United States Golf Association

What it reported doing in 2024

Advancesee schedule oadvance: we advance the game to enable a future that is even better than it is today. This means ensuring that all golfers have access and feel welcome. This starts with juniors and continues through a golfer's lifetime journey in the game. We're passionately pursuing better on-course playing conditions through our expert agronomy team, the usga green section, while advancing research and science to ensure golf courses are environmentally and economically sustainable. The usga green section offers products and services that advance golf facilities, including the development of measurement and decision-making tools. Course consulting services offered to golf courses provide expertise to facilities through proven science-backed and data-driven best practices. The green section also provides educational resources through the green section record, speaking engagements, and conferences. The green section also manages the mike davis program for advancing golf course management, providing grants annually to universities and researchers that advance turfgrass science, reduce resource consumption and foster innovation related to golf course maintenance. The usga delivers on its mission to champion and advance the game through various efforts to foster a welcoming game for all. Several programs and investments have fueled this work - from junior golf programs to career programs, education and development of employee resource groups. The usga's pj boatwright program has opened more than 180 paid internships in the game of golf annually, providing in-depth work experiences, and have initiated grants programs for first tee and lpga/usga girls golf local chapter grants. The usga conducts a 10-day immersive pathways internship experience during u.s. Open week to provide collegiate and graduate students an opportunity to explore the many career pathways available in golf. The usga is also one of the primary funding sources for make golf your thing, a collaborative program among golf's leading organizations to open more ways for business, career and playing opportunities in golf. The world handicap system, governed by the usga in the u.s., likewise delivers tools and technology to help golfers of any ability to play on an equitable basis with each other and track progress. Championship qualifiers and global competitions have also been funded by the usga in communities throughout latin america, central america, mexico and asian communities to inspire more people to play. Rules education and training has been translated into multiple languages.each year, the usga invests in a variety of programs and services that benefit all golfers to both welcome and grow the game. The usga supports grassroots golf programs for juniors, including first tee, lpga*usga girls golf and drive chip & putt, which together provide access to the game for hundreds of thousands of juniors annually.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 82.2%; rating input score 82
• Fundraising efficiency: $466.01 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 94; 94th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 25th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Fail
  • Conducts field audits: Fail
  • May suspend future funding: Fail
  • Requires financial reports: Fail
  • Conducts site visits: Fail
  • Requires grant agreements: Fail
  • May require repayment: Fail
• Grant itemization coverage: 98.7%; rating input score 99; 36th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -2.6%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.65; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.19; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 3.5%; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 4.9% per year; rating input score 100; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.9% per year; rating input score 100; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 7.8% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings