named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
Chess and Education Conference
Sponsors the International Koltanowski Chess and Education Conference to share research and advancements in chess and education
Chess-For-Youth
Provides free U.S. Chess Federation memberships and chess equipment to support chess programs in schools and community organizations for youth
Frank P. Samford, Jr. Chess Fellowship
Provides financial support, coaching, and living stipends to top young American chess players to help them pursue professional chess careers
Maurice Ashley Chess Fellowship
Annual fellowship for young African-American chess players demonstrating talent and financial need, supporting coaching, tournament participation, and mentorship
National Girls Tournament of Champions
Annual national tournament for female K-12 chess players, with each state affiliate sending one representative
Scholar-Chessplayer Award
Scholarship program recognizing high school juniors and seniors who excel in academics, chess, and community service
Sets for Vets
Provides chess sets and resources to military veterans to support cognitive and social engagement
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Youth & Community Chess Education 4 activities
- Advancing chess education and research through conferences and publicationsOrganized and sponsored the George Koltanowski International Conference on Chess and Education in 2001 and the 3rd International Koltanowski Chess and Education Conference, edited the resulting publication, and co-authored influential chess education books, including Best Lessons of a Chess Coach.
- Establishing and maintaining chess-related cultural institutionsFounded the US Chess Hall of Fame and Museum and the Sidney Samole Chess Museum, contributing to the preservation and promotion of chess history in the United States.
- Organizing and sponsoring national scholastic and collegiate chess tournamentsDirectly sponsors and organizes national-level scholastic and collegiate chess events, including the GM Arnold Denker Tournament of High School Champions, the Dewain Barber Tournament of Junior High Champions, the Ruth Haring Tournament of Girl Champions, the Pan-American Intercollegiate Championships, the U.S. Final Four of College Chess, and the U.S. Blind Chess Championship.
- Supporting chess education programs nationwideProvides free U.S. Chess Federation memberships, tournament chess sets, demonstration chess boards, and chess equipment to at-risk children and youth programs to promote and sustain scholastic chess education across the United States.
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Golf Caddie and Junior Scholarships 2 activities
- Funding and supporting chess organizations and initiativesProvides financial and organizational support to charities run by the U.S. Chess Federation and other chess-related organizations, including providing seed capital for the establishment of The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.
- Funding fellowships for high-potential young chess playersProvides financial support through the Frank P. Samford Jr. Chess Fellowship, awarded annually for over forty years, to top young American chess masters, including coaching, competition opportunities, study materials, and a monthly stipend. Also funds the Maurice Ashley Fellowship and other fellowships for young African-American chess players demonstrating exceptional talent and dedication.
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Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
- Granting scholarships to academically and chess-achieving high school studentsAdministers the Scholar-Chessplayer Awards program, providing scholarships to high school juniors and seniors who demonstrate excellence in academics, chess, and chess-related community service.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$160K
Contributions & grants$90K57%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$61K38%
Other revenue$8K
expenses
Total expenses$273K
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineOther
balance sheet
Total assets$1.38M
Cash$313K
Investments$1.03M
Liabilities$44K
Net assets$1.34M
Liquid reserves59.0 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue -1.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
board members · 13
- AL LAWRENCE — MANAGING DIRECTOR
- ALEX KERFORD — SECRETARY
- BEATRIZ MARINELLO — PRESIDENT
- DOV GORMAN — TRUSTEE
- DR LEROY DUBECK — TREASURER
- LEO DUBLER III — TRUSTEE
- NORMAN SABA — TRUSTEE
- REX SINQUEFIELD — TRUSTEE
- SHANE SAMOLE — PRESIDENT EMERITUS
- STEVE DOYLE — CHAIR
- STUART CHAGRIN — TRUSTEE
- SUNIL WEERAMANTRY — VP FOR SCHOLASTIC
- TIM REDMAN — VP FOR CHESS IN EDUCATION
relationships · 34
Who they work with
- Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis Partner — Organization for which Rex Sinquefield provided seed capital and serves as President and Chairman of the Board.
- Chess Journalists of America Partner — Al Lawrence served as Former President of Chess Journalists of America and won multiple CJA awards.
