ABSTRACT
There is often some confusion over the importance of financial management to voluntary sport organisations. To some extent this confusion is caused by terminology describing the sector, such as ‘non-profit making’ or ‘non-profit distributing’. Whilst it is true that voluntary sector organisations do not exist primarily to make a profit, there are no rules that prevent them from actually doing so. In many sport clubs it is by making profits from bars, catering and fruit machines that funds are obtained to invest in the maintenance of club houses, new playing equipment and the payment of professional staff. For clubs without premises, it is profitable fund-raising from social events that is used to support the costs of playing sport.
