Peter Murphy - Fundraising and the Foundation

Far from being a “dirty word,” fundraising is a critical part of supporting rugby. Importantly, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Today, we speak with former Olympic rower and Executive Director of the Australian Rugby Foundation, Peter Murphy, about the role his foundation plays in funding rugby. Our conversation opens as Peter explores the Foundation’s purpose and the five major pillars that it focuses on, including women’s, grassroots, First Nations, and high-performance rugby, along with player welfare. We talk about how the foundation guides local clubs, providing them with toolkits and resources to help them fundraise. On the topic of transparency around spending, Peter discusses the systems and governance model that tracks every dollar that his foundation spends. We touch on the contributions made by John Howard the Foundation’s Chairman, how the Foundation operates with other fundraising bodies, and why coterie groups are an excellent fundraising model. Peter then shares details about his work as the high- performance manager for the Fiji Rugby Union, and the pride that this has brought him. Near the end of the episode, we dive into the foundation’s 2021 goals. Tune in to hear more about Peter’s work and how it enriches the world of rugby.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Exploring the role of the Australian Rugby Foundation in funding Australian rugby.

• Hear about the Australian Rugby Foundation’s five pillars of focus.

• Shifting investment from high-performance play to grassroots rugby.

• Why “fundraising” isn’t a dirty word; it’s a tool to enrich valuable projects.

• How the Australian Rugby Foundation is making it easy for clubs to fundraise.

• What the Australia Rugby Foundation does to create transparency around spending.

• How their chairman, John Howard, has shaped their organisation.

• The relationship between different fundraising bodies.

• The psychology behind giving; you donate to what engages you.

• How COVID has negatively affected community funds and player numbers.

• Raising money through a coterie system or ‘giving circles.’

• Peter shares details about his work as the high-performance manager for Fiji Rugby Union.

• Insights into the Foundation’s 2021 goals, emphasising women’s and grassroots rugby.

“Fundraising is not a dirty word. The biggest mistake a club can make is not having a go at it. You’ll be surprised at what you have in your network.” — Peter Murphy [0:12:14]

“We know that if we keep our talent in this game, playing rugby and not going to other codes — it’s a big investment that will create depth in rugby.” — Peter Murphy [0:29:38]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Peter Murphy on LinkedIn
Australia Rugby Foundation
Australia Rugby Foundation Toolkits
Hearts in Union
The Shore Foundation
Rugby Xplorer
Australian Sports Foundation J
John Howard
Positive Rugby Foundation
Queensland Reds Foundation
The Future Force Foundation
Brumbies Rugby Foundation
Dr. Nicola Forrest
Andrew Forrest
Fiji Rugby Union
World Rugby