ST KILDA is hoping to match the financial recovery of rival Richmond with the establishment of its own donations fund, which will play a key role in the club's ambitious plan to win its second premiership by 2020.
After launching the Fighting Tiger Fund in 2011 with debts of more than $4.5 million, Richmond has been able to clear its books, upgrade its facilities at Punt Road Oval and increase resources to its football department.
As part of the strategic plan unveiled at its 2014 season launch, St Kilda is aiming for a similar improvement in its finances, underpinned by the Saints Marching Fund.
As well as reducing $4.5 million of debt, the Marching Fund will contribute to a Moorabbin redevelopment, improved facilities at the Seaford training base and building a "war chest" for future spending needs.
General manager future fund/foundation Glenn Tanner, who has overseen the development of the Marching Fund, said Richmond's fundraising efforts had been a success worth taking note of.
"If you look at some of the other AFL clubs and charities that have been successful in setting up foundations, in our industry the Fighting Tiger Fund has been as good as any, in what it's been able to achieve," Tanner told AFL.com.au.
"We've done a lot of research and met with all the other clubs and other charities and organisations that have set up similar foundations.
"So the key was to really understand what the foundation existed for … what its cause was.
"The Fighting Tiger Fund was certainly an example of how it can be done well."
The Saints have been holding discussions with key stakeholders and major donors about the Marching Fund for 12 months, and enthusiasm to contribute to the Moorabbin development has been particularly strong.
Tanner said donors could dictate whether their contributions went to Moorabbin, the Linen House Centre in Seaford, community development projects or a future war chest and be confident that's where their money would be spent.
He said bridging the widening gap in football department spending would be another popular target of the Marching Fund.
"I think most supporters and stakeholders want us to improve, and if you invest in football and get your recruiting and development right, other parts of your business start flowing right," Tanner said.
"Membership is reflective of that and corporate support is reflective of that.
"Relative to our turnover, I think we're in the top three for investment in football.
"But for actual investment, we're in that middle to below middle bracket."
The Saints Marching Fund will have its own board, including past captains Danny Frawley and Barry Breen and club board members Russell Caplan and Paul Kirk.
