Birdies for Charity raises a record $20.1 million for 492 nonprofits

The John Deere Classic, the PGA Tour stop in the Quad Cities, said its 2026 charitable total reached a record $20.1 million for 492 local and regional charities, according to WHBF. Organizers revealed the figure at a ceremony at the John Deere Pavilion on Thursday, October 8, WQAD reported. KWQC said it was the second year in a row the tournament set a record.

Most of the money came through Birdies for Charity, the tournament's program in which donors give to the participating nonprofits of their choice. This year it paid out a record $1.56 million Bonus Fund, giving each participating charity an additional 8.85% match on the dollars it raised.

Why the bonus matters

The Bonus Fund was established through a grant from John Deere, and the money is unrestricted, so charities can spend it where they need it most, WHBF reported. John Deere also underwrites the program's administrative costs, so participating charities receive 100% of every donor-designated contribution without fees.

"The Bonus Fund is what truly sets Birdies for Charity apart," said Micaela Booth, director of Birdies for Charity.

The money goes to groups working in education, health care, food security, youth development, arts and culture, environmental stewardship and services for vulnerable people. Two recipients spoke at the ceremony. "We also have free days throughout the year, and we try to do even more with the birdie’s money because of that," said Melissa Mohr, executive director of the Figge Art Museum. Kelly Kreiter-Penning, executive director of New Kingdom Trail Riders, a therapeutic horse-riding program, said the funds help it keep costs low and offer scholarships to riders.

Decades of growth

The John Deere Classic has generated more than $226 million for charity since it was founded in 1971, and 99% of that total has come since John Deere became title sponsor in 1998, organizers said. The tournament says it leads the PGA Tour in per capita charitable giving, with this year's total equal to $53.65 for each of the Quad Cities' 375,000 residents. The tournament, including Birdies for Charity, is itself a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in East Moline.

What other charities can borrow

In our view, the program's design answers two worries donors often have: that fees will eat into a gift, and that a match comes with strings. A sponsor that pays the overhead and adds an unrestricted bonus lets every participating charity tell donors that the whole gift arrives and grows. Nonprofits that join a community giving event, or pitch a local company on one, can ask for the same two terms. A well-run match also gives a sponsor results it can see.