Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation
Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation is a private foundation based in Plainfield, Illinois. It makes grants to 501(c)(3) organizations and is dedicated to improving communities through the moral, ethical, and cultural values it associates with golf.
Key facts about Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation
In short: Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation gave $658K across 39 grants in 2023 (avg $17K), mostly in Illinois. 18% of 2023 grantees were new. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- EIN
- 36-4028075
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990 filing, 2023
- Annual giving (2023)
- $657,500
- Grants made (2023)
- 39
- Average grant
- $16,859
- Median grant
- $7,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (7 of 39, 2023)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (67% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Submit a written Program Grant request and required supporting materials; the foundation’s website describes annual review, and its 2025 filing statement says applications are not restricted to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None stated in the 2025 filing statement.
Data from IRS Form 990 filing, 2023; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Quick answers about Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation
How much does Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation give each year?
Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation gave $658K across 39 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990 filing. In 2022 it gave $795K across 50 grants.
What is Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation's typical grant size?
Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation's median grant in 2023 was $7,500, and its average grant was $16,859, across 39 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990 filing. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation give grants?
Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990 filing went to recipients there. The next largest states were Ohio (11%) and Minnesota (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Glenview, IL (4 grants) and Phoenix, AZ (2 grants).
Who are Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation's largest grantees?
Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation's largest 2023 grantees include Evanston Wilmette Golf Course Assoc ($250,000), Clearview Legacy Foundation ($50,000) and University of Illinois Foundation ($50,000), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990 filing. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
Is Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 7 of 39 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 79% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2020 to 2023 (+7%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2023). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation
- How to evaluate Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2023 IRS Form 990 filing · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$658K
-17.3% YoY
Grant Count
39
-22.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
+6.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says golf can teach self-discipline, patience, etiquette, respect, and self-improvement, and describes its mission as improving communities through the moral, ethical, and cultural codes of golf. Its website identifies golf programs for all age groups, Links Across America, handicapped and therapeutic programs, and First Tee programs as areas of interest.
Its 2023 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it has supported. The Western Golf Association says it promotes the game and benefits caddies who have received the Evans Scholarship. Golf for Life NFP describes its work as mentoring and coaching youth—especially underprivileged and disenfranchised youth—and aspiring golfers through golf-based clinics, training, and workshops. Special Olympics Illinois says it provides sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The University of Illinois Foundation describes its mission as administering private gifts to benefit the University of Illinois System.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 39 grants totaling $657,500 in 2023, compared with 50 grants totaling $795,378 in 2022 and 54 grants totaling $675,000 in 2021. In 2023, grants ranged from $500 to $250,000, with a median of $7,500.
Review Cycle
** None stated in the 2025 filing statement.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2023, 67% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 11% to Ohio, 8% to Minnesota, and 3% each to Florida and Wisconsin. The foundation’s Links Across America initiative describes plans for short courses across the country.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 39 itemized 2023 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grants | Grant total |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 39 | $657,500 |
| 2022 | 50 | $795,378 |
| 2021 | 54 | $675,000 |
| Metric | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2023
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
Grant Size Distribution
237 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| EVANSTON WILMETTE GOLF COURSE ASSOC Evanston, IL | TO FURTHER THE FOUNDATION'S EXEMPT PURPOSES. | $250,000 |
| CLEARVIEW LEGACY FOUNDATION East Canton, OH | TO FURTHER THE FOUNDATION'S EXEMPT PURPOSES. | $50,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FOUNDATION Champaign, IL | TO FURTHER THE FOUNDATION'S EXEMPT PURPOSES. | $50,000 |
| LEARNING LINKS AT HAZELTINE Chaska, MN | TO FURTHER THE FOUNDATION'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $50,000 |
| THE FIRST TEE OF GREATER CHICAGO Glenview, IL | TO FURTHER THE FOUNDATION'S EXEMPT PURPOSES. | $25,000 |
| ILLINOIS PGA FOUNDATION Glenview, IL | TO FURTHER THE FOUNDATION'S EXEMPT PURPOSES. | $25,000 |
| OHIO HEALTH FOUNDATION Columbus, OH | TO FURTHER THE FOUNDATION'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $12,500 |
| MARYVILLE GOLF ACADEMY Des Plaines, IL | TO FURTHER THE FOUNDATION'S EXEMPT PURPOSES. | $10,000 |
| REVELATIONGOLF Elk Grove, IL | TO FURTHER THE FOUNDATION'S EXEMPT PURPOSES. | $10,000 |
| SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PGA Ontario, CA | TO FURTHER THE FOUNDATION'S EXEMPT PURPOSES. | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s website lists Eric Wadsworth as president; Leslie Wadsworth as secretary/treasurer; and Doug Myslinski, Patrick Karnick, and John McNair as directors. The 2023 filing lists Douglas Myslinski, John McNair, and Patrick Karnick as directors, Leslie Wadsworth as treasurer, and Eric Wadsworth as president.
Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation is led by Eric Wadsworth, President on every filing since 2019; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2023 is compensated.
Officers on the 2023 filing
Eric Wadsworth
President
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Douglas Myslinski
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John McNair
Director
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Karnick
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leslie Wadsworth
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
$10K (2019) → $8K (2023)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2023. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
Contact
Application contact: Leslie Wadsworth
Mailing address: 13941 N Van Dyke Road, Plainfield, IL 60544-7727
Phone: (815) 436-8400
Website: https://wadsworthgolffoundation.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation fund?
The foundation says golf can teach self-discipline, patience, etiquette, respect, and self-improvement, and describes its mission as improving communities through the moral, ethical, and cultural codes of golf. Its website identifies golf programs for all age groups, Links Across America, handicapped and therapeutic programs, and First Tee programs as areas of interest. Its 2023 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it has supported. The Western Golf Association says it promotes the ga…
How do I apply for a grant from Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation?
Submit a written Program Grant request and required supporting materials; the foundation’s website describes annual review, and its 2025 filing statement says applications are not restricted to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation's EIN?
Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4028075. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2023.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.