What begin again foundation does

Begin Again Foundation is a Virginia Beach-based nonprofit foundation founded in 2015 by professional golfer Marc Leishman and his wife Audrey Leishman after Audrey's near-death experience with sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and toxic shock syndrome (TSS). The foundation's mission is to provide financial aid, education, and direct support to individuals and families affected by sepsis and related life-threatening conditions. It operates a portfolio of grant-based programs including the Financial Aid Fund, Case Management Fund, Bereavement Fund, Begin Again Pediatric Fund, Amputee Fund, Toxic Shock Prevention Fund, and Scholarship Program, with standardized $1,000 grants disbursed through a partnership with the Patient Advocate Foundation.

The foundation does not operate proprietary technology; rather, it relies on partnership infrastructure — Patient Advocate Foundation administers grants via certified case workers, while hospital partners such as Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters (CHKD) and Monash Children's Hospital conduct family need assessments and channel beneficiaries into the foundation's programs. Educational outreach is delivered through a digital resource library (booklets, brochures, posters, journals, PSA videos, and a children's book "Katie Koala") and a grassroots Sepsis Ambassador volunteer training program developed with the Michigan Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care.

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable contributions and event-based fundraising. The annual Celebrity Golf Tournament serves as the flagship awareness and fundraising vehicle, supplemented by individual donations via the website, third-party community fundraisers, and corporate sponsorships. Since inception, the foundation has disbursed over $2 million across its programs and has served thousands of families, with operating headcount of 1-10 staff plus a Board of Directors.

Name

begin again foundation

Legal name

Begin Again Foundation

Website

https://beginagainfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Begin Again Foundation is a Virginia Beach-based nonprofit founded in 2015 by PGA golfer Marc Leishman and sepsis survivor Audrey Leishman that provides financial aid grants, case management, and educational resources to individuals and families affected by sepsis, ARDS, and toxic shock syndrome.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Health Support Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Sepsis financial assistance
• Nonprofit health grants
• Sepsis awareness education
• Charitable survivor support
• Toxic shock prevention

Headquarters

HQ city

Virginia Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The foundation operates primarily through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and community supporters. Revenue comes from direct donations, online contributions through the website, and general philanthropy.
2. Golf Tournament Fundraising: Annual celebrity golf tournament events generate sponsorship revenue and fundraising contributions. The tournament brings together professional golfers and supporters to raise awareness and funds for sepsis-related causes.
3. Community Fundraising Events: Third-party community fundraisers hosted by businesses, organizations, and individuals generate additional donations and support for programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Begin Again Foundation is a nonprofit organization that delivers one-time $1,000 financial aid grants, bereavement assistance, amputee support, pediatric family grants, and case management services to survivors of Sepsis, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), and Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). The foundation supplements financial grants with educational resources (booklets, brochures, posters, journals, PSA video) and community outreach programs including the annual Celebrity Golf Tournament and Sepsis Ambassador volunteer network.

Product overview

Begin Again Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 2015 by professional golfer Marc Leishman and his wife Audrey after her near-death experience from sepsis. The foundation offers a portfolio of financial assistance programs including the Financial Aid Fund, Bereavement Fund, Amputee Fund, Case Management Fund, Begin Again Pediatric Fund, and Toxic Shock Prevention Fund. Additionally, the foundation provides educational resources including brochures (How Do I Spot Sepsis?, How Do I Spot TSS?), booklets (What You Need to Know About Sepsis, What to Expect After Discharge From ICU, Living With Post-Sepsis Syndrome), flyers (Understanding Sepsis for children and teens), posters (Know the Symptoms so More Survive), journals (Patient Care Journal, Journal Entry), the Period Planners Drive Toolkit, and PSA videos. The foundation also runs the Scholarship Program and hosts an annual Celebrity Golf Tournament for sepsis awareness. All programs are administered in partnership with Patient Advocate Foundation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Leishline: Former name for the Financial Aid Fund program that provided grants to sepsis survivors. Now referred to as the Financial Aid Fund.
• Butterfly Blessings

