FROM THE GROUND UP
2024 Impact Report
LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT & OUR CHAIR
FEBRUARY 2025
Dear Friends,
ONE YEAR CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. Last January, our plans were still dreams for the future. Fast forward 12 months—and the momentum is both palpable and visible.
Our TGR Learning Lab, a project undertaken with TGR Foundation, has indeed risen from the ground up, alongside the freshly sodded Short Course. This remarkable progress is emblematic of what Cobbs Creek will soon become: a destination campus with vital education and community resources at its core, a project to serve the many, beginning with our Overbrook Park neighborhood and radiating from West Philadelphia, throughout the region—and beyond.
We have formed critical partnerships with global brands and with community leaders and investors who have generously catapulted our CHANGE THE GAME Campaign well past halfway to our goal. We’re making the turn into 2025, with more than $100 million raised toward the $150 million we are seeking to make this transformative work possible.
We are proud to share an impact report that encapsulates many of the important milestones and accomplishments from the past year. Here you will discover the benefits already accruing to our community and the steps we are taking to establish a self-sustaining, nonprofit model.
At Cobbs Creek, world-class golf will soon drive societal impact and promote opportunities for all, economic growth, and shared environmental responsibility.
THANK YOU FOR EMBRACING AND ADVANCING THIS AMBITIOUS VISION. As we look to the future with greater excitement, we welcome your continued engagement and support.
With warm regards,
JEFFREY SHANAHAN
President
CHRISTOPHER MAGUIRE
Chair
You Are Making Our Work Possible
It takes a generous community to build a visionary campus. Meet the philanthropic leaders who are realizing our aspirations by visiting our donor listing at the end of this report.
Partnering for Impact
Our work would not be possible without crucial partners. We are privileged to call on their expertise and resources to fulfill our mission more widely.
JUST DO IT
There are a handful of names indelibly connected to the world of golf. Two of them are now partners of the Cobbs Creek Campus. Nike, the prestigious global athletic apparel brand, will play a key role in inspiring local Philadelphia golfers to get involved, especially junior golfers. Troon, the world’s largest professional club management company, will ensure best-in-class experiences for all guests, from the driving range to the final green, across all our courses and facilities.
MEASURING IMPACT
In 2024, we forged partnerships to help us begin to describe our transformative future in numbers, some of which you will see in this report. Econsult Solutions, Inc. has analyzed the job and economic impact of our campus, including the tremendous value a professional golf event in Philadelphia might bring to the city. The ROZ Group and the BFW Group, leading minority-owned Philadelphia firms, have headed up a needs assessment to ensure a community-focused approach and the monitoring and reporting of the project’s equal employment practices, respectively.
LEADING THE LAB
Our foundational partner is TGR Foundation, responsible for our proven educational model. This collaboration took a step forward when the Foundation named Meredith Foote, past principal of Overbrook Education Center, as the TGR Learning Lab’s Executive Director. A seasoned educator who was a classroom teacher, Foote is assembling a dynamic staff and fine-tuning programs for the launch of our flagship facility this spring.
$10+ million
projected annual revenue from golf will all be reinvested in our programs and our community
70+ volunteers
participated in programs in 2024
Community Engagement & Education
Even before we open the TGR Learning Lab, we are laying the foundation for the education and community programming that will be at the heart of the Cobbs Creek Campus.
CONNECTING WITH OUR NEIGHBORS
Building on work with our Community Advisory Committee, the Cobbs Creek Foundation participated and tabled at numerous community events throughout the year. Additionally, we co-hosted an inaugural Juneteenth Freedom Celebration with Blackney Hayes Architects and TGR Foundation, and sponsored by the Overbrook Night Market, organized by State Representative Morgan Cephas. Combined, the two events brought together hundreds of community members in cultural festivities, food, face painting, and family-friendly fun. The community learned more about how our campus will become a hub of future celebrations as well as a place for year-round programs and engagement.
WORKING IN SCHOOLS
Even as the TGR Learning Lab building rose up this year, TGR resources and curricula were field-tested and implemented in several West Philadelphia schools. This year, its unique combination of STEAM, after-school, college, and career programs reached 3,980 students in grades 1-12. We look forward to serving even more students when our doors open in the spring.
