2017 Forecast

2016 was a monumental year for the Tiger Woods Foundation. While we turned 20, we did so much more than just celebrate. We grew in breadth and scope. From planning and piloting new programmatic initiatives to taking on the Genesis Open at Riviera, 2016 was undoubtedly dedicated to expanding our reach. In fact, the pinnacle of the past year, our 20th anniversary celebration in New York City, was less focused on all we’ve accomplished over the last two decades, but more precisely served as a launching pad for the many new undertakings we have on the horizon. And with direction from Tiger to expand our reach globally, we’ve truly begun to take the foundation to new heights. 

While 2016 was decidedly a year of growth for the Tiger Woods Foundation, there will be no slowing down in 2017. For all of us at the foundation, 2017 is the year that we begin to bring Tiger’s vision to life — his vision of impacting millions of kids around the world. It’s certainly a lofty challenge, but we’ve already made great headway. In fact, 2017 is already shaping up to be another busy year. But that’s a sign of a growing and vibrant organization doing better each and every year.  

Just last week, we launched TGR EDU: Explore, our promising, new digital partnership with Discovery Education. Through this interactive website, TWF’s award-wining curriculum and college access programs will be available online to millions of students and teachers worldwide. 

And in order to serve even more students we realized quickly that we had to reach more teachers — thus, the birth of our teacher professional development program, TGR EDU: Create. While the program piloted in 2016, we’re expanding the program this year with plans to serve 5,000 teachers over the next few years, allowing us to reach hundreds of thousands of deserving students. And our highly successful Earl Woods Scholar Program will grow as well. In 2017, we will begin to double the students reached by starting a new cohort of scholars in the Washington, D.C., area.  

So to me, 2017 is not our 21st year. It’s really the first year of our next 20, a period of time in which we’ll continue to set the bar ever higher, challenging other organizations like ours to use education to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty that exists throughout the world. It’s a huge task but one that I know we are prepared to take on.

Champions of the unexpected.