PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla., and ATLANTA – The PGA TOUR and The Coca-Cola Company announced Monday a new and collaborative initiative called the HBCU Golf Impact Grant program. The announcement comes at the onset of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, where Coca-Cola is a Proud Partner and long-standing supporter of the season-ending event and Proud Partner alongside Accenture and Southern Company.

Designed to support the golf teams at HBCU schools partnered with Coca-Cola and aligned with its "The World is My Yard" platform, the HBCU Golf Impact Grant provides critical funds that empower schools and foster a brighter future for student-athletes in golf. In total, Coca-Cola has pledged $250,000 for the initiative.

“We saw an opportunity through our HBCU platform, ‘The World is My Yard,’ to deliver support that enables golf programs at these schools to better compete,” said Stephanie Eaddy, cultural marketing lead, Coca‑Cola North America. “The World is My Yard honors the rich heritage and cultural legacy of HBCU schools, and programs like these, brings more value to the student-athlete experience.”

The collaboration is part of the PGA TOUR’s Pathway to Progression initiative, designed to support the identification and development of junior and collegiate golfers from historically underrepresented communities. The funding is intended to assist in various aspects of the golf programs, enabling improvements that will have a lasting impact on current and future student-athletes.

“The PGA TOUR and our Pathway to Progression program appreciate Coca-Cola’s incredible contribution to these HBCU golf teams” said Kenyatta Ramsey, PGA TOUR vice president, player development. “These grants will make an immediate impact in further growing our game across underrepresented communities nationwide. We are grateful for Coke’s continued support in this long-term goal of the PGA TOUR.

Seven schools and 11 programs in total will each receive $15,000 grants, including both men’s and women’s teams at four different schools. Each school will be able to utilize the grant money for a variety of program-related purposes, including but not limited to enhancing facilities. This includes golf course or practice area renovations and training facilities to provide a better environment for skill development. The funding may also be used to cover costs associated with tournament entry fees, travel expenses and equipment purchases including clubs, balls and apparel.

Through Coca-Cola’s “The World is My Yard” award program, HBCUs will have the opportunity to receive further grant funding through an application process with a selection committee consisting of PGA TOUR and Coca-Cola representatives. An additional $85,000 will be distributed among this year’s winning programs, Alabama A&M University, Tennessee State University and Texas Southern University.

The collaboration between the PGA TOUR and Coca-Cola further demonstrates their commitment to supporting HBCU golf programs and to growing playing opportunities and inclusion within the game of golf.