The First Tee of Greater Richmond
Building Game Changers
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Creating Game Changers
First Tee – Greater Richmond (FTGR) uses golf as the platform to strengthen the character of our community – teaching life lessons and leadership skills, sessions include a fun, group setting for youth ages 4 to 18 regardless of background or previous experience.
FTGR was founded on the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion and has always been committed to breaking down barriers to access for youth and families. Our primary function is to make golf accessible and an equitable resource for youth and families in our community no matter what walk of life, level or golf experience, or available resources. The demographics of our 2021 youth participant pool reflect this:
37% of our participants identify as non-white (compared to 25% in the golf industry);
27% of our participants qualified to attend programming at no charge;
35% of our participants received financial assistance to participate in programming; and
59% of our schools are Title 1.
Where we work
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of students enrolled
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Creating Game Changers
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The First Tee of Richmond’s first-class facilities provide an unusual opportunity to advance our mission. Our courses will remain accessible and welcoming to our community; our programs will instill strong values in our youth that will empower them to succeed. We will provide opportunities for our employees to grow professionally.
Our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) is a lens that will influence our culture and every decision we make. It will have a positive impact on participants, patrons, partners, employees and ultimately our community. IDEA is not a project, program or series of events, but an expression of who we are and an intentional process to ensure that our mission is fulfilled.
Our strategic plan is built on a foundation of strong core values that guide our decision-making. We will:
Be Role Models for the values we hope to see in our community.
Be Open and Engaging so that participants, patrons, volunteers and staff feel welcomed and a part of our community.
Be Empowering to support individual and organizational growth to increase our impact.
Build Community grounded in mutual support and respect.
Embrace Innovation as we improve our programs, facilities and the way we work together.
Specific goals include the following:
PARTICIPANTS:
Enhance life-changing, evidence-based programs where participants belong and thrive.
We will focus on programs, coaches, pipeline and retention of participants and impact assessment.
GOLF OPERATIONS:
Manage our golf operations to provide a positive experience for participants and patrons, generate revenue to support our mission, and increase awareness of our impact within the community.
We will focus on partner-ships, revenue, data-driven decision making, environ-mental sustainability and staff development
ORGANIZATIONAL RESOURCES:
Continue to develop the financial and human capacity and capabilities for our organization to grow and thrive.
We will focus on culture, professional development, marketing, Board development, predictable revenue streams and financial management.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Programs. Offer evidence-based programs that engage participants in developing values, skills and friendships.
Transition our curriculum to align with the new, age-based curriculum developed by First Tee’s national headquarters (HQ).
Explore partnerships that that support our mission of character development.
Create a scholarship program that provides access to continuing opportunities.
Communicate our approach and goals to parents, guardians and youth leaders to help them understand and engage in our mission.
Coaches. Attract mission-minded coaches and volunteers who become role models and mentors for participants.
Recruit coaches who have lived experiences that enable them to connect with participants.
Provide regular training for coaches and volunteers.
Conduct peer assessments of coaches to ensure alignment with First Tee expectations.
Retain coaches through recognition and connection with our organizational network.
Pipeline and Retention. Increase the number of participants in the Life Skills Experience (LSE) Program.
Increase awareness of First Tee, targeting parents who are not specifically looking for golf programs.
Evaluate continuation / increase the effectiveness of the First Tee Schools Program.
Increase and deepen partnerships with organizations that align with our mission.
Help participants develop relationships within the First Tee network that give them a feeling of belonging so they stay engaged into/through high school.
Foster a platform for advanced/older participants to give back to the First Tee organization.
Assessment. Evaluate our impact.
Develop a scorecard with key metrics.
Create portraits of successful participants, coaches, alumni, etc.
Maintain connectivity with First Tee alumni.
Collect feedback from participants, parents, coaches, etc.
Use our assessment data to develop best practices and drive continuous improvement.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
First Tee- Greater Richmond has an incredibly strong board and leadership team that will guide the organization through the implementation of this plan. Bios of the organization's leadership team are as follows:
Brent Schneider, CEO
For 14 years Brent has developed and led FTGR’s strategic plans and staff. Previously, Brent was Assistant Athletic Director at the University of Richmond. Brent received a bachelor’s from Hampden-Sydney where he was on the varsity basketball team that twice advanced to the NCAA tournament.
