News

The Dow Championship’s charitable giving efforts have awarded more than $2 million to local nonprofits since 2019

Local nonprofits can now apply for the 2024 #TeamUp for the Great Lakes Bay Region grant program, tournament officials with the Dow Championship announced today. Nonprofit organizations can apply online at www.dowchampionship.com/community-impact through March 15th. The LPGA tournament remains committed to donating to charities across the Great Lakes Bay Region and has awarded more than $2 million to local nonprofits since its inception in 2019. 
 
"At the heart of our event's mission is '#TeamUp for the Great Lakes Bay Region,' fostering enrichment through charitable giveback. We take pride in supporting local organizations and making a significant impact in our community," said Heather Gallegos, Director of Community Affairs at Dow. "The tournament and these groups together create a lasting positive influence throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region. We are committed to amplifying this impact in the coming year."
 
Each year, #TeamUp for the Great Lakes Bay Region selects seven organizations across each of the region’s counties (Saginaw, Bay, Midland and Isabella). An additional eight nonprofits are also selected based on the services they provide on a regional level. Since 2019, the tournament’s charitable giving programs have supported more than 60 nonprofits across the Great Lakes Bay Region, such as the Isabella Community Soup Kitchen of Isabella County. The nonprofit was awarded a bonus donation of $11,000 after last year’s event for being paired with the 2023 champions, Cheyenne Knight and Elizabeth Szokol.
 
“The Isabella Community Soup Kitchen is very grateful to have been one of the many mid-Michigan non-profits included in the 2023 Dow Championship #TeamUp Program. The fact that we were paired with Cheyenne Knight and Elizabeth Szokol (the team that won the tournament) was an extra bonus for sure!” said Michael Brockman, Chair – Isabella Community Soup Kitchen Board of Directors. “As we never charge anyone for the meals we serve, the funds earned through #TeamUp definitely helped us continue to execute our mission. The ICSK is a very rare entity in our world: a place where anyone can come in and have a nice meal in a comfortable environment - no charge, no questions. We look forward to another great tournament in 2024!”
 
All 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the Great Lakes Bay Region are invited to apply. Nonprofits will be chosen based on their organization’s impact on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education; sustainability; inclusion, diversity and equity (ID&E); community resiliency; and/or innovation. Once selected, each of the 36 nonprofits will be paired randomly with one of the 72 teams competing in the 2024 LPGA event. A total of $237,000 will be donated through this program with each selected nonprofit guaranteed to receive at least a $4,500 grant. Additional grant opportunities will be announced at a later date. 
 
Selections are expected to be announced at the end of April. Tournament staff will continue to #TeamUp with the Midland Area Community Foundation, Bay Area Community Foundation, Saginaw Community Foundation and the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation and the Dow Great Lakes Bay Region Grant Team to manage the program.
 
The Dow Championship will return to Midland Country Club June 24 – 30, 2024. Visit www.dowchampionship.com for more information about this year’s event.