Introduction
The GAA's County Planning Guide provides County Committees with an effective process and set of resources to develop strategic plans and implement them to grow Gaelic games locally. Each County will address four key questions by engaging in the process:
- Where are we?
- Where do we want to go?
- How will we get there?
- How will we measure progress?
The Association's Club and County Planning Committee from 2018-21 created a five-stage process to get Counties from A to B as efficiently as possible. Counties are encouraged to establish a Steering Group with a Planning Leader and Coordinator appointed to lead the process with assistance from a dedicated Planning Mentor supplied by the relevant Provincial Council.
Read more about the benefits and planning process here:
County Planning Guide and Toolkit
Support Available
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Guidance on a strategic planning process that works
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20+ practical advice notes, checklists and templates
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Tailored for County Committees
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On-demand advice for each county's Steering Group
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Follow-up support for implementation and review of plans
FAQs
Who is responsible for writing the plan?
The onus is on the Planning Coordinator and Leader within the County to write the plan, but drafts should be shared with the Steering Group to ensure that all parties are happy with the final version. The Club and County Planning Committee does not provide anyone to write the plan.
Can we include our own focus areas and themes?
There is no one size fits all approach to setting focus areas. Often counties will make the mistake of copying the initial themes or pillars from its previous strategic plan, those in published plans of the GAA centrally or those in plans of comparable sports bodies. While there are no best-practice templates for choosing Key Focus Areas (KFAs) in sports organisations, each County’s strategic plan should be based on their unique risks and opportunities.
Visit the ‘Focus Area Mapping’ advice note in the Toolkit for further information.
Is there any financial support to design and publish the plan?
No. Counties must absorb the costs if they wish to seek help from a graphic designer.
Do Counties need to print the plan or can it just be made available online?
This is up to each County. It is recommended that counties have both hard and soft copies available. The cost involved in printing can be quite high, so it is not essential. However, it is a good idea to print a few copies and make them available to key people and groups.
What should Counties do if the process stalls at a particular stage?
Keeping people engaged is a crucial part in successfully completing the planning process. If a County does happen to stall and fall off track at any of the stages, it is important that the Planning Coordinator and Planning Leader re-engage with those involved in order to explain the rationale and agree corrective actions. Consult with the Planning Mentor assigned by your Provincial Council for advice.
Are there any strategic plans from other Counties available for review?
To view a number of previous and current County Plans, please visit: County Planning Folder.
Getting Started
Review the guidelines and resources available:
County Planning Guide and Toolkit
Contact your Provincial Council today to find out more. Current contact details are:
| Province | Name | Telephone | |
| Ulster | Fionntán O'Dowd | 028 (048) 3752 1900 | fiontann.odowd.ulster@gaa.ie |
| Munster | John Brennan | 086 044 6202 | john.brennan.munster@gaa.ie |
| Leinster | Jamie Queeney | 087 632 6528 | jamie.queeney.leinster@gaa.ie |
| Connacht | Adrian Hassett | 094 963 0335 | adrian.hassett.connacht@gaa.ie |