Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$10,550,732

Total expenses

$12,345,394

Contributions and grants received

$8,873,581

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$818,945

Investment income

$560,402

Other revenue

$297,804

Total assets, end of year

$214,474,612

Total liabilities, end of year

$368,956

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$214,105,656

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$6,586,110

Management and general expenses

$5,040,518

Fundraising expenses

$718,766

Program service expenses (Part III)

$6,586,110

Program services were 53.3% 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.

Mission and programs · 2024

• SEE SCHEDULE OTHE HOLDEN ARBORETUM IS A 3,500-ACRE OUTDOOR LIVING MUSEUM THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTH OF COMMUNITIES IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION BY DEMONSTRATING AND SHARING THE BEAUTY AND VALUE OF TREES AND PLANTS. IN ADDITION, THE ARBORETUM HOLDS APPROXIMATELY 1,600 ACRES IN CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND INCLUDES THE 29-ACRE LEACH RESEARCH STATION IN MADISON, OH. THE HOLDEN ARBORETUM IS INTEGRATED WITH THE CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN AS HOLDEN FORESTS & GARDENS ("HF&G"). THE CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN IS AN URBAN BOTANICAL GARDEN LOCATED 25 MILES FROM HOLDEN ARBORETUM IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND. TOGETHER, THE INSTITUTIONS ARE ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS AND REPRESENT ONE OF THE LARGEST PUBLIC GARDENS IN THE COUNTRY. THE MISSION OF THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS IS TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH THE WONDER, BEAUTY, AND VALUE OF TREES AND PLANTS, TO INSPIRE ACTION FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. THE HOLDEN ARBORETUM FULFILS THIS MISSION THROUGH CORE PROGRAMMING THAT FOCUSES ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, HORTICULTURE AND CURATION, EDUCATION, EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2025 (FY25), HF&G BEGAN TO OPERATIONALIZE ITS 2025-2029 STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH IS BASED ON THE STRATEGIC PILLARS OF LANDSCAPES, INSPIRATION, KNOWLEDGE, COMMUNITY, AND EXCELLENCE. ADDITIONALLY, HF&G BEGAN TO ADVANCE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE ORGANIZATION'S TRANSFORMATIONAL SITE PLAN, COMPRISING KEY PROJECTS THAT WILL ENSURE THAT BOTH CAMPUSES ARE WELCOMING, YEAR-ROUND DESTINATIONS FOR ALL GUESTS THAT MODEL AND CATALYZE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. HF&G ALSO CONTINUED ITS CORE MISSION-FOCUSED PROGRAMS.SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH: THE RESEARCH STAFF PUBLISHED 17 PEER-REVIEWED PAPERS IN INDUSTRY JOURNALS AND GAVE 10 PRESENTATIONS TO PROFESSIONAL AUDIENCES AND 18 TO PUBLIC AUDIENCES. ONGOING RESEARCH PROJECTS INCLUDE STUDIES ON BEECH LEAF DISEASE; BEECH BARK DISEASE; HEMLOCK WOOLY ADELGID; PLANT PHYSIOLOGY; PLANT PHENOLOGY; SOIL ECOLOGY; FOREST ECOLOGY; AND GENETICS; AND 13 INTERNS AND 1 GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORTED THIS WORK IN FY25. COLLECTIVELY, THE RESEARCH TEAM WAS AWARDED FIVE NEW GRANTS TOTALING OVER $1.5 MILLION. HF&G ALSO CONTINUED TO GROW ITS REGIONAL SEEDBANK FOR CLIMATE MITIGATION AND FOREST RESTORATION WORK; WORKING TO COLLECT, STORE, AND REDISTRIBUTE NATIVE SEEDS TO SUPPORT REFORESTATION AND RESTORATION PROJECTS THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST OHIO AND BEYOND. THIS YEAR, THE SEEDBANK PROCESSED 852,000 SEEDS FROM 65 DIFFERENT NATIVE SPECIES AND DONATED THOUSANDS OF SEED IN SUPPORT OF NATIVE SEED LIBRARIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION.CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY: THE CONSERVATION TEAM