Introduction

streetfootballworld is a global NGO that harnesses the power of football to tackle some of the greatest social challenges of our time. This organization’s work supports an international network of over one-hundred grassroots organizations that use football as a tool to address deep-rooted community issues – ranging from refugee integration in Ireland to gender equality in Kenya. Collectively, the network empowers over two million disadvantaged young people per year. In 2016, the CEO approached Oliver Wyman to help design the business model for creating an independent social investment fund; the Common Goal Fund, with planned investment being made primarily by stakeholders of the football industry. The mission of this fund was to develop disadvantaged and disengaged subpopulations to become (economically active) fans and consumers of the football industry.

Scope

Over the course of a six-week engagement, Oliver Wyman helped design the Common Goal Fund’s strategy and value proposition, determine its funding potential as well as derive a mid-term roadmap for organizational and financial ramp-up. As a crucial first step to implementation, the team then helped the client develop a pitch document for potential investors.

Impact

Designing the Common Goal Fund’s overall strategy and value proposition in “speed-mode” enabled streetfootballworld’s CEO to pitch the idea for the fund to key contacts within the football industry three weeks after start of the project. Leveraging the positive initial feedback allowed streetfootballworld and Oliver Wyman to build momentum within the industry and present a marketing pitch to key stakeholders of major leagues towards the end of the six-week engagement. Drawing on the momentum build, streetfootballworld plans to launch the first phase of the Common Goal Fund in 2017 with a number of professional players as early movers.