Desert Botanical Garden
Desert Botanical Garden reported $30.2 million in revenue and $27.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $72.74 went to program services, $10.93 to management and general costs and $16.33 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 46.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $605,277 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (UNTIL 9/30/25)). 21 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 87% 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 $27MFor 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 $30MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 72.7% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.9% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 16.3% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.43 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 34.7% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 2.0% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 46.9% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $605,277 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.20% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 21 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 34.9 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 45 of 45 | 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 expenseHorticulture - propagating & maintaining a living plant collection of over 50,000 desert plants with particular emphasis on those inhabiting the sonoran desert, many of which are endangered species. This program also works to preserve desert plant life outside of its collection by educating the public regarding the beauty, variety and fragility of desert plant life by displaying and interpreting its collection for the public at its garden in phoenix, az which in the current year attracted over 520,000 visitors from all over the world. Education - provides programming for children, adults, and…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (UNTIL 9/30/25) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $539,569 | $0 | $65,708 | $605,277 |
| EXECUTIVE VP & CFOO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $267,850 | $0 | $48,883 | $316,733 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $232,894 | $0 | $16,358 | $249,252 |
| CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $190,187 | $0 | $34,804 | $224,991 |
| CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $200,169 | $0 | $20,837 | $221,006 |
| SR DIRECTOR OF HORTICULTURE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $165,442 | $0 | $30,371 | $195,813 |
| SR DIRECTOR OF EVENTS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $151,899 | $0 | $25,703 | $177,602 |
21 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Desert Botanical Garden (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $922K (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–1b45 · 45 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 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 5249
- Volunteers Part I, line 6632
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| 180 DEGREES Construction and design services | $6,499,737 |
| VENUE DESIGN BUILD Construction and design services | $1,041,849 |
| SCANLAB PROJECTS LTD Exhibition and artist fees | $851,666 |
| SBD STUDIO STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Construction and design services | $628,915 |
| BREISE CONSTRUCTION Construction and design services | $436,466 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 21 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
45 private foundations reported grants to Desert Botanical Garden totaling $1.2M 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 Desert 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 Desert Botanical Garden, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Desert Botanical Garden spent in FY2025, $72.74 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of Desert Botanical Garden's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Desert Botanical Garden reported that 72.7% of its $27.5 million in expenses went to program services, 10.9% to management and general and 16.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Desert Botanical Garden pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Desert Botanical Garden reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $605,277, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (UNTIL 9/30/25) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Desert Botanical Garden get its money?
Of $30.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 34.7% came from contributions and grants (including 2.0% from government grants) and 46.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Desert Botanical Garden a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 86-0136925 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 202610649349301506 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202540489349300499 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202430479349300538 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202300879349301010 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202200469349301805 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202120479349301047 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 86-0136925: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.