- Continental Chess Association Partner — Purchased scholastic tournaments from CCA to expand youth chess programming
- Excalibur Electronics Partner — Shane Samole is President and founder of Excalibur Electronics, a company supporting electronic chess products.
- FIDE Government — Sunil earned the title of FIDE Trainer in January 2007 and holds the FIDE Master title.
- FIDE Partner — Director of the Research in Chess and Education group within FIDE's Chess in Schools Committee.
- Fabiano Caruana Partner — GM Fabiano Caruana serves on the Awards Committee for the Maurice Ashley Chess Fellowship.
- Hunter College Campus Schools Partner — Sunil developed and continues to teach in the comprehensive chess program at this institution.
- Lincoln Chess Association Partner — Al Lawrence is a member of the Lincoln Chess Association board.
- Marshall Chess Club Partner — Stuart Chagrin is a former President and active participant in tournaments at the Marshall Chess Club.
- Maurice Ashley Partner — Grandmaster Maurice Ashley initiated the fellowship and provided initial funding; serves on the Awards Committee.
- Missouri Chess Association Partner — Al Lawrence was a charter board member of the reconstituted Missouri Chess Association and co-author of its Bylaws around 1970.
- National Scholastic Chess Foundation Partner — Co-funder of the Scholar-Chessplayer Awards program.
- National Scholastic Chess Foundation Partner — Collaborates with the National Scholastic Chess Foundation to double the value of Scholar Chessplayer Awards.
- National Scholastic Chess Foundation Partner — Sunil Weeramantry serves as Executive Director and oversees all NSCF programs and instructor training.
- National Science Foundation Funder — Primary source of grants received by Dr. Leroy Dubeck.
- Rochelle Ballantyne Partner — Rochelle Ballantyne serves on the Awards Committee for the Maurice Ashley Chess Fellowship.
- Rutgers University Government — Institution from which Dr. Leroy Dubeck obtained his Ph.D. in Physics.
- Temple University Government — Employer and institution where Dr. Dubeck holds academic positions and received the Stauffer Award.
- Texas Tech University Partner — Al Lawrence was Director of the Championship Texas Tech Chess Program from 2012 to 2015.
- The University of Texas at Dallas Partner — Founded and directed the university's Chess Program and published works through its program.
- U.S. Chess Federation Partner — Al Lawrence held multiple leadership roles including Former Executive Director, First Scholastic Director, and Former Assistant and Associate Director of the U.S. Chess Federation.
- U.S. Chess Federation Partner — Longtime board member and two-term president of the U.S. Chess Federation.
- U.S. and World Chess Hall of Fame Partner — Al Lawrence served as Former Executive Director of the U.S. and World Chess Hall of Fame.
- US Chess Federation Partner — Collaborates with the US Chess Federation to announce Scholar-Chessplayer Award recipients.
- US Chess Federation Partner — Integrated collegiate championship and collaborated on scholastic and national tournament programming
- USCF Partner — Supports charities conducted by the USCF.
- United States Chess Federation Government — Sunil served as Chairman of the USCF Committee on Chess in Education and as a member of the USCF Scholastic Committee.
- United States Chess Federation Partner — Co-administers the Scholar-Chessplayer Awards program and collaborates on youth chess initiatives.
- United States Chess Federation Partner — Coordinates affairs between the U.S. Chess Trust and the U.S. Chess Federation; maintains formal separation of governance and operational roles.
+ 4 more
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Chess for Cognitive and Academic Developmentmethodology: chess-for-cognitive-developmentBy integrating chess into educational settings, we improve children's cognitive skills, academic performance, and life outcomes because structured chess instruction enhances concentration, decision-making, and organization of thought.
- Equity-Driven Fellowship Support for Elite Talentmethodology: career-pathway-support-for-underrepresented-groupsBy providing sustained financial fellowships to high-potential chess players from under-resourced backgrounds, we increase the likelihood of developing a U.S. world chess champion because targeted investment removes systemic barriers to elite development.
- Universal Access Through Institutional Integrationmethodology: chess-in-educationBy embedding chess as a required subject in school curricula and funding dedicated scholastic centers, we ensure widespread and equitable engagement with chess because institutionalization sustains participation across diverse populations.