Home News Grassroots Grants Program Announces Phase IV Award Recipients, 82 Grants Totaling $750,000

Grassroots Grants Program Announces Phase IV Award Recipients, 82 Grants Totaling $750,000

by AAGD NEWSWIRE

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (May 16, 2023) – 82 grassroots golf organizations, charitable organizations or programs dedicated to increasing golf participation among those who are underrepresented in the sport, will receive a total of $750,000 in funding to further their efforts. These groups (*full list below) are being awarded grants through Make Golf Your Thingthe industry’s commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion to help make the sport more welcoming for all.

The grant program to date has provided 237 grants to 137 unique grassroots organizations, totaling more $1.8 million (May 2021: 43 grants totaling $150,000; Jan. 2022: 31 grants totaling $150,000, June 2022: 81 grants totaling $750,000, May 2023: 82 grants totaling $750,000). The program was established to support organizations dedicated to increasing participation among golf’s underrepresented populations –Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous communities, as well as women, LGBTQI+ individuals, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.  

“Diversity, equity, and Inclusion must be woven into the fabric of the game,” said Jay Monahan, Commissioner of the PGA TOUR and executive sponsor of the Make Golf Your Game area of commitment for Make Golf Your Thing. “This is not an easy task, and it requires all of us to participate fully. The industry coming together to broaden the reach of our great game is positively impacting communities in way none of us can do alone.”

“Diversity, equity, and Inclusion must be woven into the fabric of the game,” said Jay Monahan, Commissioner of the PGA TOUR and executive sponsor of the Make Golf Your Game area of commitment for Make Golf Your Thing. “This is not an easy task, and it requires all of us to participate fully. The industry coming together to broaden the reach of our great game is positively impacting communities in way none of us can do alone.” 

Formally launched in May 2021, Make Golf Your Thing is the industry’s movement to diversify all aspects of the sport. The movement is organized into three strategic focus areas for increasing diversity: Make Golf Your Game (participants), Make Golf Your Career (industry employees), and Make Golf Your Business (industry suppliers). The grant program is an ongoing centerpiece initiative within Make Golf Your Game.

The application period for this fourth phase of funding saw a record 122 applications. Each application was reviewed by a team of 24 volunteers who have extensive experience in expanding grassroots golf organizations. Grantees were selected based on population served, leadership, programming offered, growth potential, and sustainability.

Funding for the grant program is being administered by the American Golf Industry Coalition, a partnership among golf’s leading organizations to promote and advocate for the collective interests of the sport. Financial support for the program is led by a contingent of industry supporters that are committed to making the sport more welcoming and inclusive for all.

