USGA Awards 84 New Grants Totaling $1.6 Million
March 23, 2007
E-mail address: mediarelations@usga.org
Colorado Springs, Colo. - The United States Golf Association (USGA) hasawarded a new round of 84 grants totaling $1,675,964 to non-profit organizations that will reach nearly 50,000 economically disadvantaged children and individuals with disabilities.
The awards are part of the USGA's effort to create opportunities in people's lives through golf. monies can be used for instruction, golf course and range access, equipment or construction of golf facilities.
"The values that are inherent to the game of golf are transferable to areas of personal development that reach far beyond the golf course" said USGA President . "The programs we have supported over the past 10 years have demonstrated golf's potential to change lives time and time again. We know these newly supported programs will continue that good work."
The USGA has awarded nearly $55 million since 1997 through its "For the Good of the Game" grants initiative.
, a young woman in her 20s who is assistant director of The First Tee of Greater Seattle (TFTGS) which includes the Seattle Junior Golf Foundation, knows firsthand that golf has the potential to change lives. She was involved in a USGA-funded program as a youngster in Montclair, N.J. After college, she was a Fellow administrator in the USGA grants program for two years. She now works for a program that has been the recipient of USGA funding.
"We are so grateful for the support of the USGA. Its support has been invaluable in establishing ourselves in the community," said "After starting with fewer than 250 participants in 2003; we now reach 1,200 kids annually. There is no way we could have accomplished this without the generosity of the USGA."
Another program that will benefit from USGA funding is the Bergenfield (N.J.) Public School District. The new program there will use a $14,000 grant to help introduce students with Autism to golf as a way to strengthen their social skills and cognitive abilities.
"What makes golf the perfect challenge for students with this disability is that it is a game that dares each participant to continuously compete against oneself," said Superintendent Dr. . "Every player has an opportunity to be a winner. The course will represent a spectacular and safe learning environment for children who have been trapped inside a variety of walls for too long."
In , the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation will receive $44,000 in funding to support its summer caddie program, which enters its 16th year in 2007. It is designed to help economically-disadvantaged young people obtain job experience, earn income and gain self-reliance. So far, 368 scholars have participated in the caddie program and 86 caddies have gone on to receive the prestigious Chick Evans Scholarship that underwrites college tuition.
The USGA will also support the development of youth through the Texas Golf Association Foundation's new TGA Works internship program with a $28,000 grant. The initiative will introduce 20 Dallas-area youths to careers in the golf industry through placements in TGA-member golf club pro shops, clubhouses and maintenance crews. During their 10-week internships, participants will also have access to free golf instruction, equipment and playing opportunities.
"We are very proud of the USGA's support for the TGA WORKS program," said , president of the TGA Foundation. "The goals of TGA WORKS are parallel with the Foundation's mission to not only expose young people to the game, but also introduce them to the many possible career opportunities in the golf industry.
Here is a complete list of the 84 programs receiving funding across the country:
| Challenge Alaska, Inc. |
Anchorage, Alaska |
$11,500 |
| Huntsville Metropolitan Youth Golf Foundation |
Huntsville, Ala. |
$10,000 |
| Tennessee Valley Jazz Society |
Huntsville, Ala. |
$10,000 |
| Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement |
Sylacauga, Ala. |
$8,000 |
| Southern Arizona Junior Golf Association |
Tucson, Ariz. |
$11,250 |
| East Bay Golf Foundation |
Concord, Calif. |
$95,000 |
| Mosquitos Eastside Action Club, Inc. |
Ripon, Calif. |
$2,700 |
| Lake Chabot Junior Golf Academy |
San Leandro, Calif. |
$14,000 |
| Girls Incorporated of Greater Santa Barbara |
Santa Barbara, Calif. |
$4,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County |
Temecula, Calif. |
$4,000 |
| Yreka Family YMCA |
Yreka, Calif. |
$2,500 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley |
Alamosa, Colo. |
$14,000 |
| LPGA Foundation |
Daytona Beach, Fla. |
$185,000 |
| The First Tee of Jacksonville, Inc. |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
$20,000 |
| Florida Adaptive Golf, Inc. |
Sarasota, Fla. |
$50,000 |
| Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology |
Spring Hill, Fla. |
$2,600 |
| Walton Foundation |
Augusta, Ga. |
$9,660 |
| Decatur County of Georgia |
Bainbridge, Ga. |
$5,550 |
| The First Tee of Columbus |
Columbus, Ga. |
$10,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Rome, Inc. |
Rome, Ga. |
$8,000 |
