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Nonprofiteer
← PITTSBURGH BOTANIC GARDEN

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by PITTSBURGH BOTANIC GARDEN.

Totals

Total revenue
$3,772,237
Total expenses
$4,180,883
Contributions and grants received
$1,672,047
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$978,759
Investment income
$52,954
Other revenue
$1,068,477
Total assets, end of year
$19,895,506
Total liabilities, end of year
$1,075,038
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$18,820,468
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$3,233,528
Management and general expenses
$804,354
Fundraising expenses
$143,001
Program service expenses (Part III)
$3,233,528

Program services were 77.3% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1b · Membership dues

    $283,814

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $41,480

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $82,500

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $1,264,253

  • 2a · Program service revenue: Community Event Income

    total $523,278 · related or exempt $523,278

  • 2b · Program service revenue: Admissions

    total $407,123 · related or exempt $407,123

  • 2c · Program service revenue: Education Programs

    total $48,358 · related or exempt $48,358

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $26,315 · excluded $26,315

  • 6a · Gross rents

    real property $639,235

  • 6b · Less rental expenses

    real property $5,108

  • 6c · Rental income or loss

    real property $634,127

  • 6d · Net rental income or loss

    total $634,127 · excluded $634,127

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $26,922

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $283

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $26,639

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $26,639 · excluded $26,639

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $129,578

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $41,480

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $80,156

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total $49,422 · excluded $49,422

  • 10a · Gross sales of inventory

    $600,568

  • 10b · Cost of goods sold

    $243,784

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total $356,784 · unrelated business $209,851 · excluded $146,933

  • 11a · Other revenue: OTHER INCOME

    total $28,144 · excluded $28,144

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $28,144

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $224,518 · program services $109,243 · management and general $72,382 · fundraising $42,893

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $1,566,058 · program services $1,386,285 · management and general $163,487 · fundraising $16,286

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $70,605 · program services $65,646 · management and general $2,278 · fundraising $2,681

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $146,787 · program services $123,126 · management and general $18,782 · fundraising $4,879

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $38,466 · management and general $38,466

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $273,001 · program services $64,226 · management and general $208,775

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $185,971 · program services $153,257 · management and general $12,165 · fundraising $20,549

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $325,292 · program services $140,919 · management and general $171,581 · fundraising $12,792

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $158,160 · program services $148,398 · management and general $7,451 · fundraising $2,311

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $776,788 · program services $764,190 · management and general $8,048 · fundraising $4,550

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $97,478 · program services $6,328 · management and general $90,147 · fundraising $1,003

  • 24a · Other expenses: Garden Costs

    total $138,362 · program services $138,362

  • 24b · Other expenses: Education

    total $95,225 · program services $95,225

  • 24c · Other expenses: Cafe Operations

    total $37,623 · program services $37,623

  • 24d · Other expenses: Events

    total $35,634 · program services $700 · fundraising $34,934

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $10,915 · management and general $10,792 · fundraising $123

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $381,111 · end of year $592,886

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $562,803 · end of year $751,798

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $241,750 · end of year $113,573

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $6,562 · end of year $0

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $94,422 · end of year $93,156

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $17,461 · end of year $17,882

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $23,147,838

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $4,921,936

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $18,887,924 · end of year $18,225,902

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $27,287 · end of year $100,309

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $342,575 · end of year $300,751

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $497,631 · end of year $624,287

  • 23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable

    beginning of year $150,000 · end of year $150,000

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $18,457,959 · end of year $18,004,526

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $771,155 · end of year $815,942

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

Pittsburgh Botanic Garden inspires people to value plants, garden design and the natural world by cultivating plant collections of the Allegheny Plateau and temperate regions, creating display gardens, conducting educational programs and conserving the environment.

  • Visitor Experience: Through its facilities, gardens and woodlands, and programs, Pittsburgh Botanic Garden strives to increase the number of individuals exposed to the natural beauty of the Allegheny Plateau region. The Garden's mission is grounded in the belief that connecting with plants is fundamentally important to the emotional and physical well-being of all people.** See Continuation on Schedule O **What started as a dream in 1988 was made a reality through the dedication of many volunteers and staff. These visionaries had to conduct land reclamation, manage acid mine drainage, renovate building, construct new facilities and raise donations ultimately leading to April 1, 2015, when this public garden opened for the community. Throughout 2025, the Garden celebrated 10 years of welcoming visitors along with a multitude of milestones, including:- Admission was 18,000 in 2015 and 92,000 in 2024 and on track for 100,000 during 2025- Nature-based field trip program grew from 4 in the first year to more than 40 annually- Since Inception The Garden hosted 576 weddings attended by nearly 73,000 guests who were able to enjoy the gardens- Membership households grew from 881 to more than 4,000.Year-round highlights for visitors include these garden features: Garden of the Five Senses - This garden encourages children of all ages and abilities to touch, hear, smell, taste and see the natural world around them. Filled with hands-on activities for exploration, this is the garden for families to learn and connect with nature. You also will find the Discovery Cart, filled with constantly changing artifacts to spark curiosity in young minds. The Weisbrod Learning Pavilion provides an outdoor space for school field trips and drop-in programs for visitors.Hillside Pollinator Garden - Colorful, all-season blooms invite you and pollinators to visit this gently sloping hillside. The swaths of cultivars of native perennials burst each season to take center stage. Stroll along or take a moment on GB's Overlook to view a pollinator at work. Welcome Center -- This 7,500-square-foot facility, which opened in 2021, greets visitors entering the gardens and woodlands and transports them to a place of exploration, wonder, and learning. The Welcome Center is home to the Welcome Desk, Forage & Finds, Canopy Cafe, Peirce Education Rooms and Courtyard Garden, and the Zappala Woodland Room. Its Art Gallery features rotating local artists year-round.

