and materials.
Serious Play is defined as “a mode of activity that draws on the imagination, integrates cognitive, social and emotional dimensions of experience and intentionally brings the emergent benefits of play to bear on organisational challenges”. LEGO SERIOUS PLAY methodology was born in the late 1990s initially in the context to the development of strategy has since been developed to be used in facilitated outcome focused processes and team building.
It creates an environment of optimal learning and engagements from participants, building collective knowledge and opening opportunities for adding new perspectives in a safe and supportive environment.
LEGO SERIOUS PLAY provides a comprehensive framework comprising of 3 main focus areas:
- Complex adaptive systems, about the different sub-elements in a system that interact with and adapt to each other and the difficulty to predict how they will do so in the future.
- Imagination, play and serious play, about serious play and strategic imagination being at the source of the strategy-making process.
- Epistemology, language and identity, about how we build knowledge, talk about it and create organisational identity.
2into3 Facilitation Services
At 2into3, we focus on providing the best facilitation techniques for your organisation. Fiona Barry can now offer Participatory Strategic Development Workshops using the LEGO SERIOUS PLAY method and materials. Workshops using the LEGO SERIOUS PLAY methodology can be delivered both online and in-person for strategic planning, focus groups, team building and facilitated outcome focused workshops.
Offering interactive sessions using the innovative LEGO SERIOUS PLAY methodology helps clients gain profound insights into their organisations:
- Tactile experience enhances articulation of thoughts, challenges and emotions.
- Building models explains complex concepts.
- Tangible models aid in strategizing and progressing towards objectives, one block at a time
Get in touch
If you’re considering hiring a facilitator and would like to explore LEGO SERIOUS PLAY, contact Fiona Barry directly at fiona.barry@2into3.com or on 086 856 5078. For more information on our facilitation service, visit our webpage.
4 key words to help you navigate a crisis in your nonprofit
Anyone involved in leading or managing a charity or nonprofit dreads having to deal with a crisis under their watch. Despite adequate planning, we understand that even the best-prepared organisations can face unexpected crises. Whatever the focus of the crisis – funding, financial mismanagement, governance, safeguarding or reputational – here are 4 key words to help you keep a cool head at a stressful time.
1. Anticipation
The best way to manage a crisis is to prevent one occurring in the first place. This is what your organisation’s risk management and oversight practices are in place for: to identify potential risks at all levels of your organisation and putting in place effective mitigation or management structures, policies and practices.
2. Leadership
Crisis management involves quick decision-making and action. Consider establishing a small team of leaders to develop and implement a crisis management plan. Make sure that their remit, responsibilities and reporting relationship to your Board is clear from the outset.
3. Communication
Key to your management of any crisis – and maintaining or re-building trust – will be how you communicate and engage your stakeholders. Develop a stakeholder map and communications plan that covers all your key relationships, particularly employees, volunteers, supporters and funders.
4. Accountability
The best way to resolve any crisis is to ensure that there is appropriate action. It’s not advisable to shy away from acknowledging and investigating the incident, how and why it happened and its impact – and demonstrate accountability by identifying the clear steps that will be taken to redress its impact and prevent it from occurring again.
By prioritising anticipation, leadership, communication, and accountability, you will be in a better position to navigate any crisis that may arise. Remember, a well-prepared organisation is less likely to be caught off guard.
Get in touch
If you require additional support with your crisis management, 2into3 is experienced at supporting organisations to prevent anticipated crises and manage actual crises. Our governance and strategy services can help you to identify and mitigate organisational risks. Or, if the worst should happen, we can support you to effectively navigate through a crisis. In the last year, we have worked with six charities of different sizes to handle a range of funding, financial mismanagement, governance and reputational crises.
For more information, visit our webpage or contact our Director of Advisory Services, Sheena Horgan at sheena.horgan@2into3.com.
Olympian Sarah Lavin champions the launch of the Federation of Irish Sport 2024 Volunteers in Sport Awards
Double Olympic hurdler Sarah Lavin was on hand to lend her voice to the launch of the 2024 Volunteers in Sport Awards, a national celebration of the extraordinary individuals who contribute to the vibrant fabric of Irish sports.
