Plymouth Argyle Football Club (PAFC) treats all requests for charitable support with the utmost importance. PAFC and its associated partners receive multiple requests from charities, fundraisers, companies and organisations daily.

Whilst these are supported, they come from different directions within the industry from board level to staff.

PAFC, as a values-driven organisation, has long been associated with strong community links within the city of Plymouth and throughout Devon and Cornwall. To ensure we professionalise and meet our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) outreach, a charity policy and procedure has been developed.

This policy will provide guidance on how to apply to the club and how we aim to support charities in line with our vision and values of supporting the local communities we serve and cherish. The club’s corporate social responsibility will be developed through charities. By contributing to supporting good causes providing resource and coverage will enable the club to contribute to societal needs on a seasonal basis.

Through Argyle Community Trust (ACT), the club’s official charity partner, further work will be undertaken to support the club’s CSR. To provide the Trust with better coverage and demonstrate its charitable work the Trust will identify a societal need/inequality each year which they will focus on that links into their project, examples are shown as below:

• Homelessness
• Loneliness
• Socially isolated and vulnerable adults
• Food poverty
• Health inequality
• Bereavement support
• Women in Sport
• BAME representation in Sport

This will be based on research and local insight on the need of the communities we serve. Throughout the year this will be the main focus and the Trust will provide case studies, projects, success stories, awareness and campaigns to help engage with our communities.

The club's corporate arm will commit to supporting and promoting all lead charity organisations including ACT to potential new and existing partner organisations and businesses.

This will be to create positive links between those businesses and ambitious charitable partners of PAFC, this does not have to consist of financial contribution, the following elements could be considered as in-kind support: • CPD and training
• In-kind services e.g. food, facilities, promotion, work placements etc. dependent on the type of company
• Volunteering for community/charity projects
• Fundraiser for our associated charities
• Donors
• Sponsorship of events
• Sponsorship of charity/projects/programmes such as the Loneliness Project, women & girls, disability etc.

PAFC has developed this policy in line with our vision and values of supporting the local community. We are committed to serving the community in which we live and play, and wish PAFC to be a good representative for Plymouth and the wider South West. The policy has some set objectives which are outlined below:

• Selection criteria - Creating transparent and clear criteria that the club uses to identify partner charities and how they are selected
• Work strategically - Ensure that each applying charity or cause is met by a response from either the club or the Trust, offering support and future contact
• Develop the club’s Corporate Social Responsibility strategy - Ensure that the club is seen at the forefront of charitable activity in the city and beyond
• Improve partner/sponsor links - A long-term commitment to engaging partners, funders, and charity organisations who have contributed to the club
• Create a support structure - Ensuring a charity that applies to work with us have the opportunity to contribute to aligned charitable aims and goals
• Develop a process for charity application and support • Build partners and sponsors through the charitable work of the club

Selection Criteria: Proposal:

Throughout a football season, PAFC will work with four nominated charities. This does not mean we will not support other organisations for public benefit. This enables the club to provide the necessary support and commitments to these chosen entities ensuring they receive support that is feasible and concentrated. Those that are not nominated will receive some support but not at the same level. Two charities that will remain constant each season are as follows:

1. EFL Nominated Charity:

PAFC has a contractual obligation to the EFL to support its nominated charities throughout the season. These agreements are generally in place for three seasons and in previous years these have been national charities. Examples of these include The Royal British Legion and Prostate Cancer UK (PCUK). We aim to continue these obligations with the EFL and its nominated national charity. PAFC and its associated brands are committed to supporting and working with the EFL’s chosen charity of the year. The club will adhere to EFL’s requirement to support the identified charity ensuring we provide local and national coverage for the charity. Through the club and partner charity, Argyle Community Trust, we will ensure the EFL chosen charity will receive the support as outlined by the contractual compliance from EFL, and ensure locally this is linked up to the national charity.

2. Argyle Community Trust:

Argyle Community Trust is the official charity partner of PAFC. The 30-year affiliation, community operations, and shared services the Trust provides our local communities, where the majority of our current supporters are based, has ensured we support our supporter base and wider needs of the community. Working with local partners to engage and enhance lives within our local communities through the brand and support of the parent football club. The club’s corporate social responsibility will be delivered through Argyle Community Trust. This will be where the club contributes to societal goals using sport for change through the strategic aims of the Trust which link into the club’s vision and values. Through the support of the charity, the charity will ensure the club’s values and aims are delivered within the South West of England.

