Atlanta Botanical Garden Inc is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, registered in 1976, with $76,001,816 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 78% of spending to programs.
Revenue (FY2024)
$76.0M
▲ 16.4% vs prior year
Environment median: $250K
Expenses (FY2024)
$40.1M
Net assets
$249.2M
Employees
598
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Atlanta Botanical Garden Inc: 78% to programs · $5 to raise $100 earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Atlanta Botanical Garden Inc: 74 mo reserves · +47% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Atlanta Botanical Garden Inc: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Atlanta Botanical Garden Inc: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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The mission of the atlanta botanical garden is to develop and maintain plant collections for display, education, research, conservation and enjoyment.
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 levels.
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.
Revenue grew from $21.6M (FY2013) to $76.0M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Operating margin
47.2%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$258.6M
Total liabilities
$9.5M
Net assets
$249.2M
Salaries & benefits
$18.1M
45% of expenses
Board members
31
31 independent
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $76,001,816▲16.4% | $40,142,238▲6.5% | $249,174,472▲21.2% | $258,624,852▲2.6% | 990 |
| 2023 | $65,291,518▲13.1% | $37,697,449▲7.3% | $205,589,865▲19.8% | $252,008,578▲23.1% | 990 |
| 2022 | $57,743,979▲29.5% | $35,117,445▲17.3% | $171,672,353▲7.6% | $204,793,155▲3.0% | 990 |
| 2021 | $44,604,397▲49.2% | $29,932,315▲9.2% | $159,586,727▲15.1% | $198,824,204▲11.1% | 990 |
| 2020 | $29,890,828▲0.5% | $27,404,732▼3.4% | $138,680,597▲4.5% | $179,015,512▲6.5% | 990 |
| 2019 | $29,754,913▲15.2% | $28,364,652▲11.8% | $132,661,858▲7.9% | $168,081,810▲5.1% | 990 |
| 2018 | $25,831,278▲10.7% | $25,371,598▲8.2% | $122,925,107▼5.2% | $159,955,445▼6.2% | 990 |
| 2017 | $23,335,587▲0.2% | $23,459,408▲6.3% | $129,711,970▲5.7% | $170,473,465▲4.5% | 990 |
| 2016 | $23,287,994▼40.4% | $22,065,406▲15.3% | $122,760,794▲3.7% | $163,071,967▲1.1% | 990 |
| 2015 | $39,045,069▲40.4% | $19,136,144▲12.0% | $118,340,273▲17.8% | $161,288,408▲11.9% | 990 |
| 2014 | $27,801,086▲28.5% | $17,085,674▲6.5% | $100,437,268▲14.4% | $144,089,666▲11.0% | 990 |
| 2013 | $21,638,302 | $16,038,595▲13.9% | $87,784,588▲20.7% | $129,850,549▲12.6% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $14,080,180▲10.8% | $72,717,992▲10.6% | $115,277,965▲5.9% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $12,707,233▲15.7% | $65,770,346▼7.3% | $108,890,907▼2.4% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $10,984,724 | $70,920,995 | $111,581,894 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Highest-paid: Mary Pat Matheson — $692,597 (1.73% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Pat Matheson | President & Ceo | 40 | $692,597 |
| Art Fix | Coo | 40 | $381,813 |
| Leslie Myers | Vp Institutional Adv | 40 | $254,908 |
| Emily Coffey | Vp, Conservation | 40 | $224,344 |
| Jessica Boatright | Vp, Marketing | 40 | $200,230 |
| Mary Harriel | Vp, Human Resources | 40 | $193,153 |
| Amanda Bennett | Vp, Horticulture & Collections | 40 | $189,240 |
| Noel Barnes | Cfo | 40 | $170,083 |
| Mildred Fockele | Director, Abg - Gainesville | 40 | $167,287 |
| Marshall Norwood | Cfo (thru Feb. 2024) | 40 | $131,553 |
| Allen Yee | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Barbara W Levy | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Cara Isdell Lee | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Carol B Tom | Trustee-member At Large | 2 | — |
| Charles W Cary Jr | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Cody Partin | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Dan Noyd | Trustee | 1 | — |
| David P Poroch | Treasurer | 2 | — |
| Deborah Edwards | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Erica Dechicchis | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hoerr Schandt Landscape Architects | Architect | $1,167,587 |
| Distinguished Properties Cleaning U | Cleaning Service | $743,569 |
| Smith Dalia Architects LLC | Architect | $543,615 |
| Marksman Security Corp | Security | $532,744 |
| Mosaicultures Internatl De Montreal | Exhibit Artist | $488,845 |
96 grants to Atlanta Botanical Garden Inc totaling $22.5M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Community Foundation For Greater Atlanta Inc | Arts/culture/humanities | 2024 | $1,357,160 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $1,034,628 |
| Winston-salem Foundation | 1 grant(s) for varying purposes | 2024 | $250,000 |
| Thdf II Inc | To assist local charities | 2024 | $200,000 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $52,599 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Environmental | 2024 | $27,500 |
| National Christian Charitable Foundation | Environment | 2024 | $6,000 |
| Morton Arboretum | Managing genetic diversity in botanic garden collections | 2024 | $5,650 |
| Ayco Charitable Foundation | Arts and culture | 2024 | $5,500 |
| The Community Foundation For Greater Atlanta Inc | Arts/culture/humanities | 2023 | $1,290,955 |
| Thdf II Inc | To assist local charities | 2023 | $1,150,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $1,026,720 |
| National Fish and Wildlife Foundation | Restoration of dune habitats | 2023 | $114,368 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $86,885 |
| Morton Arboretum | Coordinating consortia to conserve living plant collections | 2023 | $72,383 |
1 grant totaling $25K in FY2022. All grants made by Atlanta Botanical Garden Inc →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Truly Living Well Center For Natural Urban Agriculture Inc | See supplemental | $25,000 |
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Data for Atlanta Botanical Garden Inc (EIN 58-1313284) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.