Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden reported $14.5 million in revenue and $15.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $89.51 went to program services, $7.40 to management and general costs and $3.09 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 49.2% of the total. Government grants made up 20.2%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $233,892 (DEPUTY DIREC). 2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 52% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending October 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $15MFor 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 October 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $14MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 89.5% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 7.4% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.1% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.07 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 49.2% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 20.2% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 24.3% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $233,892 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.53% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 2 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 38.8 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 36 of 36 | 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 expensePlant introduction and horticulture- the southeastern tip of the florida peninsula has a tropical monsoonal climate unlike any other in the USA. With year-round warmth and rainy summers, fairchild can grow many of the world's most important, beautiful, unusual, and endangered tropical plants. The garden includes a rainforest, desert gardens, ponds and lakes, rare plant conservatories, a garden for native butterflies, a conservatory for exotic butterflies, a nature trail, and special sections exhibiting palms, vines, and tropical trees. Separate from its main campus, fairchild operates a plant…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEPUTY DIREC Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $228,088 | $0 | $5,804 | $233,892 |
| EXECUTIVE DI Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $152,427 | $0 | $7,007 | $159,434 |
2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $381K (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–1b36 · 36 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 4No
- 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 5110
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| EPIC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP Operations | $1,318,595 |
| ARTHUR GALLAGHER AND CO Insurance | $512,564 |
| ILUMA AGENCY Marketing | $346,900 |
| LE BASQUE PRODUCTIONS Catering | $300,298 |
| PROLINE CONSULTING GROUP Accounting | $268,955 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
36 private foundations reported grants to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden totaling $1.1M 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 Fairchild Tropical Botanic 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 Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden spent in FY2025, $89.51 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending October 31, 2025, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden reported that 89.5% of its $15.3 million in expenses went to program services, 7.4% to management and general and 3.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden reported for one person in the fiscal year ending October 31, 2025 was $233,892, for the role of DEPUTY DIREC (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden get its money?
Of $14.5 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending October 31, 2025, 49.2% came from contributions and grants (including 20.2% from government grants) and 24.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 59-0668480 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 October 31, 2025, object 202642589349302759 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2024, object 202522589349302517 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2023, object 202442589349300769 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2022 (amended), object 202410409349300726 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2021, object 202222579349302007 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2020, object 202102579349302400 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 59-0668480: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.