The management model you choose will dictate how much involvement you have in developing a business plan for community use. However, in all cases it is important to understand some of the key principles, and be aware that these plans are often requested if you intend on accessing external funding. To ensure your business plan is robust, it is important to ensure the full potential of community use is considered, not just those relating to physical activity and sport.
Any business plan should be underpinned by the school’s community use vision. For example, if you identified a commitment to work with a key target group, then the needs of this group should be reflected in the programming, pricing policy and marketing strategy.
Key elements of a business plan include:
1) A summary of your vision/ethos and your operation/management model
2) An outline of your target market(s) e.g. students, staff, parents, local community groups - by demographics
3) A description of your offer e.g. your programmes, your facilities, your opening hours
4) Details of how you will sell/promote your product e.g. your staffing, pricing policy, marketing
5) A financial forecast, usually for 3-5 years, detailing income, expenditure and growth. Sport England have tools to help you with this – see the Resources section.
6) An outline of how you will measure progress and evaluate your 'business’, including key performance indicators.
7) Risks that have been identified and how they will be managed
8) Clear objectives and timescales for completion/review, including who is responsible for delivery.