Mursetter - Keeping Clubs Moving

An Open Letter to Xero

I am extremely disappointed to learn of yet another Xero price increase.
For a small not-for-profit community sports clubs, these continual increases are becoming increasingly difficult to justify. We do not operate for profit, we have limited income, and every additional dollar spent on accounting software is money taken away from delivering sport and supporting our members.

Our clubs do not need advanced reporting, analytics, artificial intelligence tools or an ever-expanding collection of “features”. We simply need a reliable basic accounting package that allows us to reconcile transactions, pay bills, issue invoices, prepare straightforward financial reports and pay people.

It is incredibly frustrating to be repeatedly charged more for additional bells and whistles that we neither asked for nor use. Xero appears to be developing its products and pricing for larger commercial businesses while completely overlooking the needs of small community organisations, incorporated societies and volunteer-run sports clubs.

Suggesting that these added features represent greater value does not make the price increase reasonable. Features have no value to an organisation that does not need them. We should not be forced to subsidise Xero’s continued expansion into services designed for larger and more complex businesses.

Community sports clubs already face increasing costs for insurance, utilities, compliance, maintenance and everyday operations. Unlike commercial businesses, we cannot simply pass these increases on to customers. Any increase ultimately falls on our members, volunteers and the wider community.

Xero needs to introduce a genuinely affordable not-for-profit plan that provides essential accounting functions without unnecessary extras. This should not be a token discount from an increasingly expensive commercial package—it should be a properly designed, permanently affordable option for small charities, incorporated societies and community sports clubs.
Please stop assuming that every customer wants more features. Many of us simply want a dependable, basic accounting system at a fair and sustainable price.

At this rate, Xero is making it increasingly difficult for small not-for-profit organisations to remain customers. We will have no choice but to seriously consider alternative accounting providers if these unjustified price increases continue.

Jo Moar
Mursetter | Keeping Clubs Moving
Supporting the Community behind Community Sport

𝗜𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗯 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱?

A new season can arrive quickly—and there is plenty to organise before the first player steps onto the field, court or green.

How prepared is your club?

✓ Membership information updated
✓ Registrations ready to open
✓ Fees and budgets confirmed
✓ Funding requirements identified
✓ Policies and club documents current
✓ Member communications planned
✓ Administration systems ready

Getting these tasks sorted early helps your season begin smoothly and reduces the pressure on your committee and volunteers.

If this list feels overwhelming—or you simply need another pair of experienced hands—Mursetter can help get your club organised and ready for the season ahead.

📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.mursetter.co.nz

𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿?

Most community sports clubs have that one key person who knows:

• All the passwords
• Where every document is stored
• How each process works
• Which deadlines are coming up
• The history behind past decisions

Their knowledge and commitment are incredibly valuable—but relying too heavily on one person can leave the club vulnerable.

If they become unwell, take a holiday, get busy or decide to step away, important emails can go unanswered, deadlines can be missed and the committee may struggle to know where to begin.

Protecting your club means having:

• Documented processes
• Shared access to essential information
• Organised and centralised records
• More than one person who understands key tasks
• Reliable administrative support

This is not about replacing a valued volunteer. It is about protecting them from carrying too much responsibility—and ensuring the club can continue operating when they are unavailable.

If your key volunteer stepped away tomorrow, could your club keep moving?

𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁.

🎉 Helping Amberley Bowling Club move $25,000 closer to its goal

Amberley Bowling Club has an ambitious goal—to raise another $100,000 to replace its grass green with a synthetic all-weather green.

Mursetter has been working alongside the club to develop its funding applications, clearly explain the need for the project and demonstrate the difference an all-weather green would make for the club and the wider Amberley community.

That work has now helped secure a fantastic $25,000 grant from The Trusts Community Foundation.

The response from Amberley Bowling Club member Ian P made the result even more special: “That’s great news Jo. Well done!! It will make such a difference. I have to admit I was a doubting Thomas but happy to eat humble pie. Cheers Ian”

There is still more work ahead, but this grant represents a major step towards the club’s $100,000 goal—and a more sustainable, year-round future for bowling in Amberley.

A huge thank you to The Trusts Community Foundation for supporting this important community project.

Does your club have a project that needs funding support? Mursetter can help turn your plans into a strong and well-prepared funding application.

