The Atlanta Botanical Garden
The Atlanta Botanical Garden reported $76.0 million in revenue and $40.1 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $77.80 went to program services, $15.60 to management and general costs and $6.60 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 66.6% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $758,260 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 17 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 155% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $40MFor 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 $76M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$60.53 $49M
- Government grants$2.40 $1.9M
- Program service revenue$29.83 $24M
- Other revenue$7.24 $5.8M
Investment income was negative: −$4.5M. 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) | 77.8% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 15.6% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.6% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 66.6% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 2.5% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 31.6% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $758,260 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.89% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 17 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 74.5 | 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
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseDuring 2024, the garden hosted 806,937 visitors to its premises and at year end, had 44,303 members of various membership classes. Visitors can experience natural environments from around the globe through stunning, ever-changing garden displays and exhibitions. Permanent displays focus on plant diversity, ecological principles, conservation, and adaptations to specific environments. The Atlanta Botanical Garden has one of the most complete orchid repositories in the world, as well as a state-of-the-art tissue culture lab contributing to the emerging field of high-tech plant propagation. Its…
The Atlanta Botanical Garden's focus on education motivates garden staff to develop and provide various lecture events including a series to promote horticultural knowledge and awareness. An after-school program, school tours and camps, along with weekly programs included with admission, bring environmental knowledge to children of all ages. From achieving peace through tai chi and learning to draw favorite flowers, to chef events and improving green space at home, the garden's robust selection of educational opportunities and knowledgeable training team engages the public at a variety of…
Garden staff continue working to save rare and endangered species and to investigate methods of tissue culture and plant propagation. Our southeastern center for conservation focuses on four core areas of research: habitat restoration and monitoring, conservation genetics and evolutionary studies, pollinator surveys, and a conservation seed bank. The garden's domestic and international conservation work is critical to preserving our natural heritage and positively affecting international plant populations
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 | $692,597 | $0 | $65,663 | $758,260 |
| COO Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $381,813 | $0 | $25,663 | $407,476 |
| VP INSTITUTIONAL ADV Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $254,908 | $0 | $22,248 | $277,156 |
| VP, CONSERVATION Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $224,344 | $0 | $8,974 | $233,318 |
| VP, HUMAN RESOURCES Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $193,153 | $0 | $17,940 | $211,093 |
| VP, MARKETING Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $200,230 | $0 | $8,009 | $208,239 |
| VP, HORTICULTURE & COLLECTIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $189,240 | $0 | $17,172 | $206,412 |
| Director, ABG - Gainesville Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $167,287 | $0 | $27,798 | $195,085 |
17 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Atlanta Botanical Garden (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.7M (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–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 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5Yes
- 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 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5598
- Volunteers Part I, line 6890
Private foundation grants it received
56 private foundations reported grants to The Atlanta Botanical Garden totaling $8.2M 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 Atlanta Botanical Garden'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 Atlanta Botanical Garden, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Atlanta Botanical Garden spent in 2024, $77.80 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of The Atlanta Botanical Garden's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, The Atlanta Botanical Garden reported that 77.8% of its $40.1 million in expenses went to program services, 15.6% to management and general and 6.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Atlanta Botanical Garden pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Atlanta Botanical Garden reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $758,260, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Atlanta Botanical Garden get its money?
Of $76.0 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 66.6% came from contributions and grants (including 2.5% from government grants) and 31.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Atlanta Botanical Garden a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 58-1313284 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 202523199349302637 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202403199349312620 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202323189349316472 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202243199349309899 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202113169349311206 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202043169349306099 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 58-1313284: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.