The LPGA has officially announced the launch of its inaugural LPGA Legacy Initiative, celebrating the 2024 Solheim Cup at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. This initiative underscores the LPGA’s commitment to the communities hosting its premier events. As part of this new program, the LPGA has awarded $10,000 grants to five local nonprofit organizations, totaling $50,000, in the Washington, D.C. area.
The LPGA strives to elevate, empower, and inspire girls and women on and off the golf course. For this reason, they launched the inaugural LPGA Legacy Initiative reinforcing the LPGA’s commitment to honoring the community by supporting local organizations that champion women and girls in sports, education, and community development. These grants will bolster initiatives ranging from youth golf programs to educational leadership and military family support.
“Community is at the core of what we do,” expressed Laura Diaz, Senior Director of Community and Inclusion. “That is why at the LPGA we are always focused on driving impact across the communities where we work and play. It aligns with our mission of creating more opportunities for women and girls from all backgrounds and showing that golf is a sport where all are welcome.”
Eligible organizations must be well established and operate and benefit citizens in the local market, providing services aligned with the LPGA’s priority areas, including female and youth-focused programs, education and character development, health and wellness, and military support.
The local organizations each receiving a $10,000 grant from the 2024 LPGA Legacy Initiative include:
The goal of the CitySwing Foundation is to make golf fun and accessible for all, especially individuals who are underrepresented and underserved in the game. The organization builds healthy and successful futures by providing access to the many life-long benefits the game provides. They are committed to expanding who plays the game, how it is played, and ensuring fun is a top priority. The LPGA’s grant will support Ready, Set, Golf, a curriculum the organization takes to schools in low-income areas that invites kids to play and cultivate community. These programs extend invitations like Girls Golf by introducing more people to the sport.
“I feel deeply connected to the mission of the LPGA*USGA Girls Golf organization. It is about reaching people who are not traditionally invited to our sport. We must be more intentional about going after the ones who still are not playing the game,” shared Tari Cash, Founder and CEO. “One million girls is incredible, but going after the second million is going to take all of us, and that’s something I plan to support however I can. I want to thank the LPGA for their support which allows us to continue doing the work that drives impact.”
Established by the White House in 1988, the Hispanic Heritage Foundation is an award-winning non-profit organization focused on education, workforce, social impact, and culture through the lens of leadership. The foundation has reached millions of Latinx across the country and into Latin America through agile, creative, impactful, high-profile, and innovative programs. The Legacy Initiative will support the organization’s educational and leadership programming in the area.
“We are grateful to have been selected as a recipient of the LPGA Legacy Initiative this year. The LPGA’s support enables us to continue empowering our exceptional young sports leaders, not just in the classroom, but within their communities,” said Jose Antonio Tijerino, President and CEO. “Our efforts to provide education and workforce opportunities align perfectly with the LPGA’s mission of transforming the lives of women, girls, and their communities in the Greater Washington D.C. area.”
National Links Trust is a non-profit organization dedicated to positively impacting their community and
changing lives through affordable and accessible municipal golf. They currently operate the only three public access municipal golf courses in Washington DC: Langston, East Potomac, and Rock Creek. Their vision is to be known as the leading advocate and resource for municipal golf across the United States. The organization plans to use the LPGA’s Legacy grant to support their Jack Vardaman Workforce Development Program at Rock Creek by expanding their Free Lesson Friday’s programming to introduce more women to the game in their community.
“National Links Trust shares in the LPGA’s vision of a more inclusive, diverse future for the game of golf, and thanks to their support, we are working towards that goal in our nation’s capital,” stated Damian Cosby, Executive Director. “Thanks to the LPGA, we have continued expanding initiatives that introduce women and girls to golf, such as our Free Lesson Friday series and our introduction to golf clinics. We have been happy to see so many women and girls attend these events. We have found that 80% of participants in our introductory programs are women! We all know how valuable this game is, and to share it with those who otherwise might not have access to it is incredibly rewarding. The support of partners like the LPGA makes this possible.”
Our Military Kids® is a national nonprofit offering extracurricular activity grants to children and teens of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, or post-9/11 Combat Veterans in treatment. The organization’s activity builds children’s self-confidence, enhances family wellness, and strengthens the community. The grant from the LPGA will empower at least 33 military children and teens with extracurricular activity scholarships to pursue their passions and help sustain them during a challenging time in their lives.
“The LPGA’s support of the military community is truly inspiring and has a profound impact on so many military families every year,” stated Kara Dallman, Executive Director and retired U.S. Navy Veteran. “We all know that golf is an amazing lifelong sport but also a great adaptive sport. This grant is so crucial because it helps military families nationwide work through what can be a challenging transitional period in their lives.”
As the oldest registered Afro-American women’s golf club in the United States, Wake-Robin Golf Club recently commemorated 87 years of introducing women to golf and providing them with the abilities and skills to participate in amateur competitive golf events. Their mission is to make a difference by leading, advocating, advancing, and promoting the game of golf for women in the Washington, D.C. area.
“This money will continue our legacy of giving scholarships to junior golfers, introducing more women to the game and establishing handicaps for them so they can perform better when competing in tournaments,” expressed Debbie Tyner, President. “In addition to the financial support, our golf club was invited by the LPGA Amateurs to take part in one of their ‘Chips & Sips’ sessions at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club during the Solheim Cup. Just to be invited out to this beautiful course meant the world to us, but to have it take place during one of the biggest events in golf, we couldn’t ask for anything more.”
As the LPGA looks ahead, it remains dedicated to building a legacy that extends far beyond the fairways, empowering communities and fostering a new generation of athletes and leaders.
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