Supporting the people behind community sport.



Supporting the people behind community sport.

One of the hardest parts of working for yourself is losing a client you have genuinely enjoyed supporting.

Today, I received the sad news that one of my private (non sports related) clients will be coming to an end as the business is changing the way it operates.

It is difficult not to take news like this personally. You invest your time, energy and care into every organisation you support, and the people you work with become an important part of your working life.

I am proud of the work I have done for this client and grateful for the trust they placed in me. Although I understand that businesses evolve and difficult decisions sometimes need to be made, I will certainly miss working with them and yes the extra money it was bringing in.

Today, I am allowing myself to feel disappointed. Tomorrow, I will take what I have learned, keep moving forward and remain thankful for the opportunity I had.

That is the reality of running a small business—the wonderful highs, the difficult days and everything in between.

So if you know of anyone looking for a pretty good bookkeeper for a few hours a week, pass them on my details.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲’𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲?

Running a community sports club involves far more work behind the scenes than most people realise.

Mursetter provides practical support with:

• Meeting agendas and minutes
• Membership administration
• Funding applications and accountability
• Bookkeeping and financial administration
• Club communications
• Governance and compliance
• Organising systems, records and processes

Every club is different, so support can be tailored around the areas creating the most pressure for your committee.

If your volunteers are stretched and important tasks keep falling to the bottom of the list, let’s have a chat about how I can help.

📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.mursetter.co.nz

𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁.

𝗜𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀—or drowning in administration?

Community sports committees are there to provide leadership, make decisions and plan for the club’s future.

But too often, valuable volunteer time is consumed by:

• Answering emails
• Preparing agendas and minutes
• Updating membership records
• Chasing paperwork
• Managing funding requirements
• Keeping up with club communications

When committee members spend most of their time on day-to-day administration, there is little time or energy left for governance, planning and growing the club.

Getting administrative support does not replace your volunteers. It gives them the time and space to focus on the work that genuinely needs their knowledge, experience and leadership.

What task takes up the most time for your committee?

Is the traditional sports club family becoming a thing of the past? 🏃‍♂️🇳🇿

Many clubs face frustration when parents just drop off kids, yet busy parents face pressure to volunteer on top of paying fees [1]. The reality is, with NZ volunteer numbers down 28% since 2018, relying on old models is unsustainable [1].

It's time to rethink how we run community sports—including exploring shared administration or paid support [1].

Click the link below for insights on adapting for the future! 👇

Is the Traditional Sports Club Family Becoming a Thing of the Past? Is the Traditional Sports Club Family Becoming a Thing of the Past?For generations, community sports clubs have been built around the idea of the whole family becoming part of the club.Children played, parents coached or managed teams, someone helped in the kitchen, another took a turn on the commit...

**Thank you to our volunteers**

Today I’ve been processing supplier invoices.

It might not be the most visible or exciting job within a sports club, but it is an important part of keeping everything running smoothly.

It means:

* Invoices are checked and paid on time
* Suppliers are looked after
* Financial records remain accurate and up to date
* Committees have reliable information for decision-making
* Club activities, facilities and services can continue
* The club keeps moving

So much of the work behind community sport happens quietly. It is completed by volunteers who manage the accounts, answer emails, update membership records, prepare meetings, organise equipment and take care of countless other tasks that members may never see.

These jobs might happen away from the field, court or green—but they make everything that happens there possible.

To every volunteer quietly working behind the scenes: thank you. Your time, knowledge and commitment truly matter.

The best club budgets don’t just look backwards at what happened last season—they help your committee plan ahead and make informed decisions.

Before approving next season’s budget, take time to review the assumptions behind the numbers:

Are your membership fees still realistic and affordable?
Have supplier, insurance, affiliation or facility costs increased?
Are wage or contractor increases expected?
What equipment, improvements or other projects are planned?
Will any of those projects require grant funding or sponsorship?
Are there annual costs that are easily overlooked?
Have you allowed enough for repairs and ongoing maintenance?
What happens if membership numbers or other income are lower than expected?

A realistic budget gives your committee an early warning of potential pressure points. It also helps you set appropriate fees, prioritise projects and identify funding needs before they become urgent.

Your budget doesn’t need to predict every unexpected cost—but it should give your club a clear and practical financial plan for the season ahead.