Club of the Year 2024

The Club of the Year competition is designed to encourage clubs to be dynamic and active, rewarding their achievements and contributions at both a local and national level. Clubs are assessed on the planning and execution of their development strategy, involvement in the club’s local community and the level of club member’s participation. The 2024 Club of the Year competition will be judged on the timeframe of 1st August 2023 to 31st July 2024.

 

 

2024 Competition Sponsors: National Broadband Ireland

 

Key Dates for 2024 Club of the Year

  • Competition Launch and Applications open 20th May 2024 Application Closing date - 31st July 2024
  • Club books must be submitted by 14th August 2024
  • Regional Round Interviews Online – August 2024
  • Correspondence to clubs on progression to the final – by 6th September 2024
  • National Final – Sunday 27th October 2024 at the Rally in Kildare

 

Application

The 2024 Club of the Year Competition will be open to all Macra clubs. The application process will open on 20th May 2024 and will consist of a JotForm application to be submitted online by 31st July 2024.

Club books must be submitted by 14th August and clubs will be reminded of this during the first week of August. This will consist of a maximum of two social media handles, a copy of three club meeting minutes, three meeting agendas, three attendance records for three club meetings and an income/expenditure record for three months including at least one event held throughout the year.

 

Regional Round

All clubs will be invited to an online interview with at least two judges in August and will be given at least two weeks’ notice. A minimum of two members and a maximum of four members can attend this interview. The marking scheme for the application form, online regional interviews and club books is as follows:

 

 

Marks Available

Category

Details

1.

20 marks

Monthly Meetings

Attendance, planning, active members, activity at the meeting

2.

20 marks

Activity

Variety of activities (young farmer, rural youth, competitions) recruitment, retention of members

3.

    20 marks

    PR

    Consistent social media. Other avenues of PR.

    4. 

      20 marks

      Community

      Club image in the community, fund raisers, community projects

      5. 

        20 marks

        Records

        Club books – minutes, agenda, attendance, social media handles, income, and expenditure.

        Total

        100 Marks

         

         


           12 clubs will be chosen from the regional rounds to go to the final stage of the competition. These will include the top three clubs from each region and the top three emerging clubs overall.

          Clubs must have been established/re-established between 1st March 2022 and 28th February 2024 to be considered for the Best Emerging Category.

          A re-established club must have had an inactive period of 12 months or more and re-established between 1st March 2022 and 28th February 2023 to be considered for this category.

          Marks awarded at the regional round of the competition are not carried forward to the final stage of the competition.

          Club of the Year Final Stage

          The final stage of the competition will consist of a club promotional video and a club display and interview at the Rally on Sunday 27th October 2024.

          By 13thSeptember 2024, all 12 finalists will receive correspondence on the requirements for both the promotional video and the club displays at the Rally. Each club will be required to make their own club promotional video of a maximum of 90 seconds and submit it two weeks prior to the Rally.

          The promotional videos will be shared on Macra’s social media in the two weeks prior to the rally. At the Rally 2024, the 12 clubs will be required to set up a display and will be given a ten-minute interview slot with the judges.

          The judges’ questions will not be given to clubs in advance of the competition. A minimum of two and a maximum of four members must be present for the interview which will take place at the club display. On the evening of the final of Club of the Year, the club promotional videos will be shown on stage before the announcement of winners.

          Final Marking Scheme

          1 - Promotional Video (30 Marks)

           

          Marks Available

          Category

          Details

          1.

          8 marks

          Club Promotion

          Likeliness to join the club after watching the video

          2.

          6 marks

          Inclusion/Diversity

          Does it meet the needs of people from all walks of life

          3.

          8 marks

          Variety of activity 

          Is there a variety of activity expressed in the video

          4.

          8 marks

          Club Creativity

          Does the video express club creativity

          2 - Club Display (30 marks)

           

          Marks Available

          Category

          Details

          1.

          10 marks

          Originality

          How original is the display

          2.

          10 marks

          Variety at display

          Is there a variety at the club display

          3.

          10 marks

          Vibrant Display

          Is the display vibrant/would you be encouraged to join the club

          3 - Display Interview (40 marks)

           

          Marks Available

          Category

          Details

          1.

          8 marks

          Community Involvement

          Examples of community involvement

          2.

          8 marks

          Member Engagement

          Examples of engaging current members and new members

          3.

          8 marks

          Planning

          Club development plan and execution

          4.

          8 marks

          Activity

          Examples of club activities

          5.

          8 marks

          Uniqueness

          Something that stands out to judges

          Club of the Year Awards and Prizes

          Winning clubs will be awarded at the final of Club of the Year at the Rally. There will be a winner from each region, a best emerging winner, and an overall Club of the Year winner.

          The prizes are as follows:

          • Regional Winner: €500 and trophy
          • Best Emerging Winner: €500 and trophy
          • Overall Winner: €500, trophy and perpetual cup

          Communications

          For all communication regarding Club of the Year 2024 please contact Macra’s Events Co-ordinator by email cmurray@macra.ie. Club of the Year is not the responsibility of the Rally committee.