Grant Programs

Grant Funding Criteria

How to Qualify for a $450 Grant

• The program is using the funds for an add-on or enhancement that does not impact the core fundamentals of the programming (ex: tee gifts/prizes, parties)
• The fundamentals of what the program is trying to achieve is communicated clearly, and a budget is included, but the application is incomplete or lacks details.
• The program impacts the growth of the game, but may not fall under one of PGA REACH Michigan’s Pillars: Youth, Military, Inclusion

How to Qualify for a $750 Grant

• The cost barrier of entry is low to the participant. The program is budget friendly to participants, or is using the funds to provide free/reduced cost equipment or services.
• The program serves one of PGA REACH Michigan’s pillars: Youth, Military, Inclusion
• The program is using the funds for an add-on or enhancement to a new or existing program that impacts the core fundamentals of the programming (ex: technology, training aids, golf course access, additional staff)
• There is a significant need within the program budget (after expenses there wouldn’t be enough profit to pay for the enhancement)

How to Qualify for a $1,000 Grant

• The program is free to participants or is using the funding to provide free equipment or services
• The program serves one of PGA REACH Michigan’s pillars: Youth, Military, Inclusion
• The program’s budget operates at a break even or loss

How to Qualify for a $1,500 Grant

• Based on your end of the year summary report the Growth of the Game Committee selected your program as the Grant Program of the Year Award Winner.

General Grant Criteria

1) All programs must have a PGA member involved in coordinating the program and providing instruction.

2) Grant application must include a budget and explanation of how the grant funds are to be used.

4) Adult Player Development Grants will be limited to (1) per facility. Additional grant requests will be considered if there is funding available and if the additional request is for a different program targeting different demographic, program goals, etc

5) Junior Player Development Grants will be limited to (1) per facility. Additional grant requests will be considered if there is funding available and if the additional request is for a different program targeting different demographic, program goals, etc.

6) We focus on providing grants to programs in need, and programs that focus on one of the three pillars of PGA Reach Michigan: Youth, Military and Inclusion.

7) Grant recipients will be asked to provide a follow-up report outlining the results of the program and the perceived impact on growing the game. All 2023 grant recipients must provide a follow-up report to be eligible to receive a grant in 2024.

8) Along with the follow up report, documentation and explanation of how the grant money was used must be provided.

Growth of the Game – 2023 Adult Player Development Grants

Click Here to Apply for an Adult Player Development Grant  

Application Deadline March 31, 2023

In 2023 PGA REACH Michigan will provide up to $15,000 of grant funding to PGA Professionals and Associates to help them start or enhance an adult golf program in their community. We focus on providing grants to programs in need of financial support to make golf accessible to every community member, with an emphasis on helping our military personal and making golf a more inclusive sport. The Grant Program and PGA REACH Michigan is  committed to serving our communities and growing the game of golf through our three pillars- Youth, Military, and Inclusion.

All Grant applications must be submitted via Google Forms.

Advice:

• Write your application in a separate word document to copy & paste your answers from the Google form so you have a record of what you submitted, and you can work on the application at your own pace, you cannot save and continue with a Google form.
• Include a detailed budget
• If you would like to submit photos, tables, or charts you will need to email them to Madison Maurier – mmaurier@michiganpga.com

Resources

Examples of quality grant applications:

2020 Michael Guza Adult Grant Application
2020 Ina Davis Adult Grant Application
2020 Doug Temple Adult Grant Application 

2022 Adult Program of the Year Award Winner – Alec Grant

Alec Grant from Lakes of Taylor Golf Club received the 2022 Adult Player Development Program of the Year Award. He provided a free program to participants of all skill levels to showcase that you don’t need a ton of money or be an expert on the golf course to go out and play. His program consisted of two classes with 24 players in each. His lessons were broken down into five fundamental skills of the game including putting, chipping, irons, woods, and on-course. The last 15 minutes of each session were used to teach etiquette and pace-of-play.

2021 Adult Program of the Year Award Winner – Joe Simpson

Joe Simpson from IMA Brookwood Golf Club received the 2021 Adult Player Development Program of the Year Award. He developed a Diversity in Golf program (D.I.G) with the intent of increasing the number of diverse adults that use their facility. His program had three components 1. A family Golf Day Clinic targeted to the after-school families from Flint Community Schools. 2. A 5-week Get Golf Ready class for their partners at The Crim Fitness Foundation and 3. Friday Clinics.  He was able to reach 82 new golfers!

2020 Adult Program of the Year Award Winner – Doug Temple

Doug used the funding to help create a golf league for veterans in his area. His course is the second in the state to have a dedicated Veterans League. Doug used golf to teach young men and women the benefits that golf can have on your emotional and physical wellbeing. He found that many of his participants continued golf after his six-week clinic was over and are already asking about next season. Doug was our 2018 & 2019 Program of the year award winner and he was able to use his additional funding to add additional COID safety measure to ensure the program continued to provide support for the venerable veteran community.

Doug is starting the Michigan Military Golf Association to  launch support to Veteran Nation wide for more information on you can get involved visit DougTempleGolf.com 

2019 Adult Program of the Year Award Winner – Doug Temple

Doug used the funding to help create a golf league for veterans in his area. His course is the second in the state to have a dedicated Veterans League. Doug used golf to teach young men and women the benefits that golf can have on your emotional and physical wellbeing. He found that many of his participants continued golf after his six-week clinic was over and are already asking about next season. Doug was our 2018 & 2019 Program of the year award winner and he was able to use his additional funding to advertise his veteran clinic and raised participation from 12 participants in 2018 to over 60 in 2019. Since highlighting Doug’s programming, two more courses added dedicated Veteran Golf Leagues to their facilities.

