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"UEFA Grow is our central strategic development support programme to nurture football across Europe. UEFA Grow offers tailor-made consultation services to our member associations in the areas that are most relevant for football organisations, from building a better image of football, to increasing revenue opportunities and getting more people to play our beautiful game."
Promoting and developing football across Europe is at the very core of UEFA Grow, a programme designed to grow European football systematically and strategically in partnership with our member associations by ensuring that they are able to maximise their full potential both on and off the pitch.
How did UEFA Grow start?
UEFA Grow was launched on the back of a thorough review of the European football landscape and an analysis of statistics and industry trends. The programme's initial focus was on supporting member associations to maximise their potential in four key areas, namely Image, Participation, Revenue, Engagement.
In the summer of 2015, UEFA Grow launched six pilot projects in Azerbaijan, Finland, Malta, Northern Ireland, Portugal and Slovenia. Following a successful test phase, the project was given the go-ahead to be expanded across Europe in September the same year.
How does UEFA Grow support member associations?
UEFA Grow focuses on providing individual assistance to each member association through a series of workshops which are tailored to individual needs and local market challenges, and are then supplemented by follow-up support.
In 2022, the programme was restructured according to a new strategy based on six new domains: Management, Football, Society, Network, Insights and Business – each with key objectives and sub-pillars.
Management
The programme helps member associations to operate in a more strategic and sustainable manner, which will in turn improve their public reputation and have a long-term impact on the quality of football at all levels. Benchmarking identifies trends and areas where assistance can be offered, while peer group support helps our member associations to become examples of effective management.
Topics
- Strategic management
Assisting member associations with long-term planning, strategy implementation, and regular monitoring and reporting - Financial management
Providing insights on financial management and the strategic allocation of financial resources - HR/organisational management
Analysing member association organisational structures and assisting with people management - Communication
Strengthening member associations' communications capabilities.
Football
All support offered by the Grow team has the ultimate goal of improving football performance and facilities, from grassroots to elite level, backed up by research to identify key trends and maximise potential.
Topics
- High performance
Conducting research that identifies trends and areas of opportunity - Facilities
Using technology and artificial intelligence to identify facilities at national and local level, and helping member associations with planning, partnership building and securing financial support - Grassroots
Helping to grow participation and strengthen retention
Insights
UEFA Grow will intensify efforts to promote effective development through research, investment and evidence-based decision-making. We will develop tools and services that help member associations to become the undisputed experts on football in their respective countries.
Topics
- Trends
Identifying and monitoring key trends that will have a lasting impact on member associations and football as a whole - Research
Conducting quantitative and qualitative research to inform strategic decision-making and investment - Data tools
Collecting data and analysing information to achieve a deeper understanding of individual national environments - Knowledge management
Gathering and structuring knowledge so that the football community can benefit from our work
Business
UEFA Grow optimises the commercial and marketing opportunities of member associations through the creation and evaluation of revenue improvement plans and strategies and the introduction of technology strategies to enhance business processes and deliver efficiency and alignment across all areas of the organisation.
Topics
- Business development
Providing systematic analysis of the international sports business landscape, fostering new opportunities for growth, and identifying potential risks to strengthen the overall resilience of national football ecosystems - Marketing
Assisting member associations with strategic marketing, brand management, customer relationship management and other marketing activities to build the foundations for future commercial success - Commercial development
Providing strategic analysis of member associations' current and potential revenue streams, with a focus on efficient and sustainable revenue generation and long-term financial stability - Technology
Offering analytical tools to help member associations understand their technological capabilities and needs, as well as ensuring that associations have the required skills, systems and people to adapt to future trends and technological advances
Society
The programme develops tools to measure football's impact on society, in line with the UN's sustainable development goals and key policies at EU and national level, as well as investigating new financing and investment models. That research feeds into the establishment of funding partnerships with local and national governments.
Topics
- Impact Evaluation
Quantifying positive outcomes for society at national and local level in financial terms - Public Affairs
Developing improved planning and skills in the area of public affairs, to effectively link football outcomes to key aspects of the EU's cohesion policy at national and regional level - Funding Partnerships
Using innovative financial models to help amateur clubs deliver football activities, while making those clubs more sustainable and socially responsible - Policy Alignment
Identifying key EU and Council of Europe policies that are aligned with national associations’ strategies, to maximise areas of cooperation and co-funding
Network
UEFA Grow organises workshops, webinars and conferences that allow national associations to share knowledge, challenges and best practices, and potentially find joint solutions.
Topics
- Events
Bringing national associations together to build networks and exchange ideas and practical solutions - Awards
Recognising and highlighting specific initiatives and successes that serve as models - Knowledge sharing
Providing access to an extensive and growing database of successful practices and inspirational content - Onboarding
Providing tailor-made onboarding sessions for new employees of member associations to inform them about the services offered by UEFA Grow