Bloomington, Minnesota, United States: The Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG), the philanthropic arm of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), has again received a US$50,000 grant from The Toro Foundation for continued support of the Rounds 4 Research programme in 2019.
With this contribution, Toro has donated US$350,000 to the programme over the past seven years.
Rounds 4 Research is designed to address a critical shortage in turfgrass research funding by auctioning donated rounds of golf online. The programme allows GCSAA chapters and turfgrass foundations to participate as fund-raising partners and direct the proceeds from auctioned rounds to specific projects that will have the most significant impact in their local areas.
Since its launch in 2012, Rounds 4 Research has raised more than US$1 million. The 2019 auction will be held from April 29 to May 5 and is available to preview at www.biddingforgood.com/rounds4research. The programme is administered by the EIFG and presented in partnership with Toro, an Executive Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.
“We’ve passed a major milestone of raising US$1 million through Rounds 4 Research, and Toro’s continued support was a vital factor in reaching that point,” said Rhett Evans, the GCSAA’s Chief Executive Officer. “GCSAA, and the entire golf industry, are fortunate to have a friend like Toro, and we thank them for being a partner in Rounds 4 Research.”
Judson McNeil, President of The Toro Foundation, said: “Rounds for Research not only supports important local research, but it also gets people playing golf, a win-win for the industry. We are proud of Toro’s long-standing partnership with the Environmental Institute for Golf, and the impact the organisation has on turf professionals.”
Toro is a long-time partner of the EIFG, donating more than US$2 million since 1987 to help support scientific research, education and scholarships for future turfgrass professionals.
As the exclusive presenting partner of Rounds 4 Research, Toro is a Victory Club member of the EIFG cumulative giving programme and a GCSAA Platinum Partner.