The treasurer’s role in a swimming club is one of the most important and least glamorous positions on any committee. Done well, it keeps the club financially stable, builds trust with the membership, and ensures that the committee can make informed decisions about everything from pool hire to coaching budgets. Done poorly, it leads to cash flow problems, frustrated parents, and the kind of financial uncertainty that can genuinely threaten a club’s survival.
If you have recently taken on the treasurer role, or if your club’s finances feel disorganised and difficult to manage, this guide covers the practical steps to getting things in order.
Setting up the basics
Before worrying about budgets and forecasts, make sure the foundations are solid.
A dedicated club bank account. This should go without saying, but club money must be kept completely separate from personal finances. The account should be in the club’s name, require two signatories for significant transactions, and have online banking access for the treasurer and at least one other committee member. Most high street banks offer community or charity accounts suitable for swimming clubs.
Clear financial records. Every pound that comes into and goes out of the club should be recorded. This does not require sophisticated accounting software. A well-structured spreadsheet can work for smaller clubs, though purpose-built club management platforms handle this far more efficiently as the club grows. What matters is that the records are accurate, up to date, and accessible to more than one person.
Access for the right people. The treasurer should not be the only person who can see the club’s financial position. At minimum, the chairperson and one other committee member should have visibility of the accounts. This is not about distrust. It is about resilience. If the treasurer is unavailable for any reason, someone else needs to be able to keep things running.
Understanding your income
Swimming club income typically comes from a few core sources. Understanding each one clearly is the first step towards managing them effectively.
Membership subscriptions. This is the primary income stream for most clubs and should cover the majority of your ongoing costs. Subscriptions might be collected monthly, termly, or annually, depending on your club’s structure. Monthly collection through Direct Debit is generally the most manageable approach for both the club and its members.
Session fees or lane hire top-ups. Some clubs charge additional fees for specific sessions, particularly for extra training, open water sessions, or land training.
Competition entry fees. Most clubs pass gala entry costs through to the families of competing swimmers. Track these carefully, as the gap between receiving payment from parents and paying the hosting club can create short-term cash flow complications.
Fundraising and social events. Quiz nights, cake sales, sponsored swims, and similar activities can generate useful supplementary income. However, they should be seen as a bonus rather than a core part of the budget. A club that depends on fundraising to cover basic operating costs has a structural funding problem.
Grants. Swim England, Sport England, local authorities, and community foundations all offer grants for various purposes. These are worth pursuing but take time to apply for and are never guaranteed.
Managing expenditure
On the spending side, swimming clubs have a fairly predictable cost structure, which makes budgeting more straightforward than in many other organisations.
Pool hire. This is almost always the single largest expense, often accounting for 50% or more of total costs. Pool hire rates vary enormously depending on your location and the facility you use. If your club uses multiple pools, track the cost of each separately.
Coaching costs. Whether your coaches are paid employees, self-employed contractors, or receive honoraria, their costs need to be budgeted accurately. Include any associated costs such as CPD courses, poolside first aid qualifications, and Swim England coaching licences.
Swim England affiliation. Your annual affiliation fee and individual member registration fees are fixed costs that need to be included in the budget.
Insurance. Public liability insurance and any additional cover the club carries.
Equipment. Lane ropes, floats, kickboards, timing equipment, and other poolside resources. Some of these are one-off purchases, others need regular replacement.
Competition costs. Entry fees for galas, team transport, and any accommodation for away competitions.
Administration. Software subscriptions, printing, postage, website hosting, and similar running costs.
Building a realistic budget
A budget is simply a plan for how much money you expect to come in, how much you expect to spend, and what the balance should look like at the end of the year. Every swimming club should have one, and it should be reviewed by the committee at least quarterly.
Start with fixed costs
List every cost that the club must pay regardless of membership numbers: pool hire contracts, insurance, affiliation fees, and any guaranteed coaching commitments. These are your baseline costs, the amount you need to cover before anything else.
Estimate variable costs
Add costs that change with activity levels: competition entries, equipment replacement, event costs, and similar items. Use the previous year’s figures as a starting point, adjusted for any known changes.
Calculate the membership income required
With your total expected costs established, work out what subscription level is needed to cover them. Divide total costs by the number of paying members to get the minimum fee per swimmer. Then add a margin for contingencies, because unexpected costs always arise.