MANAGES OVER 3,000 ACRES OF NATURAL AREAS AT THE ARBORETUM. IN FY25, THEY PLANTED OVER 1,300 TREES AND SHRUBS TO ENHANCE 45 ACRES OF YOUNG SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT IN THE ARBORETUM'S NATURAL AREAS. THEY ALSO CONDUCTED RARE PLANT SURVEYS ON 11 SPECIES AND PERFORMED MANAGEMENT ON THREE RARE PLANT POPULATIONS. THE CONSERVATION TEAM MANAGED HEMLOCK WOOLY ADELGID AND HEMLOCK ELONGATE SCALE INFESTATIONS ON OVER 500 TREES LOCATED AT THE LITTLE MOUNTAIN NATURAL AREA, WITHIN THE ARBORETUM'S CORE COLLECTION, AND AT CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN. IN ADDITION, CONSERVATION STAFF ENGAGED 41 VOLUNTEERS IN THE BLUEBIRD NESTBOX PROGRAM, FLEDGING OVER 725 NATIVE BIRDS. HF&G'S WORKING WOODS INITIATIVE, WHICH IS A UNIQUE FOREST MANAGEMENT DEMONSTRATION SITE FOR LANDOWNERS OF SMALL WOODLOTS, CONTINUED OPERATIONS FUNDED LARGELY BY A $1.9M GRANT FROM THE US FOREST SERVICE. WORKING WOODS PROVIDES FOREST MANAGEMENT SUPPORT FOR PRIVATE LANDOWNERS THROUGH ONSITE DEMONSTRATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, AS WELL AS OFF SITE CONSULTING FORESTRY PROVIDED TO LANDOWNERS BY TWO CONSULTING FORESTERS ON HOLDEN'S STAFF. THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES BASIN FOREST HEALTH COLLABORATIVE, A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE US FOREST SERVICE BASED AT HOLDEN, HOLDEN CARED FOR 160 PLANTED BEECH TREES, 600 PLANTED ASH TREES, AND 70 PLANTED EASTERN HEMLOCK. ASIDE FROM THIS FORMAL PARTNERSHIP, HOLDEN ALSO CARED FOR 300 ASH, 200 BEECH, AND 1,770 HEMLOCK TREES POTTED FOR FUTURE RESEARCH OR PLANTINGS. HORTICULTURE AND COLLECTIONS : THE HORTICULTURE AND COLLECTIONS STAFF CULTIVATES, MAINTAINS, AND CARES FOR OVER 13,000 ACCESSIONED PLANTS AND PLANT GROUPINGS IN THE LIVING COLLECTION AT THE HOLDEN ARBORETUM. IN COLLABORATION WITH THE RESEARCH STAFF, THEY MANAGE ANOTHER 3,200 PRESERVED RESEARCH SPECIMENS AND ASSOCIATED DATA. THE HORTICULTURE TEAM MAINTAINS APPROXIMATELY 340 ACRES OF DEVELOPED GROUNDS IN AND OUTSIDE OF THE "CORE" VISITOR AREA OF THE ARBORETUM, ENSURING THAT GUESTS ENJOY A SENSE OF WONDER AND BEAUTY EVERY TIME THEY VISIT. WHILE THE HORTICULTURE STAFF CONTINUED TO ADVANCE A PHASED REFRESH AND REDESIGN OF SIGNATURE GARDENS AT THE ARBORETUM IN FY25, THE PIERSON VALLEY NATURAL SURFACE TRAILS PROJECT WAS COMPLETED AND OPENED TO GUESTS ALLOWING ACCESS TO THE ARBORETUM'S UNIQUE FORESTS AND NATURAL AREAS. THE COLLECTIONS CURATION STAFF LAUNCHED FLORA-FINDER, THE CULMINATION OF A 2-YEAR, $246K GRANT FROM THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM & LIBRARY SERVICES MAKING PLANT RECORDS AND INFORMATION MORE ACCESSIBLE TO STAFF, INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, AND THE PUBLIC. THE HORTICULTURE AND COLLECTIONS TEAM ALSO WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE EDUCATION AND VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS TO SUPPORT BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES. DURING FY25, THE TEAM FACILITATED 19 PUBLIC EDUCATION CLASSES AND TOURS, REACHING 585 PARTICIPANTS, AND ENGAGED 261 VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN 3,200 HOURS OF SERVICE. GUEST EXPERIENCE: IN FY25, THE ARBORETUM WELCOMED 158,000 TOTAL VISITORS, ENGAGING THEM IN THE WONDER AND BEAUTY OF PLANTS AND SHARING THEIR VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITIES. ARBORETUM STAFF HOSTED FOREST FORMS, A TRAVELING EXHIBITION OF LARGE-SCALE GARDEN SCULPTURES BY ELEMENTAL EXHIBITIONS AND ARTIST HUELANI MEI. THE ARBORETUM HOSTED 10 SPECIAL EVENTS, WHICH INCLUDED AN ARBOR DAY OPEN HOUSE WHICH ATTRACTED 1,400 PEOPLE WITH FREE ADMISSION, FAMILY ACTIVITIES, AND STAFF EXPERTS ON A COLD, RAINY DAY. THESE SPECIAL EVENTS, INFORMAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND PRIVATE RENTALS, ENGAGED 22,000 GUESTS IN 2025. HIGHLIGHTS TRAM TOURS