Form 990 for tax year 2023

Totals

Total revenue

$11,754,891

Total expenses

$11,721,358

Contributions and grants received

$9,195,902

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$854,625

Investment income

$1,510,681

Other revenue

$193,683

Total assets, end of year

$198,751,229

Total liabilities, end of year

$1,348,759

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$197,402,470

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$8,105,839

Management and general expenses

$2,952,511

Fundraising expenses

$663,008

Program service expenses (Part III)

$8,105,839

Program services were 69.2% 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 · 2023

• 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. FISCAL YEAR 2024 ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 (FY24), WAS ED MOYDELL'S FIRST YEAR AS NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO, AFTER JOINING THE ORGANIZATION ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2023. IN FY24, HF&G AFFIRMED ITS MISSION AND VISION AND DEVELOPED A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN TO GUIDE THE ORGANIZATION'S WORK FOR 2025 THROUGH 2029. PILLARS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN ARE LANDSCAPES, INSPIRATION, KNOWLEDGE, COMMUNITY, AND EXCELLENCE. ADDITIONALLY, HF&G AFFIRMED ITS COMPREHENSIVE 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 18 PEER-REVIEWED PAPERS IN INDUSTRY JOURNALS AND GAVE FIVE PRESENTATIONS TO PROFESSIONAL AUDIENCES AND 12 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 18 INTERNS AND SIX GRADUATE STUDENTS SUPPORTED THIS WORK IN FY24. COLLECTIVELY, THE RESEARCH TEAM WAS AWARDED TWO NEW GRANTS TOTALING OVER $1.9 MILLION. THE MASTER PLAN FOR EXPANSION OF THE LONG CENTER FOR PLANT & ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH WAS ALSO COMPLETED, WHICH WILL ADD A NEW, TWO-STORY EXPANSION WITH 8,000 SQUARE FEET OF NEW SPACE AND TWO NEW GREENHOUSE STRUCTURES. HF&G ALSO CONTINUED TO DEVELOP A REGIONAL SEEDBANK FOR CLIMATE MITIGATION AND FOREST RESTORATION WORK; THE GOAL IS TO COLLECT, STORE, AND REDISTRIBUTE NATIVE SEEDS TO SUPPORT REFORESTATION AND RESTORATION PROJECTS THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST OHIO AND BEYOND. IN JUST A PARTIAL YEAR OF OPERATION, THE SEEDBANK PROCESSED 150,000 SEEDS FROM 30 DIFFERENT NATIVE SPECIES.CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY: THE CONSERVATION TEAM MANAGES OVER 3,000 ACRES OF NATURAL AREAS AT THE ARBORETUM. IN FY24, THEY PLANTED 11,232 TREES AND CARED FOR OR PROPAGATED ABOUT 900 ADDITIONAL TREES, IN ADDITION TO PERFORMING INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL ON 712 ACRES. THEY ALSO CONDUCTED RARE PLANT SURVEYS ON 10 SPECIES AND COLLECTED AND PROPAGATED THREE RARE PLANT SPECIES. IN FY24, THE TEAM CONTINUED ITS ASSESSMENT, TREATMENT, AND MANAGEMENT OF PESTS AND DISEASES INCLUDING BEECH LEAF DISEASE, HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID, AND OAK WILT ACROSS APPROXIMATELY 750 ACRES. IN URBAN FORESTRY, 152 TREES WERE PLANTED AND ANOTHER 792 TREES CARED FOR IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY. HF&G'S WORKING WOODS INITIATIVE, WHICH IS A UNIQUE FOREST MANAGEMENT DEMONSTRATION SITE FOR LANDOWNERS OF SMALL WOODLOTS, RECEIVED A $1.9M GRANT FROM THE US FOREST SERVICE. THE FUNDING SUPPORTED THE HIRING OF THREE NEW STAFF MEMBERS TO EXPAND OUR FOREST MANAGEMENT SUPPORT FOR PRIVATE LANDOWNERS. FINALLY, THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES BASIN FOREST HEALTH COLLABORATIVE, A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE US FOREST SERVICE BASED AT HOLDEN, 73,000 ASH SEEDS WERE COLLECTED ACROSS OHIO. THE COLLABORATIVE ALSO CARED FOR 130 EXISTING BEECH TREES, 825 EXISTING ASH TREES, AND 1,500 EXISTING HEMLOCK TREES AND CO-HOSTED A TREE SPECIES IN PERIL MEETING WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY. HORTICULTURE