If the resulting fee level seems too high, the answer is not to set fees artificially low and hope for the best. It is to look at where costs can be reduced or where additional income can be found. Running a deficit is not a strategy.
Build in a reserve
Every club should maintain a financial reserve sufficient to cover at least three months of operating costs. This protects the club against unexpected events such as a sudden loss of pool access, a large unexpected bill, or a significant drop in membership. Building this reserve should be a line item in your budget, not an afterthought.
Streamlining UK Swim Club Payment Collection 2026
How you collect fees has a major impact on both your workload and your cash flow.
Direct Debit is the gold standard. Modern automated billing systems collect payments automatically on a set date each month, give you predictable cash flow, and reduce the time spent chasing late payments to near zero. Failed Direct Debits are automatically retried, and you have visibility of the outcome without needing to check bank statements manually. Swimly integrates GoCardless for BACS Direct Debit collection, the most reliable recurring payment method for UK swimming clubs. Compare our integrated approach to SwimClub Manager’s manual export workflow.
Bank transfers with reference numbers are common but labour-intensive. Someone has to match each payment to a member, chase those who forget, and deal with payments made without a reference or with the wrong amount. For clubs with more than 50 members, this approach consumes a disproportionate amount of volunteer time.
Card payments are useful for one-off charges like competition entries or merchandise but are generally less suitable for recurring subscriptions due to higher failure rates when cards expire or are replaced.
Club management platforms with integrated membership databases and automated billing systems integrate payment collection directly with member records, so you always know who has paid, who has not, and what the club’s current financial position is without manual reconciliation. This integration eliminates hours of spreadsheet reconciliation each month and reduces payment errors to near zero. Families can check their payment history anytime via the parent portal, reducing “did I pay?” queries to your treasurer.
Staying transparent
Financial transparency builds trust, and trust is what keeps members paying their fees willingly and volunteers serving on the committee.
Report regularly. Present a financial summary at every committee meeting, covering income received, expenditure incurred, current bank balance, and any significant variances from budget. This keeps the committee informed and ensures that problems are spotted early.
Present clear accounts at the AGM. The annual financial report should be understandable to a non-financial audience. Use clear categories, show comparisons with the previous year and with budget, and invite questions. Members who feel that the finances are well managed and transparently reported are far more likely to support fee increases when they become necessary.
Have the accounts independently examined. Most club constitutions require this, and even if yours does not, it is good practice. An independent examination by someone with relevant financial experience provides assurance to the membership and protects the treasurer.
Be open about challenges. If pool hire costs are increasing, or if the club is running a deficit, tell the membership. Hiding financial problems never ends well. Members generally respond positively when they are treated as partners in solving the problem rather than being presented with a sudden fee increase without context.
Planning ahead
Good financial management is not just about recording what has happened. It is about anticipating what is coming.
Keep a rolling forecast that looks at least 12 months ahead. Factor in known changes such as pool hire rate increases, coaching cost adjustments, and planned equipment purchases. Identify the points in the year when cash flow is tightest, typically during the summer when training reduces but pool hire contracts may still be running, and ensure you have sufficient reserves to cover those periods.
If major expenditure is planned, such as new timing equipment or a club kit order, plan the funding well in advance. Discuss with the committee whether it should come from reserves, be funded by a targeted fundraising effort, or be covered by a temporary fee supplement.
The Treasurer Role Does Not Have to Be Overwhelming
Many people avoid the treasurer role because it sounds daunting. In practice, with the right systems in place, it is entirely manageable. The key is to set up clear processes from the start, automate what you can, report regularly, and ask for help when you need it.
A well-organised club with modern financial management tools will find that the treasurer’s workload is measured in hours per month, not hours per week. Automated Direct Debit collection, integrated financial reporting, and real-time membership payment status mean less time reconciling spreadsheets and more time supporting the club’s financial health.
Your club’s financial health underpins everything else it does. Get the finances right, and you give your committee the confidence and resources to focus on what swimming clubs are really about: helping swimmers develop, compete, and enjoy the sport.
Further reading: How to collect swim club fees compares five payment methods side by side. If your club currently uses Club Organiser, our Club Organiser comparison breaks down where it falls short on financial management. If your club is exploring new software, our guide to evaluating swim club software covers the ten questions your committee should ask. See how Swimly’s billing automation and attendance tracking work together, then join the founding club programme for hands-on migration support and transparent pricing.