    Expenses $1,726,805 · Revenue $930,401

  • Horticulture: Pittsburgh Botanic Garden inspires people to value plants, garden design and the natural world by cultivating plant collections of the Allegheny Plateau and temperate regions, creating display gardens, conducting educational programs and conserving the environment. The Garden is a qualified caretaker of 460 acres of southwest Pennsylvania's land and water. Dedicated staff and volunteers create and maintain this space as a habitat for native flora and fauna. ** See Continuation on Schedule O **In addition to ongoing conservation efforts such as mitigating acid mine drainage and reforestation projects, the Garden provides 65 acres of cultivated gardens and woodlands for the public to connect to plants. Through this innate experience: young minds are engaged, gardeners are inspired, and all visitors find a sense of calm.Central to the story of Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is the poor condition of the site upon which it is being built. Left in a deplorable state following coal extraction throughout the first half of the 20th Century, the land was unfit for most uses and even dangerous in spots. Further damage was caused by flooding of the mines beneath the surface in 2004, which exposed a severe acid mine drainage problem. The land and water are being reclaimed and repaired. Abandoned mine features, invasive species and poor site conditions are being replaced by educational gardens, reconstructed woodlands, and lovely views. The Garden is providing long-term benefits, including carbon capture, superior soil conservation and lasting habitat improvement.A few conservation highlights since beginning its land and water reclamation efforts in 2014: - In 2025, Pittsburgh Botanic Garden conducted the first prescribed burn in Allegheny County. This was part of the Garden's integrated approach to either weakening or ultimately eliminating the presence of Lespedeza cuneata, a non-native plant that negatively influences local biodiversity. - Participates in the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Wild Plant Sanctuary Program. - 15,000 native saplings were planted to reforest an abandoned mine site. The Garden collaborated with Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, United States Office of Surface Mining and Plant Five for Life. - With no chemical treatments or energy inputs, and minimal maintenance, water once considered 'dead' now supports a healthy aquatic ecosystem. The Garden operates three passive, water filter systems which neutralize more than 25 million gallons of acid mine discharge each year, prior to it entering the region's watershed and then the Ohio River. - The first innovative filter system to be installed creates the Garden's Lotus Pond, a focal point of the Japanese Garden. The Garden was recognized for this system as the recipient of the 2014 Pennsylvania Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence. - The Garden's work in mitigating acid mine drainage is recognized by the U.S. Office of Surface Mining as a national model and has since been duplicated elsewhere.

    Expenses $1,123,773

  • Education: With education a cornerstone of its mission, Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is able to use its restoration of former coal mining land as a living laboratory for adults and children to engage in environmental stewardship and develop a conservation mindset.Exposure to nature in a beautiful and safe environment through guidance of mentors helps foster connection with the natural world. In an era of increased time spent indoors, children and young adults need an opportunity to connect with nature for their personal growth and to develop the stewardship behaviors that will contribute to a healthier, more sustainable and just future.** See Continuation on Schedule O **The education programming at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is a mix of formal classes and self-discovery opportunities throughout the gardens and woodlands. Adult classes and workshops are held on a wide range of topics for beginner and experienced gardeners as well as ways to connect to plants in a variety of ways, such as through photography and art programs. Children and families learn together while exploring the gardens and woodlands through self-discovery and the assistance of interpretive signage or a stop by the Discovery Cart. The Garden education team partners with regional school districts to host curriculum-based field trips. Students are exposed to Science Technology Engineering Agriculture/Art and Mathematics (STEAM) in a unique environment that cannot be duplicated in a classroom.

    Expenses $382,950 · Revenue $48,358

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Michael Hatcher

    Chair

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5

  • Terri Fitzpatrick

    Vice Chair

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • Brenna Wist

    Treasurer

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • Susan Al

    Secretary

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • Thomas Beaudoin

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jeanne B Berdick

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • Christopher Blass

    Director (Exited 12/24)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Zoe Bunnell

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Robert Burns

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Bonita A Cersosimo

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Basil Cox

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Patrick Cozzens

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Nelson Craige

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • Amanda D'Amico

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    4

  • Tom Doran

    Director (Entered 3/25)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Susan Edwards

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    4

  • Beverlynn Elliot

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    4

  • Diana Froats

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Carl Grande

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Malcolm Handelsman

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Stephanie A Hickton

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    4

  • William J Kolano

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • John Kraus

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Brian Kuczinski

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • John Mazur

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • Patrick McCoy

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Mark Miko

    Director (Exited 12/24)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Jill S Porter-Scott

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Stacey Reiback

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Elie Saad

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Stevan Schott

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Caitlin Seiler

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Marianne Shiwarski

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • David Thor

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Saurabh Tripathi

    Director (Exited 12/24)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Shirley Weinstein

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Kendra White

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Robert Wild

    Director (Exited 12/24)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Nancy Zapalla

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5

  • Keith Kaiser

    Executive Director

    Total calculated
    $136,078
    From this org
    $135,627
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $451
    Hours/week
    40

  • Robert Mermelstein

    Chief Financial Officer

    Total calculated
    $93,513
    From this org
    $63,191
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $30,322
    Hours/week
    40

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
28 January 2026
IRS schema version
2024v5.5
Source object
202610339349300516

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