AND COLLECTIONS: THE HORTICULTURE AND COLLECTIONS STAFF CULTIVATES, MAINTAINS, AND CARES FOR 15,100 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 FY24, A COMPREHENSIVE, 4.5-MI BACK-COUNTRY TRAIL SYSTEM WAS DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE GUESTS ACCESS TO THE ARBORETUM'S UNIQUE FORESTS AND NATURAL AREAS. THE COLLECTIONS CURATION STAFF CONTINUED ITS TWO-YEAR PROJECT, FUNDED BY THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM & LIBRARY SERVICES, TO MAP AND DIGITIZE DECADES OF DATA, 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 STAFF TO SUPPORT BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES. GUEST EXPERIENCE: IN FY24, THE ARBORETUM WELCOMED OVER 161,000 TOTAL VISITORS, ENGAGING THEM IN THE WONDER AND BEAUTY OF PLANTS AND SHARING THEIR VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITIES. ARBORETUM STAFF WORKED WITH APPLIED IMAGINATION TO DEVELOP AND PRESENT POLLINATOR EXPRESS, AN OUTDOOR EXHIBITION IN SUMMER 2024. THE ARBORETUM HOSTED 14 SPECIAL EVENTS, INCLUDING THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE ARBORETUM IN APRIL 2024, WHERE 1,200 GUESTS EXPERIENCED A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE AMID THE BEAUTY OF NATURE! THESE SPECIAL EVENTS, INFORMAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND PRIVATE RENTALS, ENGAGED 22,000 GUESTS IN 2024. HIGHLIGHTS TRAM TOURS WELCOMED 3,300 GUESTS IN FY24, 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 PROVIDES A SERIES OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL AGES, FROM YOUTH AND CLASSROOM-BASED PROGRAMS TO ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION. CLASSROOM- AND CAMPUS-BASED PROGRAMS AT THE ARBORETUM INCLUDE SPROUTING YOUNG SCIENTISTS (SPYS) FOR PRE-K AND GROWING STUDENTS IN SCIENCE (GSS) FOR GRADES 2 THROUGH 5. OVER 13,300 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THESE SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMS IN FY24. THE EDUCATION TEAM ALSO MANAGES THE NATURE-BASED LEARNING SITE BUCKEYE BUD'S AT THE ARBORETUM, OFFERS ADULT CLASSES AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS, AND PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS. AT THE ARBORETUM 81 CAMPERS ATTENDED 6 DIFFERENT SUMMER CAMPS IN FY24 AND OVER 2,860 YOUTH TOOK PART IN OUR VALUE-ADDED PROGRAMMING WHILE ON SITE. THE ADULT AUDIENCE WAS ALSO WELL SERVED WITH OVER 1,346 TAKING PART IN OUR CLASS OFFERINGS THAT RANGE FROM NATURAL AREAS HIKES TO WREATH MAKING TO SEED COLLECTING AND GRAFTING. COMMUNITY OUTREACH: IN FY24, HF&G CONTINUED TO POSITION ITSELF AS A COMMUNITY LEADER IN URBAN GREENING AND FORESTRY, ADVANCING ITS PEOPLE FOR TREES CAMPAIGN TO PLANT 15,000 TREES IN NORTHEAST OHIO BY 2025. THE COMMUNITY'S ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSE CONTINUED, NEARLY REACHING THE GOAL BY THE END OF YEAR FOUR. 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 TREE CORPS PROGRAM, A PAID ARBORICULTURE WORKFORCE TRAINING EXPERIENCE, SUPPORTED SIX COHORT MEMBERS AND CONTRIBUTED TO SEEDS COLLECTED AND TREES PLANTED AND MAINTAINED BY THE CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY STAFF. BEGINNING IN FY23, HF&G USED A FEDERAL EARMARK AWARD FOR URBAN FORESTRY TO PROVIDE TREES IN CUYAHOGA, LAKE, AND GEAUGA COUNTIES. THE GREEN CORPS PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ALSO CONTINUED TO GROW, FOCUSED ON MENTORING, INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE, AND INTRODUCTION TO HORTICULTURAL CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.

  Expenses $8,105,839 · Revenue $884,467

As filed on the 2023 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

2023

Filed

11 August 2025

IRS schema version

2023v6.0

Source object

202502259349300415

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

The source document this was parsed from is served over the API, which is where bulk and document access live.