The charity will also contribute to working with the nominated charities of both the EFL and local charities throughout the season.

3. Two Nominated Charities:

Alongside the two recognised charities, the club will work with two nominated charities each season. PAFC are looking to work with organisations where key measurable outputs can be demonstrated from working collaboratively and will include activities where PAFC and our partners would be actively involved.

Each charity nominated will be one that links into the club’s vision and values and will be selected by a committee that will be made up of the following representatives:

• PAFC staff
• Argyle Community Trust staff member
• Player representative
• Club ambassador Charities nominated will need to go through an application process and will be shortlisted for the above panels to nominate.

This will be completed via the PAFC website pafc.co.uk. For those unsuccessful charities, Argyle Community Trust will seek to support them where possible as outlined below:

• Unsuccessful charities will be signposted to Argyle Community Trust where the Trust will work with them to see if they can align programmes and projects into the work the charity undertakes.
• Through programmes, provide promotional footage of the charity
• Presence at local events ACT deliver
• Memorabilia and prizes to raise funds for charity through an auction set up by charity*
• Vouchers for ACT provisions

How to apply:

• Charities complete the application form, which can be downloaded from pafc.co.uk
• Applications deadline will be at the end of the ongoing season
• The Selection committee will collate, review all submissions and nominate the charities
• Charities will be informed before the start of the next season
• Unsuccessful charities will be informed in writing and provided with other opportunities through Argyle Community Trust
• Successful charities will be informed in writing and invited to an activation meeting with committee
• A formal agreement will be distributed to the nominated charity which will outline the roles and responsibilities of each organisation
• Upon signing, the charity will be officially announced by the club on the first home game of the season

Benefits of being a PAFC Charitable Partner:

PAFC will ensure a range of benefits for the selected charities, as outlined below:

PAFC:

• Two signed shirts and two signed balls per season to raffle/auction to support fundraising
• One fixture on the Argyle Community Trust corporate hospitality table for eight people (can auction or use internally)
• Charity details to be included in matchday programme for the entire season
• Two stadium bucket collections at Home Park 
• 50 match tickets across the season for EFL Championship matches at Home Park Stadium
• Pitch-side presentation and media coverage for the first game of the season
• Two community or workplace visits from PAFC club ambassador per season
• Reduced hospitality and conferencing prices hosted at Home Park Stadium
• During the year, the club will also provide a donate option to retail purchases in the club shop every quarter for each charity. This would be for customers to opt-in on purchases at the value of 25 pence per purchase
• A fundraising event held at PAFC which involves PAFC staff contributing time to the event
• Social media offering which will include the following:

o Reposting agreed content from charity socials
o Timed charity mentions on social channels
o Dedicated donation buttons on Facebook for a period of time provided the charity is listed

• Logo and link on the official club website
• Invitation to end of season awards at Home Park
• End-of-season pitch presentation

Expectations of being a PAFC Charitable Partner:

PAFC will encourage collaborative work with its charity partners to maximise its output. This should include:

• Ongoing reference to the partnership between themselves and PAFC through social media and general media coverage
• A presence at club-wide events to allow promotion of the partnership and support wider networking opportunities
• Share skills and expertise with PAFC staff through CPD events and training
• Press releases to acknowledge the partnership
• Provide support for other work and good causes through the partnership
• Ensure that all staff and volunteers are aware of the club’s vision and values
• To support Argyle Community Trust in their charitable events
• Provide a seasonal report including monies raised and impact on work undertaken through the partnership

PAFC and EFL Nominated charity agreement:

EFL:

• This will be outlined within the contract as set out by EFL.

PAFC and Argyle Community Trust:

This will be outlined by the Club and Community Trust’s overarching Service Level Agreement. An example is demonstrated below:

• An agreed theme which is being worked upon each year to highlight the work of the club’s charitable work (through the charity) e.g. loneliness, food poverty, health inequalities within the city, young carers
• Reduced hospitality and conferencing prices hosted at Home Park Stadium for charitable events
• Regular promotion of the charity published in match day programmes and the club’s social media sites
• Access to first-team squad to support charitable events and player visits to the local community providing inspiring moments
• An agreed Community Day at the Club in the build-up to an EFL Championship fixture at Home Park to promote the charity’s work and gain further support/exposure
• Signed Memorabilia (Trust cover costs of purchases)
• Promoting the charity to PAFC’s current and future sponsors and business partners