Growth of the Game – 2023 Junior Player Development Grants

Click Here to Apply for a Junior Player Development Grant 
Application Deadline March 31, 2023

In 2023 PGA REACH Michigan will provide up to $33,500 of grant funding to PGA Professionals and Associates to help them start or enhance a junior golf program in their community. We focus on providing grants to programs in need of financial support to make golf accessible to every child.  The Grant Program and PGA REACH Michigan is  committed to serving our communities and growing the game of golf through our three pillars- Youth, Military, and Inclusion.

All Grant applications must be submitted via Google Forms.

Advice:

• Write your application in a separate word document to copy & paste your answers from the Google form so you have a record of what you submitted, and you can work on the application at your own pace, you cannot save and continue with a Google form.
• Include a detailed budget
• If you would like to submit photos, tables, or charts you will need to email them to Madison Maurier – mmaurier@michiganpga.com

Examples of quality grant applications:

2020 Michael Kettler Junior Grant Application
2020 Zack Robison Junior Grant Application
2020 Klenton Sparks Junior Grant Application

2022 Program of the Year Winner- Nicolas Thompson

Nicolas Thompson from Hartland Glen Golf Course received the 2022 Junior Player Development Program of the Year Award. When he inherited this program in 2014, he had only 41 juniors. He has grown his program to 172 juniors in 2022 and changed the set up to be a “camp” atmosphere by being a 5 day in a row/one week program. He offered two different camps, but had to add a third week with an additional instructor due to high demand. The last day of each weekly camp he held a BBQ for all of the juniors and their families to show what the kids learned that week.

2021 Program of the Year Winner- Raquel Bryant and Kelly Plaisier

Raquel Bryant and Kelly Plaisier from Thousand Oaks Golf Club received the 2021 Junior Player Development Program of the Year Award. They ran a junior instruction program called Summer Edge. It was geared towards beginner and intermediate juniors. Three sessions were offered and they met three times a week for two weeks. They had a total of 124 registrants which is an increase from 2019, where they had 98! This program had an impact on attendees as it helped them improve their golf skills and once again allowed them to get out of the house and safely interact with other kids.

2020 Program of the Year Winner- Kelly Kuhlman

Kelly used the funds to support her PGA Jr. League team. Kelly hosted an in-house PGA Jr. League team with a record turn out of over 145 players throughout the spring-fall season. Kelly was 6th in the nation for largest PGA Jr. League team earning her the Game Changer Award! Kelly used her grant funds to help cover some of the additional course usage costs and host an end of the year party for her juniors since the Post-Season was cancelled. Kelly was able to use some of the Section’s inflatable equipment and create a fun end of year celebration for all of her student. Kelly was also to create new customers for Twin Lakes Golf & Swim, and introduce juniors 5-15 years old to the game of golf. She looks forward to a successful 2021 season!

2019 Program of the Year Winner – Raquel Bryant

Raquel used the funds to support her junior golf program that invests in their development as players. Her summer camps focus on improving junior golfers’ skills and building their knowledge of the strategy, rules, and etiquette of the game. She had 98 students attend and 41% of the attendees were not members of her facility. As students progress and master the skills taught in the summer camps, they are funneled into the other programs offered for higher skill levels. Over the last ten years Raquel has taught hundreds of juniors who have become life-long golfers. She has built relationships with the juniors and their families that have kept them coming back year after year.

The First Tee – National School Program

The Michigan PGA will cover the cost for the curriculum for 19 schools in 2021

The Michigan PGA with support from the Golf Association of Michigan’s Foundation will cover the cost for two schools to receive the equipment & curriculum in 2021

Applications due by September 30, 2021

How it works:

Talk to your local elementary/middle school. If they are interested in a golf program sit down with the PE teacher or principal and fill out the grant application together.

Curriculum Grant

Click Here to Apply for the Curriculum Grant 

Our Curriculum grant covers the $350 curriculum fee from the National Golf in School Program (NSP). These materials helps walk the PE teacher through how to implement golf into their class. This curriculum stays with the school for life, through an online training platform.

You can check out your Chapter’s or the Section’s SNAG equipment and bring it to the school to use for a two-week period.

*Submit one application per school

Equipment & Curriculum Grant

Click Here to Apply for the Equipment & Curriculum Grant

Our Equipment & Curriculum grant covers the $350 NSP curriculum fee along with the purchase of new SNAG equipment. Having their own SNAG equipment helps the PE teacher become less reliant on needing the equipment to be checked out for them. Both the curriculum and the SNAG equipment will stay with the school for life.

*Submit one application per school

Additional Information

Each grant also has a $100 stipend for the PGA professionals. We recommend that you go to at least 3 sessions at the school to help the PE teacher implement the curriculum.

If you plan on running a Golf in Schools program in multiple schools, please apply for each school that you go to. For example, if you are planning on running a Golf in School program at five different schools, you would apply for the Curriculum Grant and the Equipment & Curriculum Grant five times, once for each school.

If awarded you will be connected with a Growth of the Game Committee member who will walk you through the equipment and lesson plans so you can go into the school confident and prepared!