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NCGA Reach

Committed to growing the game while expanding our impact through new opportunities, programs that transform lives and a brighter future for the game.

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GOLF with a Purpose

Since its founding 125 years ago, the NCGA has believed in the power of golf to change lives and connect communities.

Today, the NCGA Foundation is carrying those tenets forward and reaching more than ever through four primary pillars.

Grow the Game: Supporting youth golfers at every stage of their journey - from first swings to access through Youth on Course to competitive play and lifelong engagement. 

Opportunity Through Golf: Opening doors through education, professional development and support for the people who make the game possible.

Lives Changed Through Golf: Supporting programs that use golf to build confidence, connection, and opportunity, such as veteran-focused initiatives, PGA HOPE, and other life-impact programs.

Forever Preserve Our History and Traditions: Honoring Northern California's golf legacy by preserving its history, celebrating greatness and learning from the past to inspire a brighter future.

 

NCGA Foundation's Reach Grant Program

The NCGA Foundation's vision of GOLF with a Purpose will ensure the game of golf is vibrant, inclusive, and accessible.” To help bring this vision to life with our public golf facilities and programs, we offer a dedicated grant program called NCGA Reach.

The objective of the grant program is to help enable Northern California public golf facilities and public programs to test new programming to be more inclusive, enhance the diversity of golfers in our region, and help grow the game of golf.  

We are allocating funding, available through approved grant applications, to provide financial assistance to test and expand facility-led pilot programs. These programs may include, but are not limited to, new event formats, mentorship, parental engagement, training, insight research and more.

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Application Guidelines for Excellence

NCGA Reach will provide recipients with up to $25K each. We focus on funding projects that align with the NGCA Foundation's mission and priorities.

Projects focused on growing golf participation among underrepresented groups through programs that are:
  • Innovative but practical
  • Scalable and repeatable
  • Multi-year rather than one-time events
  • Designed to create measurable participation growth

The strongest applications will demonstrate:

  1. A clearly defined underserved audience (youth, girls, adaptive athletes, low-income families, first-generation golfers, etc.)
  2. A sustainable pathway into golf. Not just exposure events, but continued engagement, coaching, mentorship, leagues, transportation, equipment access, or family involvement.
  3. Strong partnerships with schools, community centers, parks departments, First Tee Chapters, non-profits, municipal courses, or local golf facilities.
  4. Measurable outcomes: Number of new participants, retention rates, lesson completion, transition into play, volunteer engagement, or coach development.
  5. A realistic budget and staffing plan. Showing exactly how up to $25K would be used and how the program continues beyond the grant period.

Making a Difference: Past Grantees

To date, the NCGA has granted over 20 applications, funding over $400,000 in projects. 
Tahoe City Golf Course
Golf Fore Health
Bayview Golf Club
Pebble Beach Junior Golf Association
Modoc High School
First Tee Oakland - Life Skills Classes
Cameron Champ Foundation - Golf Wellness Lounge

Tahoe City Golf Course

Located in Tahoe City, a $25,000 grant will go towards construction of a new on-site practice area specifically for juniors and women. Learn More About Recipient

Golf Fore Health

Based at Haggin Oaks, this Morton Golf program—currently featuring participants ranging in age from 50-80 from the Greater Sacramento region–focuses on rehabilitation through golf. A $2,500 grant will help ensure that no one is turned away. Learn More About Recipient

Bayview Golf Club

Based in Milpitas, a $25,000 grant will go towards the development of a junior after-school ‘Bridge’ program that will make golf instruction more available in the communities of Fremont, East San Jose and Milpitas. Learn More About Recipient

Pebble Beach Junior Golf Association

PBJGA held free Beginner’s Introduction to Golf Clinics with the goal of attracting a diverse group of young children new to golf.  In efforts to attract a more diverse group of potential young golfers, they held free clinics at Laguna Seca Golf Ranch, the Boys and Girls Club of Monterey for three days, Twin Creeks in
Salinas for First Tee Monterey County kids and finally a free clinic at The Hay. Learn More About Recipient

Modoc High School

Modoc High School in Alturas, used $5,000 in grant funds to purchase a golf simulator for students. The simulator is being used daily by students either during P.E. classes, the lunch break or after school. Anytime there is inclement weather, the simulator has also become a haven for the golf team. The simulator has also been incorporated into Math and Science lessons. Even on a simulator, balls fly and bend in flight and their engineering students have been learning about how club speed, angle of the face, materials, shaft flex etc. affect ball flight

First Tee Oakland - Life Skills Classes

Each lesson of the Life Skills Experience program features a life skills component, a golf skills component, and a health component. Students explore various skills every week at the program through golfing games, activities, and small group discussions. Learn More About Recipient

Cameron Champ Foundation - Golf Wellness Lounge

The Cameron Champ Foundation Golf & Wellness Lounge is a dedicated indoor space designed to introduce youth—particularly those from underserved communities—to the game of golf while promoting healthy living, confidence, and educational growth. The facility supports skill development and STEM-based learning while offering dedicated areas for mentorship and mindfulness, reinforcing golf’s role in education, leadership, and personal development. Learn More About Recipient

Questions?

If you have any questions please contact Susan Merfeld.

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