Products and services

• Financial Aid Fund One-time $1,000 payment to eligible patients with physician-verified Sepsis, ARDS, or TSS diagnosis within a six-month look-back period. Funds cover rent/mortgage, transportation, utilities, food/nutritional needs, and/or lodging. Ten grants are awarded per month on a first-come, first-served basis, administered via the Patient Advocate Foundation.
• Case Management Fund Helps survivors of Sepsis, ARDS, and TSS identify, advocate, and coordinate care plans to meet their specific health and human services needs, providing case management to resolve debt relief and recovery resource issues.
• Bereavement Fund One-time $1,000 grant to eligible bereaved families to assist with funeral or cremation expenses for loved ones who passed from Sepsis, ARDS, or TSS, applied for within six months of the deceased date.
• Begin Again Foundation Fund (formerly Butterfly Blessings) Provides short-term financial assistance to families of children admitted to Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters (CHKD) and Monash Children's Hospital who demonstrate severe hardship, covering transportation, meals, medications, baby items, utilities, rent, and funeral expenses.
• Begin Again Pediatric Fund One-time $1,000 grant to families of pediatric patients diagnosed with sepsis, ARDS, or TSS within the past six months, applied to rent, transportation, utilities, food, and lodging expenses during treatment.
• Amputee Fund Direct financial assistance to individuals who have experienced sepsis-related amputation within the past six months, helping cover the cost of prosthetics and assistive devices not covered by insurance.
• Toxic Shock Prevention Fund Delivers safe feminine hygiene products to homeless shelters along with educational materials to protect women against Toxic Shock Syndrome. Has distributed 313,000 menstrual pads/liners to homeless women in Southeastern Virginia.
• Scholarship Program Awards 5–10 scholarships of $1,000 each per cycle to high school, undergraduate, or graduate students impacted by sepsis personally or through a loved one, including survivors, children who have lost parents, and family members. Applications are submitted via Bold.org.
• Celebrity Golf Tournament Annual celebrity golf tournament serving as the foundation's flagship fundraising and sepsis awareness event, bringing together professional golfers, sponsors, and supporters. Generates sponsorship revenue and community awareness contributions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $2 million distributed to sepsis survivors, families, children and communities since 2015
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Patient Advocate FoundationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPatient Advocate Foundation serves as the administrator of Begin Again Foundation's financial aid programs. They process grant applications, conduct assessments through certified case workers, and manage distribution of funds to approved applicants. Contact: (855) 824-7941.
• Michigan Center for Integrative Research in Critical CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with sepsis survivors, medical professionals, and sepsis experts at this research center to develop and deliver the Sepsis Ambassador training program, ensuring medical accuracy in community education efforts.
• Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters (CHKD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHKD social workers conduct family need assessments, then Begin Again Foundation provides short-term financial assistance for transportation, meals, medications, utilities, rent, and funeral expenses for families demonstrating severe hardship.
• Monash Children's HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides financial assistance to families of children admitted to Monash Children's Hospital who demonstrate severe hardship, similar to CHKD program.
• Sepsis AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferenced as partner charity providing resources for caregivers and families navigating sepsis recovery. Foundation directs families to Sepsis Alliance educational materials.
• ARDS FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner charity referenced for additional resources on Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome education and support.
• Leila Rose FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership through which 52 children battling rare childhood cancers have received grants from the Begin Again Foundation.
• Virginia Beach National Golf ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue for annual Celebrity Golf Tournament event supporting sepsis awareness and foundation fundraising efforts.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sepsis Alliance: The largest U.S. sepsis-focused nonprofit, providing awareness, education, and support to patients and families. Directly comparable to Begin Again Foundation in mission and beneficiary base, with greater scale, broader institutional partnerships, and national brand recognition.
• Rory Staunton Foundation for Sepsis: Sepsis advocacy and awareness nonprofit founded after a child's sepsis-related death. Directly comparable to Begin Again Foundation in mission, survivor/family focus, and grassroots education model, with overlapping target donor and awareness audiences.
• ARDS Foundation: Organization focused on Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome education, research, and patient support. Directly comparable as a co-mission partner referenced by Begin Again Foundation for ARDS-specific resources, serving overlapping survivor populations.
• End Sepsis: Sepsis-focused nonprofit (formerly Sepsis Heroes) dedicated to awareness and survivor advocacy. Directly comparable to Begin Again Foundation in cause area, awareness-event fundraising, and survivor story platform approach.

Broad incumbents

• Global Sepsis Alliance: International sepsis awareness coalition representing thousands of organizations across 100+ countries. Broader incumbent operating at global scale on the same cause category, with deeper institutional reach but less direct survivor financial aid focus than Begin Again Foundation.

Others

• Patient Advocate Foundation: National nonprofit providing case management and financial aid to patients with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Listed as a core administrative partner for Begin Again Foundation's Financial Aid Fund grants processing, with comparable health-focused patient support mission.
• TGR Foundation: Tiger Woods' philanthropic foundation focused on youth education. Comparable as an athlete/founder-led nonprofit leveraging celebrity brand and event-based fundraising (TGR Invitational), with a similar structural model to Begin Again Foundation's Leishman-led golf tournament approach.
• Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters (CHKD) Foundation: Hospital-affiliated fundraising arm of CHKD, a core strategic partner of Begin Again Foundation. Comparable in pediatric family support mission, hospital-embedded funding model, and Southeastern Virginia geographic focus.
• Leila Rose Foundation: Childhood cancer-focused grantmaking nonprofit in partnership with Begin Again Foundation. Comparable small-scale special-purpose grantmaker addressing seriously ill children, with overlapping beneficiary profile and partnership-style grant distribution model.

Emerging players

• Sepsis Innovation Collaborative: Multi-stakeholder initiative focused on accelerating sepsis innovation across research, policy, and clinical practice. Emerging player with partial mission overlap to Begin Again Foundation's awareness and education focus, but operating at the healthcare-system level rather than direct survivor aid.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/beginagainfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/begin-again-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about begin again foundation