Grassroots OrganizationCity/TownState
A Perfect Swing Foundation Inc.CharlotteNorth Carolina
Adaptive Golf Experience, Inc.BeaufortSouth Carolina
Advocates FoundationLos AngelesCalifornia
Black College Golf Coaches AssociationVestaviaAlabama
Black Heritage Tour (BHT) Golf Challenge, Inc.BoydsMaryland
Bob-O-Links Junior Golf ClubChicagoIllinois
Button HoleProvidenceRhode Island
Cameron Champ FoundationCitrus HeightsCalifornia
Chandler School of GolfDallasTexas
CitySwing FoundationWashingtonDistrict of Columbia
Dreams of Lois IncorporatedFayettevilleGeorgia
Empowerment Through GolfSan DiegoCalifornia
Fairways for WarriorsMinneolaFlorida
FairWays to Leadership, Inc.OrlandoFlorida
First Tee – Benton HarborBenton HarborMichigan
First Tee – Central FloridaOrlandoFlorida
First Tee – Central MississippiFlowoodMississippi
First Tee – LouisvilleLouisvilleKentucky
First Tee – North FloridaSt. AugustineFlorida
First Tee – Southeastern New MexicoRoswellNew Mexico
First Tee – TulsaTulsaOklahoma
First Tee — Upstate South CarolinaGreenvilleSouth Carolina
First Tee – Western New YorkBowmansvilleNew York
First Tee Eastern MichiganBurtonMichigan
First Tee Four CornersKirtlandNew Mexico
First Tee Greater TrentonTrentonNew Jersey
First Tee—Central CarolinaClemmonsNorth Carolina
Fore Alabama Kids FoundationBirminghamAlabama
Fore the LadiesSylvaniaOhio
Future SuccessorsAtlantaGeorgia
Gator Junior GolfGainesvilleFlorida
Girls Golf of Eastern Nebraska Western IowaOmahaNebraska
Golf for Injured Veterans Everywhere FoundationMontezumaIowa
Golf For Life NFPNapervilleIllinois
Golf. My Future. My Game.WashingtonDistrict of Columbia
Greater Cleveland Junior Golf Scholarship FundBedfordOhio
Greenway FoundationAlamedaCalifornia
Harris Park Midtown Sports & Activity CenterKansas CityMissouri
Hi-Tee Junior Little League Golf ProgramRentonWashington
Hollywood Golf InstituteDetroitMichigan
Hurston Institute for Learning and DevelopmentMinneapolisMinnesota
I AM a Golfer FoundationDallasTexas
iGolf4VETS, Inc.RiverviewFlorida
Inland Golf AcademyRiversideCalifornia
Inner City Youth Golfers’, Inc.Palm Beach GardensFlorida
Jackson Park Golf AssociationChicagoIllinois
Journey Through 18HoustonTexas
Latina Golfers Association FoundationLos AngelesCalifornia
Little Birdies Mobile Golf AcademyMissouri CityTexas
Lone Star Golf AssociationHoustonTexas
Many High/Jr High Golf Team-ClubManyLouisiana
Matrix Human ServicesDetroitMichigan
Michigan Womens Golf AssociationDetroitMichigan
Midnight Golf ProgramBingham FarmsMichigan
Milwaukee Area Youth Golf Academy, Inc.GlendaleWisconsin
Moore-Myers Children’s FundJacksonvilleFlorida
National Golf Player Development FoundationGilbertArizona
Neurodiverse Family Haven (NFH)FairbanksAlaska
Next 18MilwaukeeWisconsin
Northern Nevada Youth Golf ProgramRenoNevada
ONE HUNDRED BLACK MEN of New York, Inc.New YorkNew York
Orlando Minority Youth Golf AssociationOrlandoFlorida
Par Excellence Youth Development (PEYD)HuntsvilleAlabama
Range Fore Hope FoundationBlythewoodSouth Carolina
Revelation GolfElk Grove VillageIllinois
She STEAMS Inc.McDonoughGeorgia
Sistas on the LinksRichmondCalifornia
SLgeeFoundationSilver SpringMaryland
Society 61 FoundationWoodland HillsCalifornia
Special Olympics PA, Three Rivers RegionPittsburghPennsylvania
Stand Up and Play FoundationVistaCalifornia
SwingPals, Inc.DurhamNorth Carolina
Ted Rhodes Foundation, Inc.ChicagoIllinois
The Caddie & Leadership AcademyKenoshaWisconsin
The GLOVe FoundationMobileAlabama
The Pinkney FoundationPittsburgCalifornia
U.S. Adaptive Golf AllianceWestmontIllinois
Upstate-Carolina Adaptive GolfGreenvilleSouth Carolina
West Penn Minority Jr Golf Association, Inc.MonroevillePennsylvania
Western States Junior Golf AssociationLas VegasNevada
Women in Golf Foundation, In.EllenwoodGeorgia
Women of Color GolfTampaFlorida

About Make Golf Your Thing
Make Golf Your Thing is a collaborative effort that reflects the industry’s commitment to making the sport more diverse, equitable and inclusive. This multi-faceted, multi-year movement intentionally works to invite more people to golf from all backgrounds, identities and abilities, whether you are playing, building a career or doing business with the industry. 

About the American Golf Industry Coalition
The American Golf Industry Coalition advocates on behalf of golf’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts; environmental and sustainability initiatives; contributions to the economy (local and national); health and wellness benefits, as well as charitable giving. The organization unites the golf industry in pursuit of goals designed to enhance the vitality and diversity of both the business and recreational levels of the sport. The American Golf Industry Coalition is a division of the World Golf Foundation. To learn more, visit www.golfcoalition.org.

You may also like

Stay in the loop!