| North Shore Junior Golf Association |
Waialua, Hawaii |
$50,000 |
| Idaho Youth Ranch, Inc. |
Boise, Idaho |
$14,650 |
| Idaho Youth Golf Association, Inc. |
Boise, Idaho |
$17,300 |
| The Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation |
Chicago, Ill. |
$44,000 |
| Dreams for Kids, Inc. |
Chicago, Ill. |
$12,370 |
| George Bell Youth Opportunity Fund |
Libertyville, Ill. |
$3,350 |
| Patriots' Gateway Community Center |
Rockford, Ill. |
$15,000 |
| Rockford Park District |
Rockford, Ill. |
$15,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Springfield |
Springfield, Ill. |
$15,000 |
| Blackford County Community Foundation |
Hartford City, Ind. |
$8,000 |
| Damar Services Inc. |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
$10,500 |
| Positive Swing |
Southport, Ind. |
$30,000 |
| Arkansas City Recreation Commission |
Arkansas City, Kan. |
$2,000 |
| Wichita Junior Golf Foundation |
Wichita, Kan. |
$18,000 |
| TFT, Inc. |
Pineville, Ky. |
$57,000 |
| Youth Golf Coalition |
Louisville, Ky. |
$40,000 |
| Northeast Louisiana Youth Golf Academy |
Monroe, La. |
$40,000 |
| Northwest Louisiana Youth Golf and Education Foundation |
Shreveport, La. |
$25,000 |
| Public Schools of Brookline |
Brookline, Mass. |
$14,000 |
| Children and Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder |
Landover, Md. |
$6,750 |
| Northern Maine Development Commission, Inc. |
Caribou, Maine |
$5,500 |
| Traverse City Junior Golf Association |
Traverse City, Mich. |
$15,000 |
| Chillicothe Middle School |
Chillicothe, Mo. |
$4,150 |
| Triple "A" Youth Foundation |
St. Louis, Mo. |
$20,000 |
| Eagle Mount Billings |
Billings, Mont. |
$5,120 |
| Walter T. Morgan Service Foundation, Inc. |
Cornelius, N.C. |
$10,000 |
| City of Franklin, Parks and Recreation Department |
Franklin, N.H. |
$1,500 |
| Bergenfield Public School District |
Bergenfield, N.J. |
$14,000 |
| The ARC of Atlantic County, Inc. |
Egg Harbor Township, N.J. |
$5,000 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Gloucester County, Inc. |
Glassboro, N.J. |
$2,500 |
| Gloucester City School District |
Gloucester City, N.J. |
$12,500 |
| Metropolitan Golf Association Foundation |
Elmsford, N.Y. |
$22,500 |
| Mount Vernon Boys & Girls Club |
Mount Vernon, N.Y. |
$6,784 |
| The First Tee of Akron |
Akron, Ohio |
$12,500 |
| Edwin Shaw Hospital — Challenge Golf |
Akron, Ohio |
$8,700 |
| Hamilton County Park District |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
$5,000 |
| Mound Street Military Academy |
Dayton, Ohio |
$4,000 |
| Northern Ohio Hemophilia Foundation |
Independence, Ohio |
$5,340 |
| Whittier Middle School |
Lorain, Ohio |
$640 |
| Youth Development Corp. of Southwestern Ohio |
Loveland, Ohio |
$3,100 |
| Malta-McConnelsville Rotary |
McConnelsville, Ohio |
$6,750 |
| Ohio Junior Golf Association |
Norwalk, Ohio |
$20,000 |
| The First Tee of Tulsa |
Tulsa, Okla. |
$3,000 |
| City of Waurika |
Waurika, Okla. |
$1,800 |
| City of Waurika |
Waurika, Okla. |
$1,250 |
| Heart of Variety Fund |
Philadelphia, Pa. |
$20,000 |
| Fairway Outreach, Inc. |
Columbia, S.C. |
$50,000 |
| SharedCare |
Myrtle Beach, S.C. |
$13,000 |
| City of Chattanooga Parks and Recreation |
Chattanooga, Tenn. |
$5,150 |
| Mid-South Junior Golf Association |
Memphis, Tenn. |
$50,000 |
| Mid-South Junior Golf Association |
Memphis, Tenn. |
$125,000 |
| The Greater Brownsville Junior Golf Foundation, Inc. |
Brownsville, Texas |
$30,000 |
| Texas Golf Association Foundation |
Dallas, Texas |
$28,000 |
| Youth Sports Council of Fort Worth |
Fort Worth, Texas |
$30,000 |
| Grand Prairie Independent School District |
Grand Prairie, Texas |
$3,500 |
| Young Women's Christian Association of Lubbock, Texas, Inc. |
Lubbock, Texas |
$6,000 |
| YMCA of Port Arthur Texas |
Port Arthur, Texas |
$20,000 |
| The Texas Educational Foundation |
San Marcos, Texas |
$15,000 |
| Southern Texas PGA Foundation |
Spring, Texas |
$40,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Utah County |
Provo, Utah |
$11,000 |
| National Alliance for Accessible Golf |
Bloomington, Va. |
$25,000 |
| Golfers Social Foundation |
Palmyra, Va. |
$10,000 |
| Seattle Junior Golf Foundation |
Seattle, Wash. |
$27,500 |
| Learning Through Golf Foundation |
Green Bay, Wis. |
$20,000 |
USGA Grants Initiative: A Capsule History
The United States Golf Association works to make the game of golf affordable and accessible. Since 1997, the grants initiative has traditionally focused on programming for economically disadvantaged kids and individuals with disabilities. The USGA Executive Committee has extended this grants initiative to the end of the decade, bringing total anticipated USGA support to $65 million to provide financial support and assistance to deserving golf programs.
Beyond its Grants Initiative, the USGA partners with national organizations to promote affordable and accessible facility development, course access, girls' golf and initiatives for individuals with disabilities.
For more information on the USGA Grants Initiative, contact the Grants office at (719) 471-4810 or visit the Grants Section of the USGA Web site at www.usga.org.