Carolinas Golf Foundation
The Carolinas Golf Foundation is a public charity based in Southern Pines, North Carolina. Formed by the Carolinas Golf Association in 1977, it provides scholarships and funding for golf-related initiatives in the Carolinas.
Carolinas Golf Foundation at a glance
In short: Carolinas Golf Foundation gave $117K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in North Carolina. 9% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $117,403
- +34.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +10.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,673
- +22.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $1,027,689
- +25.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (1 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (53% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Carolinas Golf Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 140 Ridge Road, Southern Pines, NC 28387
Phone: (910) 673-1000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Carolinas Golf Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Carolinas Golf Course Superintendent Office ($23K). Together the top 10 received $112K.
Grant Size Distribution
59 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 59 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated mission refers to Carolinas-based golf initiatives. In 2025, 53% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina and 47% to recipients in South Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Carolinas Golf Foundation open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 11 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $23K first-time, $9K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $59K (2021) to $128K (2023). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $117K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Carolinas Golf Course Superintendent Office Liberty, SC | To support the carolinas golf course superintendents association (CGCSA) hurricane disaster relief fund in responding to the devastating damage caused by hurricane helene. Specifically, the funding will be used to acquire starlink internet systems for local communities where schools were destroyed, ensuring children can continue their education, and to help coordinate labor and resources for heavily impacted areas. | $22,753 |
| Swingpals Inc Durham, NC | To help support golf program for minority children living in durham, nc | $15,000 |
| First Tee of Greater Wilmington Wilmington, NC | To Help Support Their Tournaments and Programs | $12,000 |
| First Tee of Central Carolina Clemmons, NC | To Help Support Their Tournaments and Programs | $12,000 |
| First Tee of the Sandhills Southern Pines, NC | To Help Support Their Tournaments and Programs | $10,650 |
| Upstate-Carolina Adaptive Golf Greenville, SC | To Help Support Their Adaptive Golf Programs. | $10,000 |
| First Tee of the Upstate Greenville, SC | To Help Support Their Tournaments and Programs | $8,500 |
| A Perfect Swing Youth Foundation Charlotte, NC | To help introduce youth to the game of golf, workshops, enhance leadership, communication | $7,500 |
| SCJGA Irmo, SC | Clubs for Kids | $7,500 |
| WSCGA Vicki Hillen Junior Golf Foundation Blythewood, SC | To Help Support Their Tournaments and Programs | $6,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,027,689 | $302,146 | $257,595 | $117,403 | 11 | $18,024 |
| 2024 | $817,053 | $314,319 | $188,671 | $87,000 | 10 | $14,702 |
| 2023 | $691,405 | $217,222 | $191,243 | $127,750 | 20 | $5,882 |
| 2022 | $665,477 | $203,192 | $185,171 | $78,750 | 10 | — |
| 2021 | $647,456 | $168,558 | $171,301 | $59,469 | 8 | $26 |
| 2020 | $650,199 | $299,542 | $156,874 | $76,000 | 13 | $319 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to provide scholarships and funding for a variety of Carolinas-based golf initiatives. Its scholarship program supports students aspiring to become golf superintendents and turfgrass managers in the Carolinas, including grants to turfgrass majors at Clemson University and North Carolina State University. The filing also describes a broader scholarship program begun in 2020 for students who excel academically, contribute to their communities, and have an interest in golf.
The foundation reports supporting junior golf programs, developmental programs, and research grants through Rounds4Research at Clemson University and North Carolina State University. Its 2025 grants also included adaptive golf, youth golf, and hurricane disaster relief.
One 2025 grantee, SwingPals Inc., describes its mission as giving children facing adversity the opportunity to realize their potential and lead confident, productive, enriched lives. The foundation’s filing says its $15,000 grant to SwingPals supported a golf program for minority children in Durham, North Carolina.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 11 grants totaling $117,403. Grants ranged from $5,500 to $22,753, with a median grant of $10,000.