CHANGING THE GAME
Three standout leaders committed to education and golf have joined TGR Foundation in bringing the TGR Learning Lab to life. Bill Smilow, President and CEO of the Smilow Foundation, Inc., and Stan and Jim Woodland, Executive Chairman of CMI Media and its CEO, respectively, made leadership gifts that jump-started construction of the building, while enabling early education programs to take root in several West Philadelphia schools. In recognition of their generosity, the TGR Learning Lab will be named for these two philanthropic families.
4,500 students
in grades 1-12 will benefit from STEAM, college access, and career readiness programs once the TGR Learning Lab opens
Year-round
free programming opening in Spring 2025
30,000 sq ft
facility with classrooms, makerspace, media room, wellness room, and more
Meet the Sifford Scholars
The second cohort of Dr. Charles L. Sifford Scholars, all attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities, were chosen this past June.
The Sifford family congratulated them:“We are certain they will be successful and strive for greatness. Dr. Sifford is looking down at all these wonderful students and wishing them the best in their future career paths.”
To find out more about the Scholars and how to apply, please visit the Sifford Scholars site.
CCF in the News
Growing impact means greater visibility for the work of the Cobbs Creek Foundation. Enjoy these examples of prominent regional and national coverage from 2024.
SEPTEMBER 19, 2O24
The Athletic | The New York Times
“Can a reimagined Cobbs Creek fulfill its promise? Public golf is hoping so”
BY BRENDAN QUINN
SEPTEMBER 5, 2O24
The Philadelphia Citizen
“Golf for Good?”
BY NATALIE POMPILIO
DECEMBER 16, 2O24
Golf Course Architecture
“A masterpiece comes into view”
BY MARK WAGNER
104 media hits
citing or featuring
Cobbs Creek during 2024
687,048 TV viewers
had access to Cobbs Creek
coverage in 2024
Voices of Change
All year we continued to hear from leaders energized by the prospects of a restored Cobbs Creek with education and community front and center.
To add your voice to this growing chorus, please share your story with colby@cobbscreek.org.
“Our community will have access to a top-tier public golf course offering education opportunities, golf lessons, training, internships, and more valuable resources. I believe data will tell the story of the full impact.”
KIM CARTER, member, Cobbs Creek Community Advisory Board, previously the long-time Vice President for Strategic Partnerships at The Enterprise Center
“The idea for the Kids for Cobbs golf outing came from the values instilled in me by my parents, prioritizing service to others. That’s what the Cobbs Creek Foundation is all about—collaborating across communities to bring people together to do good things.”
SEAN ALLEN, The Haverford School ‘26, who planned the inaugural Kids for Cobbs golf outing with fellow Haverford and Episcopal Academy students, raising $30,000
“We do great things in Overbrook Park. This will be great for us and our sense of community pride. I want people to understand that this multimillion-dollar project is for us, and that we can all be a part of it. It’s going to be a big win for us.”
JAMILA KINSEY, Overbrook Park resident
How are we changing the game?
Watch our new video to hear more voices and learn more about our vision.
Golf Restoration & Green Spaces
Our work is rooted first and foremost in our land: 350 acres destined to change the trajectory of countless lives.
FOCUSING ON THE SHORT AND THE LONG GAME
The generosity of the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation has a legacy at Cobbs Creek with its 2024 grant to construct the Jordan Spieth Junior Putting Green adjacent to the TGR Learning Lab and the Short Course, created by TGR Design. The green offers an optimal entry point for young people who have never picked up a club and for those who are gaining proficiency but need to polish the ultimate short game. “We are honored to lean into the history of Cobbs Creek as well as support its future,” says Jordan’s wife, Annie Spieth.
GIVING IN KIND
Grassroots change begins at ground level. We are proud to welcome a new partner who recognizes just this. Total Turf Golf Services, a certified golf course builder since 1998, is donating sets of youth golf clubs, in addition to their renowned materials and services for the TGR Design Short Course construction. The gift is valued at more than $300,000. What’s more, Total Turf employees will volunteer a full day to assist with the Olde Course renovation.