Hosted by the Federation of Irish Sport and supported by the National Network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships these prestigious awards recognise the selfless volunteers who dedicate their time, skills, and passion to support sports clubs and community organisations across Ireland.
The 2024 Volunteers in Sport Awards will bring together individuals from all 32 counties to celebrate their commitment to fostering participation and ensuring that sport is accessible to all. Their contributions not only inspire communities but also enable clubs and organisations to thrive, supporting social cohesion and well-being across Ireland. Without their dedication, many sporting opportunities simply would not exist. Nominations are now open and the awards celebration will take place in Dublin in February 2025.
Ambassador for the 2024 Awards Track and field star and double Olympian Sarah Lavin commented:
“High performance sport in Ireland as well as grassroots relies so heavily on volunteers. We cannot take for granted the time and dedication of people who step up and volunteer on a weekly basis. They deserve to be celebrated for the positive change they bring to communities across Ireland. It’s truly an honour to support this celebration of the people who make sport possible for all of us at every level.”
In every corner of the country, from city centres and suburbs to rural villages, over 460,000 volunteers work tirelessly each week to bring sport and physical activity to life for people of all ages*. The impact of their work is profound, providing multi-generational opportunities to engage in sport, build communities, and promote healthy lifestyles. The economic value of their contribution is estimated to be worth €1.5bn to the Irish economy**.
Mary O’Connor CEO Federation of Irish Sport said:
“The goodwill and work of volunteers cannot be taken for granted. These awards are our chance to say thank you and in acknowledging the incredible efforts volunteers make, ensure that we continue to encourage more people to get involved and safeguard the future of sport in the country.”
The Volunteers in Sport Awards is a vital opportunity to recognise their efforts and to shine a light on the invaluable contribution they make to Irish sport and society.
A National Network of Support
Supporting the awards is the National Network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships. Limerick Sports Partnership Coordinator Phelim Macken remarked:
“The event is proudly supported by the National Network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs), which work to increase participation in sport and physical activity by breaking down barriers and encouraging inclusivity. Through the work of the partnerships, more people across Ireland are getting active, and the Volunteers in Sport Awards is a fitting tribute to those who help make this possible”.
Nomination Process
Nominations for the 2024 Volunteers in Sport Awards are open from Tuesday, 12th November 2024, until Tuesday, 17th December 2024. Members of the public are encouraged to nominate deserving volunteers from their club or sporting organisation who have made a significant contribution or impact to their local club or community.
For more information and to submit a nomination, visit www.volunteersinsport.ie or for further queries contact Clare Louise O’Donoghue, Head of Commercial & Marketing, Federation of Irish Sport:
Mobile: 086 0437887, Email: clarelouise.odonoghue@irishsport.ie
*Sport Ireland – Irish Sports Monitor 2023
** Sport Ireland – Economic Value of Sport Report 2021
Limerick and Clare ETB Receives Major FET Investment
A huge congratulations to our clients at Limerick and Clare ETB, as they receive approval for the next phase of development for their College of the Future in Newcastle West, County Limerick.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Patrick O’Donovan TD, has announced that Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board has received approval to advance to the next phase of its development of a College of the Future in Newcastle West, County Limerick. Following a robust evaluation process, the ETB is now being given approval to move to the Pre-Tender stage of development – Project Design, Planning and Procurement Strategy. Government funding worth tens of millions of euro will provide for the construction of a new state-of-the-art further education and training campus facility at Station Road in Newcastle West.
“I am delighted to be in my hometown to make this significant announcement that will not only greatly benefit the learners and staff but the wider community of Limerick and Clare ETB. It will provide an environment that will support all learners in their education journey and in doing so allow them to reach their full potential.” – Minister O’Donovan
This new infrastructure will allow for the consolidation and integration of the further education and training provision that the ETB provides in the West Limerick region. The proposed campus will feature fit-for-purpose, digitally-enabled facilities to enhance accessibility and education pathways while promoting local development. It will also facilitate the expansion of the range of certified programmes available and introduce new employment-themed initiatives to meet workforce needs.
