Solheim Foundation

The Solheim Foundation is the philanthropic expression of the PING Golf family legacy. Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, the foundation is chaired by David A. Solheim and governed exclusively by Solheim family members — all of whom serve without compensation. Its philanthropy flows from two deeply held convictions: evangelical Christian faith and a commitment to women's golf and sports ministry. Understanding this dual identity is essential to any engagement strategy.

The foundation does not operate an open grant cycle. It is formally flagged as 'preselected only' with no public application instructions, no documented letter-of-inquiry process, and no stated deadlines. Every major grant in the tracked record reflects personal relationship rather than competitive process: $24.5 million has flowed to donor-advised fund vehicles at National Christian Charitable Foundation and National Christian Foundation in Alpharetta, Georgia, while smaller direct grants have gone to Oklahoma State University's women's golf program ($525K across two grants) and Global Golf's college women's ministry ($50K). Together these grantees account for all $25.175 million in documented giving.

For organizations that do find alignment through relationship channels, the most compelling case will combine genuine Christian mission with a demonstrable organizational track record. The Solheim family's philanthropy is shaped by the legacy of Karsten Solheim — PING's founder, who died in 2000 — and the family's decades-long attendance at Bethany Bible Church in Phoenix, support of overseas missionaries, and funding of facilities at Moody Bible Institute and LeTourneau University. PING CEO John Solheim, a prominent figure in the Faith Driven Entrepreneur community, has described the company's operating philosophy as 'running the business to glorify the Lord.' This ethos extends directly to the foundation's grantmaking.

Any pathway to a grant should begin with relationship cultivation, not a proposal submission. The ideal entry point is through the National Christian Foundation or NCCF ecosystem — organizations already vetted and active within that network may have proximity advantage because the Solheim family's primary philanthropic vehicle flows through these intermediaries. Similarly, organizations working in women's collegiate golf or Christian sports ministry, particularly those with ties to Oklahoma State University, represent a natural fit with the family's documented direct-giving preferences. A grant from this foundation is not won through a polished proposal; it is extended through a deepening personal relationship with the Solheim family over time.

The Solheim Foundation's financial profile reveals a classic family foundation pattern of capital accumulation followed by concentrated, episodic disbursements — with bursts of large giving separated by years of minimal or zero outbound grants.

Historical giving record (all reported fiscal years): - FY2024: $0 in grants (assets: $23.36M — all-time high) - FY2022: $14,116,255 in total giving (single $14M grant to National Christian Charitable Foundation for general support) - FY2021: $2,000,389 in total giving - FY2020: $7,075,341 in total giving ($6.5M to National Christian Foundation as 'celebration of life donation') - FY2019: $413,377 in total giving - FY2018: $1,115,286 in total giving - FY2014: $365,224 in total giving - FY2013: $460,216 in total giving - FY2012: $1,089,464 in total giving - FY2011: $3,310,988 in total giving

Across 8 tracked grants totaling $25.175 million, the average grant is $3.15 million — a figure entirely skewed by the large DAF transfers to NCCF and NCF. Excluding those four grants ($24.5M combined), the three remaining direct organizational grants average $225,000, ranging from $50,000 (Global Golf) to $525,000 (Oklahoma State University golf programs across two grants).

Geographically, confirmed grants concentrate in Georgia (4 grants, primarily NCCF/NCF in Alpharetta), Oklahoma (3 grants, Oklahoma State University and its foundation), and Tennessee (1 grant). The foundation's home state of Arizona does not appear in any tracked grantee data — all giving has crossed state lines. This is consistent with a foundation that views its primary mission as supporting national Christian infrastructure (NCF/NCCF) rather than local community grants.

All trustees receive zero compensation and total operating expenses remain minimal (FY2024 expenses: $116,860 against $23.36M in assets). The foundation files as a non-operating private foundation. FY2024 revenue of $4.71 million — largely from new contributions — despite $0 in disbursements implies the Solheim family is pre-loading capital for a future concentrated disbursement cycle. Given the asset trajectory, a significant giving event in 2025–2026 is plausible.

The Solheim Foundation occupies a distinct niche within the Christian family foundation landscape: small-to-mid-sized assets, episodic large-grant disbursements, and near-total reliance on donor-advised fund intermediaries rather than direct competitive grantmaking.