Kelly Brown, VP, Impact
Kelly leads the strategic direction for youth programs, community partnerships, and organizational culture. Previously, Kelly served as Tournament Director for LPGA Tour events. Kelly received her bachelors from Longwood where she was a member of the Women’s Golf Team, and earned her Masters in Sport Leadership from VCU where she serves as an Adjunct Professor.
Mark Lynch, VP, Operations
Mark, a Class A PGA Professional, oversees all FTGR facilities including daily operations, staffing, food and beverage and agronomy. A SUNY-Potsdam graduate, Mark is a Major in the US Army Reserve and has served 17 years in the military including multiple deployments, Company Command and support to Special Operations.
Bill Potter, VP, Communications
Bill oversees all FTGR communications efforts, public relations, marketing, branding and social media. Prior to First Tee, Bill spent 15 years in college athletics, with stints at the Colonial Athletic Assoc, The American Athletic Conference, Horizon League and IUPUI.
Katie Guerin, VP, Advancement
Katie has +12 years of fundraising experience and is responsible for all aspects of charitable giving. Previously, Katie served as the Director of Development and Communications for the City Kids Wilderness Project in DC. A University of South Carolina graduate, she earned her Masters in Public Administration from American.
Brittany Woo, Sr. Director, Programming
Brittany has been part of the FTGR family since 2003, when she first enrolled in life skills education programs. Today, she oversees our programming team, coaches and volunteers. A two-time graduate of the UofR, she previously interned with the PGA TOUR and First Tee HQ.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The following action steps of our strategic plan implementation are underway or have taken place:
PROGRAMS
Transition our curriculum to align with the new age-based curriculum developed by HQ.
Explore partnerships that support our mission of character development.
Create a scholarship program that provides access to continuing opportunities that support our mission.
Increase and deepen partnerships with organizations that align with our mission.
COACH RECRUITMENT
Recruit coaches who have lived experiences that enable them to connect with participants.
Provide regular training for coaches and volunteers.
ASSESSMENT
Develop a scorecard with key metrics.
Collect feedback from participants, parents, coaches, etc.
Use our assessment data to develop best practices and drive continuous improvement
OPERATIONS
Develop events that support the mission/vision and increase awareness and/or earned revenue.
Develop relationships with secondary and higher ed golf teams that support the mission.
Maintain superior turf conditions that represent agreed-upon standards by using best practices for environmentally-friendly approaches in all aspects of our facilities.
Explore innovative best practices that promote sustainability and protect the Earth.
CULTURE
Build our core values into our processes, including hiring, onboarding, and performance reviews.
REVENUE GENERATION
Increase resources within the fund development function.
Cultivate multi-pronged relationships with major donors.
Transition to new donor database for better administering of fund development records and documentation
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
The First Tee of Greater Richmond
Board of directorsas of 01/24/2024
Mr. Michael McCann
Troutman Pepper
Term: 2024 - 2026
Mike Hott
Salisbury Country Club
Brent Schneider
The First Tee
Eugene Thomas
Greater Unity Adult Services
Benjamin Pace
Williams Mullen
Kevin Laing
Townebank
Alexander Schaaf
Raymond James Financial
Patricia Merrill
Genworth
Lincoln Saunders
Chief of Staff, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney's administration
Cary Baronian
Heritage Wealth Advisors
Michael McCann
Troutman Pepper
Hunter Gottwald
Davenport
Brian Alas
Boxwood Partners
Dan Ludwin
Solomon and Ludwin
Dan Schmitt
RMC Events
Beth Johnson
Virginia Nonprofit Associates
Neil Luther
Chesterfield County
Andrea Archer
Altria
Bryan Jones
Hourigan
Joe Pryor
ICI Foods
Ray Roberts
McKesson
Keith Windle
Dominion Energy
Elizabeth Brightwell
Hunton Andrews Kurth
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/07/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.