“The integrated FET college will address the critical need for a centralised facility that supports both learners and local industries. This development represents a pivotal investment in skills and employment pathways in the largest population centre in County Limerick, outside of the Limerick City Metropolitan Area.” – Niall Collins TD, Minister of State for Skills and Further Education
“The announced development of a FET College of the Future in Newcastle West is particularly significant as it will address structural imbalance in the county, enabling the Education and Training Board, through its College of FET, to deliver world-class education and training in response to local and national government priorities and plans.” – Donncha Ó Treasaigh, Limerick and Clare ETB Acting Chief Executive
“The capital infrastructure announcement for Newcastle West is a milestone moment for FET in Munster that will drive access to education, lifelong learning and workforce transformation in the region. This is a proud day for both SOLAS and Limerick and Clare ETB, and most importantly, it’s an exciting day for all of the current and future FET learners in the surrounding areas. With one in ten adults in Ireland now learning through FET or apprenticeships, the ongoing development of high-quality college environments in key locations such as County Limerick will play a critical role in meeting the increasing demand for upskilling across our communities.” – SOLAS Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Brownlee
Get in touch
If your organisation requires support with a business case, get in touch with our Director of Funding, Patricia Keenan at patricia.keenan@2into3.com or on 086 065 7347.
Ireland’s 2024 Olympics Success – Are we ready to capitalise?
Paris 2024 is being widely commended as Ireland’s most successful Olympics. By many measures: number of medals – gold in particular; number of people attending the Team Ireland GPO homecoming; television viewing metrics; this is undeniable.
So how does the Irish sports system position itself strategically to make the most of this success, and more importantly, to build on it?
How do you measure success?
The many medal table formats that have been flashed across news outlets globally in recent weeks illustrate the point, “it depends how you measure it”.
We’ve seen multiple versions sliced and diced in terms of number of gold medals (the official table), total number of medals, medals per capita, medals per €1m invested etc. An emerging approach is the one presented at OlympicNationalRankings.com which uses probability ranking and adjusts for population size to address some of the shortcomings of the official medal table ranking method.
Ireland fares well on most of these measures. Not surprisingly, as the Games debrief continues, different nations will undoubtedly favour different measurement methods – likely those that present them in the best light. However, medals are only the tip of the iceberg.
Measurement beyond medals
Governments and other funders make huge investments into competing at the Games. The general motivations for funding sport are to build a sense of national pride and position the country within upper echelons internationally, but perhaps the most often emphasised aspiration is to inspire increased participation in sport. Particularly, among the younger population.
Unfortunately, measuring the direct effect of the Games on sports participation rates isn’t as immediate or straightforward a task as counting the amount of bling around the necks of a nation’s athletes. Future editions of the Irish Sports Monitor may give an indication of whether an uplift in participation is achieved following the Games period. Ahead of this, it’s worth asking the question: if this is a key factor in why we invest so heavily in sport – are we ready and positioned to deliver on this aspiration?
Are we ready to deliver on sporting ambitions?
A current promotion that is offering U16s the opportunity to swim for free at a particular swimming complex for the month of August (fair play Swim Ireland, Dublin City Council and the North-East Inner-City Initiative) following the success of Ireland’s swimmers at Paris 2024 has me thinking. It is likely the case in many households all over Ireland there are currently young girls and boys of all ages asking their parents: “can I try the sport I just saw an Irish athlete excel in at Paris 2024?” In many cases, the answer is “no”.
The facility challenge
To try canoe slalom (Liam Jagou was 7th) and indoor track cycling (Lara Gillespie was 10th) currently requires a trip abroad – and beyond these unique facility examples, it is worth noting that many Irish towns and regions are outside reasonable proximity to a 50m swimming pool or running track to accommodate potential participants, let alone to provide for those with emerging talent. Factor in the tyranny of Irish weather, with an additional number of existing facilities rendered unusable for significant parts of the year . This leaves a situation where parents are forced to travel considerable distances or the children, and hence the wider sports system, miss out on the benefits.