WELCOMED 3,500 GUESTS IN FY25, INCLUDING THOSE WITH LIMITED MOBILITY OR THOSE NEW TO THE ARBORETUM. TOGETHER WITH THE ARBORETUM'S SIGNATURE MURCH CANOPY WALK AND KALBERER EMERGENT TOWER EXPERIENCES, THESE SPECIAL EXHIBITS AND EXPERIENCES DRIVE GENERAL ADMISSION, HELPING TO SUSTAIN THE ORGANIZATION'S OPERATING BUDGET, WHILE ALSO DRAWING IN VISITORS AND PIQUING INTEREST IN THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURE AND THE OUTDOOR WORLD. EDUCATION: THE ARBORETUM OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNERS OF ALL AGES, FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS TO ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION. FOR SCHOOL GROUPS, PROGRAMMING INCLUDES SPROUTING YOUNG SCIENTISTS (SPYS) FOR PRE-K LEARNERS AND GROWING STUDENTS IN SCIENCE (GSS) FOR GRADES 25, WITH MORE THAN 12,790 STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMS IN FY25. THE EDUCATION TEAM ALSO OVERSEES BUCKEYE BUD'S, THE ARBORETUM'S NATURE-BASED LEARNING SITE, DELIVERS PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND ADULT CLASSES, AND SUPPORTS EDUCATORS WITH TEACHING RESOURCES. IN FY25, 78 CAMPERS PARTICIPATED IN SEVEN SUMMER CAMP SESSIONS, AND MORE THAN 2,615 YOUTH ENGAGED IN VALUE-ADDED PROGRAMMING DURING THEIR VISITS. ADULT LEARNERS WERE EQUALLY ENGAGED WITH OVER 942 TAKING PART IN OUR CLASS OFFERINGS, WHICH RANGE FROM HIKES AND GARDEN TOURS, TO NATURAL WREATH MAKING AND NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS. COMMUNITY OUTREACH: IN FY25, HF&G CELEBRATED THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF ITS PEOPLE FOR TREES CAMPAIGN TO PLANT 15,000 TREES IN NORTHEAST OHIO BY 2025. THE COMMUNITY'S ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSE ENABLED THE CAMPAIGN TO SURPASS THE GOAL: 19,250 TREES WERE PLANTED AND DISTRIBUTED ACROSS NORTHEAST OHIO IN LESS THAN FIVE YEARS. HF&G "MATCHED" THIS TOTAL BY PLANTING ANOTHER 11,200 TREES WITHIN THE HOLDEN ARBORETUM CAMPUS AS PART OF OUR CONSERVATION EFFORTS. THIS MATCH BROUGHT THE TOTAL IMPACT OF THE PEOPLE FOR TREES CAMPAIGN TO OVER 31,000 TREES. IN ADDITION TO THE PEOPLE FOR TREES CAMPAIGN, HF&G CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE CLEVELAND TREE COALITION THROUGH MEMBERSHIP ON ITS EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE AND ACTIVE WORKING COMMITTEES. THE CLEVELAND TREE COALITION IS CHARGED WITH IMPLEMENTING THE 2015 CLEVELAND TREE PLAN TO RESTORE THE DECREASING TREE CANOPY IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY. THE GREEN CORPS PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ALSO CONTINUED TO GROW, FOCUSED ON MENTORING, INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE, AND INTRODUCTION TO PLANT- BASED CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. IN FY25, HF&G HOSTED 23 GREEN CORPS INTERNS WHO COMPLETED 4,628 HOURS WITH THE GUIDANCE OF 45 STAFF MEMBERS TO CREATE VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS INCLUDING ADDITIONAL TOUCHPOINTS FOR GUESTS AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES. IN ADDITION TO SERVING ON CLEVELAND TREE COALITION COMMITTEES, HF&G STAFF SERVED ON THE CLEAN OHIO NATURAL RESOURCES ASSISTANCE COUNCIL; HOLDEN PARKS TRUST BOARD; AND DOAN BROOK WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP AND UCI BOARDS.

  Expenses $6,586,110 · Revenue $865,037

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

Listed in Part VII

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. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

• CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN

  501(C)(3) · HORTIC.EDUC. · OH · controlled entity

  Directly controlled by HOLDEN ARB

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

13 August 2026

IRS schema version

2024v5.5

Source object

202612269349300106

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