PROTECTING MORE THAN OUR CAMPUS
West Philadelphia is historically underserved and most at risk of flooding from polluted stormwater, environmental hazards from sewer overflows, and limited public access to recreational spaces. This initiative addresses these inequities and brings about important climate and pollution benefits by restoring waterways, reducing flood risks, and providing educational and environmental opportunities through the Cobbs Creek Campus. A critical long-term outcome will be improved public health.
Who benefits from environmental remediation?
A head-turning new graphic we created applying data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency begins to show us how many disadvantaged communities will eventually benefit from our green work.
285,000
anticipated golfers and visitors annually
25+ acres
of wetlands creation
3 miles
of creek restoration
Our Heritage, Our Future
To chart the most successful future for Cobbs Creek and the communities we serve, we must first understand our past and carry with us its most important lessons.
TELLING OUR WHOLE STORY
This year marked the first Cobbs Creek Foundation publication. We called on renowned golf history curator Andrew Mutch, PhD to document a comprehensive history of Cobbs Creek, stretching back to indigenous times and especially tracing the golf course’s trailblazing role throughout the 20th century in making the game accessible for golfers of any gender and heritage. Mutch’s book, Diamond in the Rough: The Story of Cobbs Creek, was published in a limited first run and will eventually be available for purchase in the Heritage Center inside our driving range complex.
A LIVING LEGACY
One story stands apart in Cobbs Creek lore: the legend of Charlie Sifford. Here the International Golf Hall of Famer first discovered golf, leading to a career that forever changed the game and changed society. We are proud to count his son, Charlie Sifford Jr., among our greatest advocates. “Cobbs helped [my dad] develop that competitive edge he had, that resilience,” says the younger Sifford.
Please read the entire testimonial we shared with our friends and supporters.
70 YEARS OF TRADITION, TEE TO GREEN
Formed when Charlie Sifford Sr. was in the midst of winning five consecutive Negro National Opens, The Green’s Ladies Golf Club became this region’s Black women’s golf club in 1954. When we re-open the Olde Course in 2026, their members, more than 50 strong, will surely be among the first in line to play. After all, they played Cobbs countless times back in the day — and they get together to tee it off every single weekend of the year. In the meantime, we are benefiting from Green’s Ladies advocacy and volunteer efforts, including their participation in our 2024 Clean Up Day. If we could only bottle the enthusiasm of proud membership groups like this!
Our Generous Donors
We are grateful for everyone who shares our vision for the future of Cobbs Creek. Your philanthropy and generosity—at every level, including public and private support—is helping realize our dreams and, most importantly, the dreams of young people who will excel in life because they learned, grew, and played at Cobbs Creek.
To renew or extend your commitment, please make a gift online today. THANK YOU!
This listing reflects gifts to the Cobbs Creek Foundation through January 31, 2025.
We strive for accuracy in listing and thanking all of our donors. If you notice missing or incorrect information, please let us know by contacting julia@cobbscreek.org.
Founders Circle
$5,000,000+
Michael Forman & Jennifer Rice
Maguire Foundation
Chris & Ellen Maguire
Aileen & Brian Roberts
Smilow Foundation
Matt & Julie Tewksbury
The Woodland Family
Cobbs Creek Visionaries
$1,000,000 - $4,999,999
Anonymous (2)
Caveman Construction and Hanse Golf Design
Connelly Foundation
Essential Utilities
The Fox Family
Hamilton Family Charitable Trust
Steve & Susan Kelly
Neubauer Family Foundation
NIKE, Inc.
Frank P. Quattrone
Shanahan Family Charitable Foundation
TGR Foundation
William & Mary Ann Walter
William Penn Foundation
Sifford Circle
$250,000 - $999,999
AmeriHealth Caritas Foundation
Brian & Maureen Block
The Frederico Family
The Garno Family
The Holt Family
I AM THE VINE FOUNDATION
Independence Blue Cross
The Kent Family
Tony & Eileen Maginnis
McCausland Foundation
NewSpring Capital
Jordan Spieth Family Foundation
Total Turf Golf Services
Withington Foundation
Eustace Wolfington
Fairway Club
$100,000 - $249,999
Anonymous (2)
25th Century Foundation
The Bradbeer Family
Julian A. and Lois G. Brodsky Foundation
Louis & Christine Capano
Compas, Inc.