However, it’s not just facilities. Sports programmes and activities need to be designed to context and delivered by suitably qualified personnel to ensure participants are welcome, safe and most importantly, that they enjoy themselves and a number stay involved. For many NGBs, despite delivering a lot with a little, capacity (staff and volunteers) is currently in short supply and an aspiration to develop a greater level of activity and integration between the high performance, pathways and participation functions is not matched with the human and fiscal resources to effectively bring this to fruition.
How do we address these shortages?
There are several position statements within the 2018-2027 National Sports Policy that speak to these challenges, and indeed recent Sports Capital Grant and Large-Scale Sporting Infrastructure Funding rounds will address these shortages to a certain extent. It is encouraging to see government acknowledge this greater need at the culmination of Paris 2024, with the promise of additional high-performance funding for the LA 2028 cycle.
However, if the strategic aspiration here goes deeper than winning medals, an accompanying increased systematic (pun intended) investment in other component parts of the sport participation landscape, be it via government and/or the private sector is also required. A published sport-by-sport stocktake of “what is” vs “what should be”, initially in terms of the two big ticket items: facilities and workforce, would be a good place to start.
What’s next for the Irish Sports System?
The Irish sports system’s Paris 2024 success is not unlike a bigger picture version of the breakthrough performances of swimmer Mona McSharry at the 2017 Junior World Swimming Championships. It is an absolutely fantastic result worthy of significant celebration and right now we should revel in it. More importantly though, is what it means for the future. It’s an exciting indication there is much, much more that can be achieved if we are clear on future targets and measures; we are prepared to strategically analyse our position, further grow the resources invested in sport and work hard to deploy them to maximum effect.
Written by Matt McKerrow, Associate Consultant, 2into3: matt.mckerrow@2into3.com. For more information on our Sports Insights, visit here.
4 Ways Your Sports Organisation Could Benefit from a Strategic Plan
The foundation of success for any sports team lies in having a clear game plan. This plan leverages the strengths of players and provides a direction for the team’s efforts on the field. Just as a game plan is an important step in guiding a team towards victory, developing a Strategic Plan helps sports organisations to achieve their goals.
Whether you are volunteer-led local club, a Local Sports Partnership, a National Governing Body, let’s look at 4 ways your organisation could benefit from a Strategic Plan.
1. Prioritisation of resources
Ever find yourself wishing there were more hours in the day, volunteers by the pitch, or funds in the coffers? It is essential that the energy of your staff and volunteers, as well as your finite resources, are directed in the best way. Identifying your top priorities in your Strategic Plan means that all efforts can be orientated in the right direction.
2. Unify your organisation
Developing and implementing a Strategic Plan is a collective endeavour, and an opportunity to bring together everyone in your organisation, to work on your organisation.
By consulting your players, members, volunteers and staff in the strategic planning process – asking them for their feedback, suggestions and inputs – will not only make sure that your Strategic Plan is relevant but will also help to build common ownership when it comes to delivery. And when everyone understands your organisation’s direction and their particular role in contributing towards that, it fosters collaboration and motivation.
3. Being grant-ready
A Strategic Plan ensures you have all your ducks in a row so that when a grant becomes available, you aren’t scrambling to react. It clearly outlines your organisation’s mission, goals, and the specific steps you’ll take to achieve them – which is exactly what grant committees are looking for. Being proactive and prepared makes it easier to stand out in an increasingly competitive world of grants.
It also prevents against your organisation being distracted by or wasting time and effort applying for grants that don’t meet your strategic aims or resource requirements.
4. You never know who’s watching
By laying out the vision and ambitions in your Strategic Plan to all your stakeholders and to external audiences via your website, you open up the opportunity for potential collaborators and funders to recognise potential areas of synergy, innovation and partnership – and to maybe even approach you with an offer that you could never had dreamed of.
From our experience, some of the most exciting collaborations have come from the least likely of places – but they all started with a bolt of inspiration and your Strategic Plan could provide just that.
Find out more
2into3 has deep experience in developing Strategic Plans with sports organisations across Ireland. If you’re interested in learning more about how a Strategic Plan could benefit your sports organisation, please reach out to our Director of Advisory Services, Sheena Horgan at sheena.horgan@2into3.com.
