The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) Training & Development Fund: The bulk of CRAOLs funding comes from the BAI's Training & Development fund. This vital funding makes a huge difference to the ongoing development of the Community Radio Sector in the Republic of Ireland. 

CRAOL must produce a draft Activity plan for the BAI by the end of October of each year. This is then negotiated with the BCI’s Training & Development Officer and changes made before approval in November/early December. The one–year plan is drawn up by CRAOL Co-ordinating Committee, facilitated by the Development Advisor. The plan is created within the context of a 3 Strategic Plan and clearly states what the network aims to achieve in the areas of Training and Development in the following year. This plan outlines proposed activities along with their context, costs, perceived impact of activity, timeframes and details of by whom and how each activity will be achieved. A Quarterly report has to be provided to the BAI within 2 weeks of each quarter along with an annual report and audited cost statement.

The Wheel - CRAOL Training Links Network: The CRAOL Training Links Network is running from Winter 2008 to Winter 2010. The CRAOL Training Links Network will increase the quality, availability, and take-up of training in community radio broadcasting (including ethos) throughout Ireland through:

• Ensuring that every volunteer in Community Radio has the opportunity to access skilled and accredited training appropriate to their professional and personal development

• Establishing and supporting a network of 40 accredited trainers from over 19 stations who will have delivered a range of accredited training courses to over 600 participants by the end of 2011.

The CRAOL Training Links Network is premised on the realisation that the better the skill-set of community radio volunteers, the stronger their capacity to fulfil the potential of community radio. The proposed training network is built around the FETAC Accredited training system. It builds on previously BCI-funding activity to build a network of station based trainers with key general training skills. This network of trainers then delivers courses locally on behalf of CRAOL. These courses include Community Radio Broadcasting skills at FETAC Level 4 & Level 5, relevant to both to the volunteer body and paid staff. The training links network will also provide Station managers and administrators with the practical skills to promote and administer such FETAC Courses drawing from the available FETAC Module Descriptors, both those developed by CRAOL, and others applicable to the sector.

Network Development - BAI Supported Network Training: The BAI Training and Development Fund has also a limited budget to build the capacity of the different training networks such as CRAOL, AIRPI, CTA etc. Accordingly, small amounts of funding have been available for once off training events for the co-ordinating committee in areas of effective meetings, planning, etc.

Co-productions - Sound and Vision: CRAOL has been successful in applying in its own right for two Sound and Vision Projects ‘Trasna na Donnta’ and ‘A voice for Communities’. The Series ‘Trasna na Donnta’ was a 57-part series of 7 minutes programmes with each programme capturing the life experience of a returned emigrant. 14 stations participated in the making of the series. A Voice for Communities tells the story of Community radio in Ireland. Trasna na Donnta is currently available for download through the Programme Exchange.

CRAOL benefits financially from a combination of co-ordination fees, and by stations getting paid to make a set number of programmes and then waiving payment for one programme. This model not alone resulted in CRAOL receiving a contribution to the CRAOL Development fund (see below), but also in a critical mass of shared programming and income to participating member stations. Any full member station which is a signatory to the CRAOL Agreement for Mutual Co-operation is entitled to participate and benefit from CRAOL co-productions. In Round 8, CRAOL submitted an application for an ambitious Irish Language co-production which will utilise the programme exchange in the creation as well as distribution of a magazine style Irish Language Programme. In future, CRAOL hopes to submit more projects to regular rounds of Sound and Vision and to expand this activity to encompass a network wide S&V Special Scheme.

Membership Subscriptions:  Membership Subscriptions CRAOL generates a portion of its income each year from the annual subscriptions paid by it’s members. The size of the subscriptions are extremely low in comparison to the benefits received (training, support, discounts, revenue etc) but importantly reflect members sense of ownership of the network. Subscriptions are invoiced at the start each year.

In 2009, Statements were issued also which included backdated subscriptions owed to 2008. A standing order form is available with significant discounts for member stations availing of this facility. There are different rates for the different categories of members – click here for rates.

Network Advertising: In 2008 CRAOL embarked on its first network wide advertising campaign on a pilot basis, where a client (AONTAS), engaged CRAOL to deliver a national campaign across community radio. 95% of full member stations participated in a repeat campaign in 2009. This facility is now being rolled out fully across the network to all advertisers. CRAOL takes a 10% commission and in return managing all sub-contracting/invoicing/payments with a single invoice to the advertiser. If you are interested in running a campaign across the CRAOL network of Community Radio stations, CRAOL can offer an extremely competitive fixed price to encompass stations on a national or regional basis. Please email advertise@craol.ie.

CRAOL Development Fund – discretionary spending: Membership Subscriptions, Sound and Vision Projects, and Network Advertising form the basis of the CRAOL Development Fund which is used for discretionary non project spending such as match funding, advocacy, and administration. The Development fund also facilitates the additional participation of Aspirant (pre-full licence) members in CRAOL BAI-funded activities. (In the interest of transparency and competition the BAI restrict the use of their funding to fully licenced stations only.) Decisions on the use of the development fund are taken at the Co-ordinating Committee. The fund has been used recently to pay for the Independent Evaluation of the Impact of the BAI’s Sound and Vision Fund on Community Radio (The Gibbons Report) which it would not have been appropriate to fund under the BAI’s Training and Development Fund. It also allowed for the payment of additional functionality on the new CRAOL website as identified at the CRAOL Forum Meeting in Athlone in October 2008.