The Holden Arboretum
Also known as Holden Forests & Gardens
The Holden Arboretum reported $10.6 million in revenue and $12.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $53.35 went to program services, $40.83 to management and general costs and $5.82 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 84.1% of the total. Government grants made up 14.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $425,427 (PRESIDENT/CEO). 7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 16% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $12MFor context, the median across 371 covered environment charities: $85.82 programs, $10.80 management, $3.38 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $11MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 53.3% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 40.8% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.8% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.08 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 84.1% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 14.5% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 7.8% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $425,427 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.45% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 208.1 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 31 of 31 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseSee 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…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT/CEO Officer, 30.00 hrs/week | $404,352 | $0 | $21,075 | $425,427 |
| EXEC.VP/COO Officer, 20.00 hrs/week | $189,548 | $0 | $27,812 | $217,360 |
| VP - SCIENCE & CONSERVATION Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $162,032 | $0 | $21,416 | $183,448 |
| CFO/TREASURER (FORMER) Former, 0.00 hrs/week | $135,408 | $0 | $17,552 | $152,960 |
| VP - HORTICULTURE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $138,496 | $0 | $9,556 | $148,052 |
| TREASURER/VP Officer, 30.00 hrs/week | $125,687 | $0 | $9,258 | $134,945 |
| DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $112,303 | $0 | $7,006 | $119,309 |
| SECRETARY/VP Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $92,570 | $0 | $11,460 | $104,030 |
7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Holden Arboretum (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $635K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b31 · 31 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5299
- Volunteers Part I, line 6600
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| PHOENIX EXPERIENTIAL DESIGNS LLC Civil engineering/maint. | $354,518 |
| AK TRAILS LLC Trail building | $212,261 |
| ASHTON TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS Technology services | $201,111 |
| VIZMEG LANDSCAPE INC Custodial services | $152,374 |
| BLUE RASTER LLC Technology services | $111,256 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 7 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
13 private foundations reported grants to The Holden Arboretum totaling $79,200 on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from The Holden Arboretum's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Holden Arboretum, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Holden Arboretum spent in FY2025, $53.35 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Truckee Donner Land TrustTruckee, CA · revenue $10M · programs 81.9% · FY2025
- Trees AtlantaAtlanta, GA · revenue $11M · programs 88.4% · FY2025
- Colorado Youth Corps AssociationDenver, CO · revenue $10M · programs 98.3% · 2024
- California Environmental Justice AllianceOakland, CA · revenue $11M · programs 71.7% · FY2024
- Grandfather Mountain Stewardship FoundationLinville, NC · revenue $10M · programs 85.6% · 2024
Questions people ask
How much of The Holden Arboretum's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, The Holden Arboretum reported that 53.3% of its $12.3 million in expenses went to program services, 40.8% to management and general and 5.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Holden Arboretum pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Holden Arboretum reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $425,427, for the role of PRESIDENT/CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Holden Arboretum get its money?
Of $10.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 84.1% came from contributions and grants (including 14.5% from government grants) and 7.8% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Holden Arboretum a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 34-0750346 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, object 202612269349300106 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202502259349300415 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202412269349302266 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202322269349301192 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202212279349300216 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202132289349301808 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 34-0750346: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.