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Governance and Leadership

Club management

Structuring and managing a successful club

Strong leadership and good governance form the backbone of successful clubs.

This section provides practical guidance to help leaders make confident and informed decisions, build trust and create a positive culture that supports long-term success.

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You need your set-up to be fair, transparent and functional, so you can meet the objectives and uphold the values of your club. 

What structure does my club need to have? Incorporated society or Charitable trust?

Draft your constitution

This is your set of rules. They provide clarity on your vision and purpose and prevent disagreements.

Constitution or Trust Deed
Know your legal obligations

There are several different legally recognised structures that a club might adopt.

Know your legal obligations
Decide your governance structure

You need to decide if your club will be governed by a board or a committee. 

Deciding your Governance structure
Have meetings and report on them

Find out about the types of meetings you will need to hold and how to get the most from them.

Meetings
Set up a financial management plan

Good financial management is key to good governance, transparency and long-term sustainability of your club. 

Financial management

Depending on the size of your club, you may be wearing many hats. You are no doubt a volunteer. Making sure you are wearing the right hat at the right time, and not letting the lines become blurred is crucial. 

Enhance your learning 

You will find comprehensive guidance, resources and learning opportunities at Sport NZ – Governance. 

For a deep-dive into governance, Sport NZ – 9 steps to effective governance has everything you need. The Governance lite gives you the option of a condensed version. 

Another excellent online learning option, Governance 101, is available at: SportTutor. (sign-in currently required; SportTutor links lead to 404 errors). 

Please note: While we aim to provide you with all the resources you need, we recommend you seek professional oversight for your specific situation, where able. 

Your Regional Sports Trusts can offer tailored support, guidance and connections.  

Documents your club needs
  • A strategic plan that clarifies why we exist and what we hope to achieve
  • An action plan that clarifies what must be done, by who and by when
  • A constitution or trust deed
  • A budget
  • Regular reports
  • Specific policies that reflect your values and priorities 

If you require an accessible version of any content on the site please contact us and we will be happy to assist.

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