Funding will help expand staff capacity for golf and life skills programming serving at-risk youth across Collier County, ahead of the new First Tee Academy opening
NAPLES, Fla. — First Tee – Naples/Collier announced today that it has received a $75,000 grant from the Naples Children Foundation, founders of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, for the 2026–2027 grant cycle. The funding will support staffing for the organization’s Game Changers Program, helping First Tee – Naples/Collier grow its capacity to serve youth across Collier County.
The Game Changers Program serves Collier County youth in grades 5 through 12, with a focus on students attending Title I schools. The program blends golf instruction with First Tee’s life skills curriculum, giving participants access to academic tutors, transportation to and from programming, and summer enrichment through the Game Changers Academy. First Tee – Naples/Collier currently serves more than 1,200 youth annually across 20-plus locations in Collier County, including Golden Gate, East Naples and the Manatee/Lely area.
“As we prepare to open The Cindy Darland First Tee Academy, this grant from NCF could not have come at a better time,” said Cindy Darland, CEO of First Tee – Naples/Collier. “We are deeply grateful for NCF’s investment in the young people of our community. This generous support will help us expand our Game Changers outreach program at our new facility, reach more students throughout Collier County, and provide them with the character-building and life skills they need to succeed both on and off the golf course.”
Since launching in 2022, the Game Changers Program has helped participants build confidence, leadership and academic skills alongside their golf game. Several original participants have gone on to earn spots on their high school golf teams and now mentor younger Game Changers in the program.
About First Tee – Naples/Collier
First Tee – Naples/Collier enables kids and teens to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. By integrating the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, First Tee creates learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence and resilience.
About Naples Children Foundation
The Naples Children Foundation, the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, creates transformational change and improves educational, emotional and health outcomes for vulnerable children in Collier County. Through its annual grants and strategic initiatives, NCF has impacted nearly 90 of the most effective nonprofits in the local community, providing 420,000 children with the services and resources they need to succeed. Through bold investments, collaborative partnerships, and data-driven solutions, NCF supports programs that ensure every child can thrive. NCF’s unique approach, which bridges public and private resources, has become a blueprint for how to transform a community—one issue at a time.