Steve & Ollie Davidson
Mike & Gerie DiPiano
Donald & Lisa Dissinger
Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation
Gravina Family Foundation
Mark & Peggy Griege
Christopher & Juliann Lange
LIO Insurance
Kim & Ingrid Morsman
Sean & Megan O’Hara
The Oksnee Family
Andrew & Patricia Panzo
Glenn T. Rieger
Jeffrey & Tara Shanahan
David & Jennifer Sudhaus
Troon
UGI Corporation
Fran & Alicia Van Kirk
Jeff & Janine Yass
Karakung Trailblazers
$25,000 - $99,999
Anonymous (2)
Antoian Family Foundation
Jim & Debbie Ashton
Ballbach Family Fund
Martie & Chuck Bernicker
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Amara & Jason Briggs
The Bruder Family
The Coca-Cola Company
The Costin Family
Daniels Family Foundation
Falconhead Foundation
FanDuel
Fleischner Family Charitable Foundation
Fownes Foundation
Gang Family Foundation
Angelo Grecco, Propelr
Tony Hayden
Steven D. Hobman
Timothy and Aurora Hughes Family Foundation
Craig S. Johnson
KeyBank
Mr. & Mrs. Marc Lederman
The Lees Family
Maguire Hayden Real Estate Investments
Deborah E. Maine
Brian G. Murphy & Pat Rhubottom
Rob & Marissa Nathan
Paul & Meg O'Grady
Michael & Theresa O'Neill
Neil Oxman
Elise & Charles Pizzi
The Pyfer Family
Dr. Kapila Ratnam
Hon. Marjorie O. Rendell
The Rubenstein Foundation
Bill Sasso, Trustee, Leo Niessen Jr. Charitable Trust
Jon & Michelle Schwartz
Brian Shanahan
Patrick & Christina Shanahan
Sweeney Family Foundation
Chris & Meg Veno
Judith M. von Seldeneck
Jenna & Eric Weiss
Bill & Jeanne Whitmore Family Foundation
Creekside Society
$5,000 - $24,999
Anonymous (2)
Armstrong Foundation
The Balderston Family Fund at Vanguard Charitable
Noah Becker
The Boonn Family
Kevin & Elizabeth Cahill
Don & Kim Chase
Cyrene & Kevin Christine
Sarah & Brannon Claytor
Cohen Family Foundation
Jason & Caroline De Marco
Joseph & Nancy Delaney
E.A. DelCiotto
Drs. Christopher & Cara Dodson
Mr. & Mrs. Harold T. Epps
Joseph and Mary Faulkner Family Foundation
Jay Feldstein DO
The Ferreira Family
Julie & Haynes Gallagher
The Gdula Family
Mark & Tracey Gola
The Guralnick Family Trust
Hausler Family Fund
Enrique & Jenny Hervada
Gordon & Janice Keen
Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Lange
John & Melanie LeBoeuf
Paul & Tracy Liebezeit
James & Marie Logue
Patrick Maggitti
Michael & Brooke McDermott
Joseph & Ellen McLaughlin
Evie & John McNiff
McPherson Family Fund
Meridian Bank
Drew & Susie Mitala
Moran Family Fund
Peter C. Morse
The Neff Family
Nerney Family Foundation
Cynthia & George Nichols III
William & Deborah O’Hara
Matt & Christy O’Reilly
James & Carol Overend
Thomas & Lisa Panczner
Jeremy & Rachel Pavis
PGA Tour
Philadelphia Kappas
Philadelphia Kids In Care LLC
Betsy Porth
John & Charlene Roberts
Thomas Rogers
Richard Schmidt
Michael J. Selverian
John Shook
John Sly Jr.
The Francis J Snyder Foundation
Bonnie & John Van Grinsven
Walton Family Foundation - Whetzel Family