In return, Argyle Community Trust will commit to: Encourage collaborative work with its charity partners to maximise its output. This should include:

• Ongoing reference to the partnership between themselves and PAFC through social media and general media coverage
• Promotion of the club within the communities we serve
• Commitment to all national and local campaigns being held by PAFC such as Kick It Out, LGBTQ+, BLM and other campaigns within the season
• A nominated staff member to meet existing and potential new clients of the club demonstrating our CSR
• A presence at club-wide events to allow promotion of the partnership and support wider networking opportunities
• Share skills and expertise with PAFC staff through CPD events and training
• Press releases, social media to acknowledge player appearances, celebratory events/landmarks
• Produce a yearly impact evaluation report outlining the charities work within the local communities
• Work with nominated charities to help raise profiles and engage with the wider community
• Support those unsuccessful charities where possible and reasonable

Existing and new partners to the football club:

PAFC commercial department will actively promote the charities they are engaged with to help entice the club’s partners and sponsors to support the nominated, worthwhile causes. Although financial contributions will be kindly received it is not essentially finance that is always required, and contributions could be made in the following areas:

• Dedicating one of the charities to the companies designated charity
• CPD and training
• In-kind services e.g. food, facilities, promotion, work placements etc. dependent on company type
• Volunteering for community/charity projects
• Fundraisers for our associated charities
• Donors
• Sponsorship of events
• Sponsorship of charity/projects/programmes such as Loneliness Project, Women & Girls, Disability etc

PAFC Charitable Monitoring and Evaluation Programme:

PAFC will:
• Collaborate with the charitable partner to design and confirm clearly defined outputs/expectations which are agreed by both parties.
• Deliver quarterly progress meetings with charity partners and review output, outcomes and performance against pre-determined KPIs.
• Undertake an end-of-year review with charity partners as a means of reviewing formal partnership performance/success.
• Provide charitable partner with an end-of-year impact report and associated infographic to demonstrate outputs.

Charities will:

• Provide PAFC with monthly performance data/stats as agreed during an official onboarding meeting.
• Provide regular media (photos, videos etc.) that updates PAFC of charitable work being undertaken in line with pre-agreed outputs.
• Provide PAFC will prominent success stories or case studies that highlight the positive work being undertaken through the partnership.
• Attend all pre-agreed review meetings to discuss progress and required support in line with achieving pre-determined KPIs.

*Up to 10 items, that are signed by the PAFC first team, may be donated to local charities, causes and initiatives each month throughout the course of any football season. These items may include signed PAFC balls and signed PAFC shirts, as well as, occasionally, other items.

Anyone can apply for one of these items to use to raise funds for their own charitable causes/organisations, typically via a raffle or an auction, and are invited to do so via the PAFC charity inbox, charities@pafc.co.uk.

Applicants will be required to detail the cause they are hoping to fundraise for and are asked to meet the following criteria, in order to be eligible for a signed item.

Criteria:

- The charity you are fundraising for must be based within Devon or Cornwall. We are passionate about supporting smaller, local, community bases charities with limited existing resource. Therefore, these will take priority in our decision making.

- If successful, you must be able to collect the signed item from Manadon Sports & Community Hub (PL5 3FD)

- The cause must be aligned to One Argyle’s visions & values. Examples of this include, but are not limited to: poverty/food insecurity, social isolation & loneliness, physical & mental health & wellbeing, sports inequality, BAME representation in sport, Women & Girls in sport, LGBTQ+ representation, education, employment etc.

- You must be willing to feedback data regarding the donation, including the total that was raised and the impact that was achieved via the donation.

- You must not have been successful with receiving a donation already in any given football season.

Successful applicants will be based on research and local insight on the current need of the communities we serve. Each month, successful applicants will be shortlisted and chosen by the PAFC Charitable committee. They will then be contacted with further details on where/when to pick up their designated item on the 1st of each month.

Due to the sheer volume of requests received each month, we cannot reply to every email individually. If you do not hear back by the 2nd of any given month, please assume that you have been unsuccessful in your application, however you are welcome to reapply at a later date.

We will safely store your signed donation for up to 7 days after the agreed collection date. Should the item remain uncollected thereafter, it will be donated to another local charity.

We are unable to post items, even if the recipient is willing to cover postage costs. All items must, therefore, be collected in person from Manadon Sports Hub. Please take this into consideration when applying for a donation.

To request an application form for our charities programme, email charities@pafc.co.uk