Two historic clubs from the Manly Warringah Football Association – Manly Allambie Football Club and Beacon Hill Football Club – have amalgamated to create Allambie Beacon Hill United FC (ABHUFC) in the 2024 season.
Since the decision last year to merge together, the Club has been busy streamlining and preparing its operations in its inaugural campaign.
As part of their expansion, the ABHUFC have recently been approved by the Local Sport Grant Program form the NSW government.
They have successfully received two grants, helping to get a new coffee machine for the clubhouse and new flags for the numbering of fields costing just above $7,000.
With the new fields and more club members, these purchases have become important cogs in the building of this new Club’s culture.
Soccerscene spoke to ABHUFC’s grant advisor Steven Gravemade who saw a great opportunity arise through the grant.
How did you find out about the grant?
Steven Gravemade: I usually find them posted on social media adverts and many committee members forwarded stuff they find from social media.
We always need to keep our eyes open for any grant offers.
What was the process to get the grant?
Steven Gravemade: You need to start with the right documentation especially invoices and quotes for the products, such as the expected cost, and what they are needed for, club info.
Then you need to complete a lengthy online form with the details of the grant on the app called SmartyGrants.
This grants app then forwards the information to whichever grant program is requested. Us being the Local Sport Grant Program.
Was it a hard process to go through or straight forward?
Steven Gravemade: It was not lengthy and not hard. You need to know what you are doing in the sense of creating a quote for the grant and following a similar well-created format. You do have to work methodically through the form.
There was positive correspondence for 3-7 weeks before it hit the accounts. This means we can go out and purchase the products now and keep the invoice.
The final stage of the grant is putting back into the app system the purchase, and this should finalise the whole process.
It is dependent on the grants, these were smaller grants than others. Though we did two separate grants which added time but overall, a similar experience and therefore a fluid task.
There is obvious difficulty added when you are applying for grants that involve infrastructure zoning as it takes many months and is very taxing,
You’ll have to go through other systems as well including the local council and this naturally makes it a longer process.
Whereas with this grant it can be done just by the club without the association or council involved. Just through the app.
“Now he’s done it a couple of times for both infrastructure and smaller grants. I think we’ve become pretty efficient.
Do they think the funding was a good amount and adequate for the Club?
Steven Gravemade: In this particular case, it was exactly what we requested,
The form also asks if you are willing to contribute which can help gauge the grant, but for us, it was more than adequate and perfectly suited to what we had wanted.
How do you think this will benefit the club overall?
Steven Gravemade: These grants are a big help and help save valuable fundraising, that can go elsewhere.
For example, it was a big bonus in helping us with the processes that needed other funding such as our completely new purple kits, training equipment, updating facilities and club image.
It’s a massive help to the club and to the budget. Every little bit helps.
For the bigger picture and first-hand experience, do you see this program as a positive plan for grassroots football?
Steven Gravemade: Yes, we feel supported through grants like this as a club. You obviously need to work hard to get it. Though the process was fluid and for our club, any grant is appreciated.
On this topic, do you think enough clubs/associations are aware of these grants?
Steven Gravemade: They do pop up, where mailing systems are also around and the main way to know of these grants and how to get them, a lot of clubs I presume are on them.
However, you still need someone proactive in the clubs to get the ball rolling such as a grants officer.
This one came up before the start of the season so maybe many weren’t looking then”.
We found out and applied for this one before the start of the season.
Also, if you look at all the grants there are a lot given out to all sports clubs, and they only show the grants that got accepted.
You can only guess how many actually applied for a grant and maybe could not be accepted.
However, I think a lot also don’t apply in the end. Overall, for me, I think these grants are beneficial.
The Local Sports grant was a massive project from the NSW government to help fuel the growth of the many codes within NSW.
The positive effect this has is massive on the infrastructure for the game and the quality and experience of grassroots sports.
The grants also show that the NSW government is invested in the growth of community football and wants to actively encourage and financially support the ambitions of these grassroots clubs.