The largest 2025 grant was $22,753 to the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendent Office in Liberty, South Carolina, to support the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association’s Hurricane Helene disaster relief fund. The filing says the grant would help acquire Starlink internet systems for communities where schools were destroyed and coordinate labor and resources for heavily impacted areas.
Other 2025 grants included $15,000 to SwingPals Inc.; $12,000 each to First Tee of Greater Wilmington and First Tee of Central Carolina; $10,650 to First Tee of the Sandhills; $10,000 to Upstate-Carolina Adaptive Golf; $8,500 to First Tee of the Upstate; $7,500 each to A Perfect Swing Youth Foundation and SCJGA; $6,000 to WSCGA Vicki Hillen Junior Golf Foundation; and $5,500 to First Tee of Charlotte.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing are Andy Priest, executive director; Charles Lynch, legal counsel; Kelly Miller, secretary; Lawrence Hicks, treasurer; Marion Moore, vice president; Mike Smith, first past president; Rick Riddle, president; and Benjamin Boncella, top financial official.
Carolinas Golf Foundation is led by Rick Riddle, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 8 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Rick Riddle
President
Secretary & Trustee → Vice President, 2022
Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Andy Priest
Executive Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles E. Lynch Jr.
Legal Counsel
General Counsel & Trustee → Legal Counsel, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kelly Miller
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Lawrence Hicks
Treasurer
Trustee → Treasurer & Trustee, 2021
Treasurer & Trustee → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Marion Felder Moore Jr.
Vice President
Trustee → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Mike Smith
1st Past President
President & Trustee → President, 2023
President → 1st Past President, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Benjamin Boncella
Top Financial Official
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (19)
- Former: John L. Nance (2021–2024) — Executive Director
- Former: Greg Norris (2020–2023) — Past President
- Former: Frank Golden (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Gregg Jones (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: J. Richard Dosek (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Joe Hackler (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Michael Sims (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Vicki Disantis (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Whitten Meares (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Dana Halliday (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Michelle Jarman (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Thomas J. Thorpe (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Rion Moore (2022) — Secretary
- Former: Russell Coleman (2022) — Trustee
- Former: Eugene Spencer (2020–2021) — Past President
- Former: Daniel R. O'Connell (2020) — Treasurer & Trustee
- Former: Jack Nance (2020) — Executive Director & Trustee
- Former: Stephanie Stockwell (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Tom J. Thorpe (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Carolinas Golf Foundation
How much does Carolinas Golf Foundation give each year?
Carolinas Golf Foundation gave $117K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $87K across 10 grants.
What is Carolinas Golf Foundation's typical grant size?
Carolinas Golf Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,673, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Carolinas Golf Foundation that year got $23K on average.
Where does Carolinas Golf Foundation give grants?
Carolinas Golf Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was South Carolina (47%). The most frequent recipient cities were Greenville, SC (2 grants) and Charlotte, NC (2 grants).
Does Carolinas Golf Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Carolinas Golf Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Help Support Their Tournaments and Programs" (6 grants).
Who are Carolinas Golf Foundation's largest grantees?
Carolinas Golf Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Carolinas Golf Course Superintendent Office ($22,753), Swingpals Inc ($15,000) and First Tee of Greater Wilmington ($12,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Carolinas Golf Foundation?
Carolinas Golf Foundation reported $1.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $302K.
What does Carolinas Golf Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to provide scholarships and funding for a variety of Carolinas-based golf initiatives. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Carolinas Golf Foundation?
Carolinas Golf Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Carolinas Golf Foundation's EIN?
Carolinas Golf Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-1761556. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS December 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 17, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 17, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Carolinas Golf Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Carolinas Golf Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/carolinas-golf-foundation-morg_2cfe6104dad0467ba1b17e728d3635af
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_591761556_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Carolinas Golf Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/carolinas-golf-foundation-morg_2cfe6104dad0467ba1b17e728d3635af},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Carolinas Golf Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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