J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust

What J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust does

J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 23-6296989) founded in 1958 as the official charitable arm of the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP), the oldest regional golf association in the United States. Its mission is to financially aid and empower qualified caddies and those working in golf operations in their pursuit of higher education. The Trust identifies candidates through caddie masters, Club Ambassadors, and staff at 73+ GAP Member Clubs across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, and selects scholars based on caddie record, academic excellence, financial need, and character.

The Trust's core product is the J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship, supplemented by an ecosystem of programs including the EMPOWER leadership and mentoring initiative, the Platt Evans Scholarship (a full housing and tuition grant delivered in 13-year partnership with the Western Golf Association's Evans Scholars Foundation, valued at over $125,000 over four years), the Service to Golf Scholarship for non-caddie golf operations staff, donor-established Endowed Scholarships, and recurring engagement mechanisms (Platt Scholar Brunch, EMPOWER Scholar Leadership Summit, Alumni Program, Club Ambassador Program, and the annual Francis C. Poore Caddie of the Year Award). Since 1958 the Trust has awarded more than $30 million to over 4,000 scholars; in 2025-2026 it distributed $1.4 million across 226 scholars at an average award of $7,500.

The Trust is funded entirely through charitable giving rather than commercial revenue. Donation streams include Champions Circle ($25,000), Platt Patron ($10,000), Bag Tag Club/Annual Giving, Endowed Scholarships, and Memorial/Honorary Gifts, drawn from individuals, corporations, and foundations affiliated with GAP Member Clubs and the broader Philadelphia golf community. It is governed by a Board of Trustees, currently chaired by Jeffrey Mitzak, with Mark Peterson serving as Executive Director, Tina Gregor as Chief Operating Officer, and a small staff of approximately 12 employees operating from Broomall, Pennsylvania. No technology products, AI capabilities, or commercial revenue lines are developed.

Name

J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust

Legal name

J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust

Website

https://plattscholar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1958 as the official charitable arm of GAP, that provides need and merit-based scholarships to qualified caddies and golf operations workers pursuing higher education across the Philadelphia region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational / Charitable Scholarship Trust

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

Keywords

• Caddie scholarship funding
• Higher education scholarships
• Golf nonprofit foundation
• Scholarship endowment programs
• Nonprofit charitable trust

Headquarters

HQ city

Broomall

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: The Trust operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization (EIN: 23-6296989) funded primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Donors contribute at various levels including Champions Circle ($25,000), Platt Patron ($10,000), Bag Tag Club/Annual Giving, and Endowed Scholarships.
2. Golf Event Proceeds: Proceeds from golf events including the BMW Championship benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation. The Trust benefits indirectly through its partnership with the Western Golf Association's Evans Scholars Foundation.
3. Memorial and Honorary Gifts: Donors can make gifts in memory or honor of individuals, contributing to the Trust's scholarship endowment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides financial scholarships to caddies and golf operations workers pursuing higher education. Operating as the official charitable arm of the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP), it channels 100% of donor contributions directly to scholars through multiple programs and an endowment fund.

Product overview

J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust is a nonprofit scholarship organization (501(c)(3)) that operates as a single, unified offering focused on providing financial aid to caddies pursuing higher education. The core product is the J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship, which is supported by an ecosystem of supplementary programs including the EMPOWER Program (mentoring and leadership training), Platt Evans Scholarship (full-tuition partnership with Western Golf Association), Service to Golf Scholarship (for golf operations staff), Endowed Scholarships (donor-established named funds), and various events including the Platt Scholar Brunch and EMPOWER Scholar Leadership Summit. The organization also maintains an Alumni Program and Ambassador Program to foster ongoing community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Flagship scholarship offered to qualified caddies for use in higher education tuition and expenses.
• EMPOWER Program Support program that empowers scholars with development resources beyond direct financial aid.
• Platt Evans Scholarship Named scholarship supporting caddies pursuing higher education.
• Service to Golf Scholarship Scholarship recognizing caddies and golf operations workers for service to the game.
• Endowed Scholarships Endowed scholarship funds that provide ongoing, sustained scholarship support to caddies and golf operations workers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,000+ scholars supported since 1958 with over $30 million awarded
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Western Golf Association / Evans Scholars FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Partnership between JWP and WGA's Evans Scholars Foundation for the Platt Evans Scholarship—a full housing and tuition college grant for golf caddies. This is the 13th year of the partnership. Recipients receive over $125,000 in value over four years. Currently 43 students live at the Platt Evans Scholarship House at Penn State.
• GAP (Golf Association of Philadelphia)coreOthers · 1 January 1958J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust is the official charitable arm of GAP, the oldest regional golf association in the US (founded 1897). GAP serves 288 Member Clubs and 75,000 individual members across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland. The Trust's mission aligns with GAP's goal to preserve and protect the game of golf.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• USGA Foundation: The USGA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the United States Golf Association and supports golf-related charitable initiatives, including scholarships and grants. National scale and umbrella scope make it a broader incumbent comparable to JWP as a golf-tied grantmaker.
• The First Tee: The First Tee is a national youth-development organization that uses golf to build character and also awards scholarships to participants. It is broader than JWP (character education plus scholarship) but overlaps in serving young people in the golf ecosystem.
• PGA of America Foundation: The PGA of America Foundation runs national golf-related philanthropy, including scholarships and grants tied to PGA professionals and youth golf programs. It is a broader-incumbent peer operating at national scale across the same golf community.

Direct peers

• Evans Scholars Foundation (Western Golf Association): The Evans Scholars Foundation is the closest peer: it also provides full housing-and-tuition college scholarships to golf caddies and is JWP's actual partner in the Platt Evans Scholarship. Identical mission, overlapping caddie pipeline, but operating at national scale across multiple states.
• Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund: The Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund awards college scholarships to caddies and golf-course employees in Massachusetts, using the same caddie-to-college pipeline model as JWP. It is a direct functional peer with a different regional footprint.

Others

• National Golf Foundation: The National Golf Foundation is an industry association that researches and promotes golf participation in the U.S. It is not a scholarship funder but is an adjacent ecosystem participant relevant to understanding the caddie and golfer pipeline that feeds JWP's applicant base.
• Scholarship America: Scholarship America is one of the largest U.S. scholarship administrators, helping nonprofits and corporations design and run scholarship programs. It is an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor but is comparable in administering scholarship dollars for students.
• Golf Channel / NBC Sports Golf philanthropy initiatives: Golf Channel is a major media platform for golf with periodic charity tie-ins (e.g., caddie-focused coverage). It is an adjacent media/ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor but influences donor awareness of caddie scholarship causes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=TCkHyL5VHhA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/j-wood-platt-caddie-scholarship

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust