AUTHORS
Michael van 't Hoff https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-van-t-hoff/
Jesse Kamstra https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessekamstra/
Ward Schuuring https://www.linkedin.com/in/ward-schuuring-27b35a126/
Vere Werlotte https://www.linkedin.com/in/verewerlotte/

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Sport associations have a hard time recruiting and retaining operational volunteers and board members. Therefore, this paper proposes three policy proposals for local government officials to support sport associations in their journey of filling all their positions with competent people.

First, local government officials are encouraged to create a yearly municipal sport conference. During this conference, relevant information needs to be provided, and formal and informal network opportunities need to be offered, by the municipality to board members of sport associations. Second, local government officials could stimulate sport associations to organise events to recruit new members and volunteers. As such, local government officials should act as a third-party facilitator for sport associations. Third, local government officials are urged to create municipal sport committees to encourage knowledge sharing between board members who are a subject matter expert of a specific category (e.g., treasuring) within their own sport association board. Knowledge sharing will likely result in a reduction of board members that are needed. Hence, sport associations will need to recruit and retain less volunteers. Local government officials are encouraged to initiate the first proposal, and, thereafter, carefully apply the formulated action plan in this paper to initiate policy proposal two and/or three, to reap most benefits for their municipal sport associations.

In conclusion, the information presented in this paper helps local government officials decide upon which partnership opportunities municipalities should invest in to have their sport associations flourish (that is; maintaining a solid volunteer base). In addition, members of sport associations were informed of the ongoing issues at sport associations and of possible workable partnership opportunities for sport associations. As a result, the barriers for sport associations to partner up with other associations were lowered, and, consequently, sport associations will be more likely to ascertain their continuity for years to come.