Note: Peer assets and giving are approximations based on publicly available 990 filings and foundation websites as of 2024–2025.

The Solheim Foundation sits at the smaller end of the major Christian family foundation landscape. Unlike Maclellan or Stewardship — which operate structured thematic programs with defined focus areas and staff — Solheim functions primarily as a family philanthropy vehicle routing capital through NCF/NCCF, making it structurally closest to a large donor-advised fund rather than an independent direct grantmaker. Its per-grant impact can be comparable to much larger peers when it enters a disbursement phase, but accessibility is correspondingly more restricted. Organizations already engaged with NCF or NCCF are best positioned to capture spillover from Solheim's capital.

No formal press releases, grant announcements, or program statements from the Solheim Foundation appeared in searches covering 2025–2026. The foundation maintains no apparent public social media presence, and its website (solheim.org) returned no parseable content via web fetch — suggesting a minimal digital footprint consistent with a private family foundation.

What the 990 record reveals: In FY2024, the foundation's assets climbed to $23.36 million — up from $10.79 million in FY2022 — while recording zero charitable disbursements for the year. This follows one of the foundation's most active two-year giving periods in its history: $14.1 million in FY2022 and a cumulative $23.2 million across FY2020–FY2022. The FY2024 revenue breakdown ($4.71M total: ~66.8% contributions, ~13.3% dividends, ~19.8% asset sales) confirms ongoing Solheim family capital infusion even in a non-disbursing year.

A newly named secretary, Yvonne Garcia, appears in the most recent ProPublica filing alongside the longstanding Solheim family board — the only apparent governance change in recent records.

In the broader Solheim public universe, the 2026 Solheim Cup (September 7–13 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands) represents a significant brand milestone for the family. The tournament was created in 1990 to honor PING founder Karsten Solheim and has grown into one of the premier events in women's professional golf. While the foundation is legally separate from the tournament, the Cup's global profile tends to elevate interest in Solheim-connected philanthropy and women's golf initiatives — making 2025–2026 a potentially active window for golf-adjacent giving.

Given the foundation's closed, family-controlled structure, conventional grant-seeking strategies will not apply. These tips are tailored to the rare organization with a genuine pathway to Solheim Foundation support.

Map your warm connections first. Before any outreach, audit your board and staff networks for personal connections to: the Solheim or PING Golf family; National Christian Foundation or National Christian Charitable Foundation in Alpharetta, Georgia; Oklahoma State University athletic or development staff; Bethany Bible Church (Phoenix, AZ); or Faith Driven Entrepreneur networks where PING CEO John Solheim is publicly active. A connection to any of these nodes is more valuable than any proposal document.

Lead with faith identity, not program metrics. The Solheim family's giving language centers on 'glorifying the Lord' and mission faithfulness — not theory-of-change frameworks or evaluation data. Any first conversation should open with your organization's spiritual identity, founding testimony, and how your work advances the gospel or Christian formation. Outcome metrics can follow, but they cannot lead.

Never cold-apply. There is no application portal, no RFP process, and no documented review timeline. An unsolicited proposal or cold email is the fastest way to be ignored. If you cannot identify a warm introduction pathway, direct pursuit of this foundation is not advisable.

Leverage the NCF/NCCF relationship. If your organization is already a vetted grantee of the National Christian Foundation or NCCF, you occupy a closer position to Solheim funds than you may realize. The foundation has channeled more than $24.5 million through these intermediaries. Engaging an NCF/NCCF relationship manager and expressing interest in Solheim-aligned funding is the most viable indirect pathway.

Align explicitly with women's golf or collegiate sports ministry. Oklahoma State University's women's golf program ($525K across two grants) and Global Golf's college women's ministry ($50K) are the only confirmed direct non-DAF grantees. Organizations in women's collegiate golf scholarships, Christian golf ministries, or university athletic foundations represent the clearest direct-pathway niche — especially given the 2026 Solheim Cup's heightened profile.

Time outreach to disbursement signals. Monitor the foundation's 990 filings via ProPublica (EIN: 74-2378207). A giving year typically follows an asset accumulation period — the current $23.36M balance with $0 in recent disbursements may signal an upcoming event. Initiate relationship-building now, not after a disbursement is announced.