Chicago Horticultural Society
Also known as Chicago Botanic Garden
Chicago Horticultural Society reported $68.1 million in revenue and $73.4 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $80.89 went to program services, $10.52 to management and general costs and $8.59 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 57.8% of the total. Government grants made up 17.3%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $539,078 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 41 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 23% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $73MFor 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
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $68M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$40.36 $28M
- Government grants$17.30 $12M
- Program service revenue$39.55 $27M
- Investment income$2.79 $1.9M
Other revenue was negative: −$147K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 80.9% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.5% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 8.6% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.16 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 57.8% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 17.3% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 39.6% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $539,078 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.73% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 41 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 48.0 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 74 of 74 | 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
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseHorticultural programs - the garden comprises 385 acres, including 81 acres of lakes and waterways, a 15 acre illinois prairie, and 100 acres of native woodlands. There are 28 display gardens representing unique designs, such as the english walled garden, the japanese garden, and the fruit and vegetable island. In 2024, the plant collection of the garden totals 2.73m living plants. The total number of active accessions (accession records) is 29,543 with the taxa in the permanent collections numbering 14,200. A total of 235 families are represented. The plant collections department at the…
Visitor services: 1,300,000 people visited the garden in 2024, from throughout the chicago area, the midwest, the nation and the world. The garden features a wide variety of indoor and outdoor events, activities, programming and exhibitions. The garden also hosts dozens of flower shows and sales, and is the site of educational programming for visitors of all ages and weekend family classes
Plant conservation - the garden is recognized as an important player in international plant conservation and a leader in ornamental plant development. Its plant breeding, evaluation, and introduction efforts are creating new and improved plants for midwest gardens, and its division of plant science and conservation is working on the most pressing environmental issues of our time, including invasiveness, loss of plant species biodiversity, and habitat conservation
Highest reported compensation
2024 · 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, 40.0 hrs/week | $502,878 | $0 | $36,200 | $539,078 |
| EXECUTIVE VP & DIRECTOR Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $334,862 | $0 | $35,104 | $369,966 |
| EXECUTIVE VP & CFO Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $333,226 | $0 | $35,104 | $368,330 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $314,341 | $0 | $19,842 | $334,183 |
| INTERIM STRATEGIC SYSTEMS AND REPORTING Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $300,718 | $0 | $0 | $300,718 |
| VICE-PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $271,358 | $0 | $26,873 | $298,231 |
| VICE-PRESIDENT, COMMUNITY EDUCATION Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $236,782 | $0 | $23,404 | $260,186 |
| VICE-PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $225,126 | $0 | $23,404 | $248,530 |
41 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Chicago Horticultural Society (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.6M (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
2024 · 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–1b74 · 74 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 11aNo
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5865
- Volunteers Part I, line 6821
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT Event production | $3,996,796 |
| A-1 ROOFING Construction | $2,294,513 |
| DATALISH It services | $799,401 |
| FROST LIGHTING Construction | $711,324 |
| PRESCIENT SOLUTIONS It services | $540,859 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 52 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
32 private foundations reported grants to Chicago Horticultural Society totaling $1.6M 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 Chicago Horticultural Society's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Chicago Horticultural Society, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Chicago Horticultural Society spent in 2024, $80.89 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Save the Redwoods LeagueSan Francisco, CA · revenue $68M · programs 78.4% · FY2025
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- Allied Climate PartnersNew York, NY · revenue $67M · programs 78.1% · 2024
- Nokuse EducationFreeport, FL · revenue $71M · programs 99.4% · 2025
- MultiplierSan Francisco, CA · revenue $66M · programs 92.6% · 2024
Questions people ask
How much of Chicago Horticultural Society's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Chicago Horticultural Society reported that 80.9% of its $73.4 million in expenses went to program services, 10.5% to management and general and 8.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Chicago Horticultural Society pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Chicago Horticultural Society reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $539,078, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Chicago Horticultural Society get its money?
Of $68.1 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 57.8% came from contributions and grants (including 17.3% from government grants) and 39.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Chicago Horticultural Society a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-2225482 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
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202503219349316780 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202413209349314446 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202303199349321625 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223199349314107 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202123199349314307 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202003219349309015 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-2225482: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.