Morton Arboretum
83% goes to programs $20 to raise $100 Strong reserves
Morton Arboretum is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Lisle, Illinois, registered in 1925, with $57,793,716 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 83% of spending to programs.
4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle, IL, 60532 EIN 36-1505770 Since 1925
Revenue (FY2024)
$57.8M
▲ 28.0% vs prior year
Environment median: $250K
Expenses (FY2024)
$58.3M
Net assets
$310.2M
Employees
561
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
AProgram efficiency40% of the rating83% to programs · $20 to raise $100
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 Morton Arboretum: 83% to programs · $20 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating64 mo reserves · -1% margin
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 Morton Arboretum: 64 mo reserves · -1% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
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 Morton Arboretum: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
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 Morton Arboretum: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Show this grade on your website
A live seal — it updates automatically when the grade changes and links donors to this verified profile.
Mission
Collect, study, display and grow trees; to encourage the planting and conservation of trees.
What they do
Learning and engagement: programs, services, and opportunities are relevant to public needs and interests in learning about plants and nature in ways that provide meaningful experiences and improve the world. based in the thornhill education center, classes and other offerings on site, online, and through outreach programs serve adults, youth and family audiences, schools, and scouts. also available are teacher-training resources and a cooperative botany degree program with regional colleges and universities. the sterling morton library, with 117,000 items, contains publications on botany, horticulture, natural history, and ecology; botanical artworks; rare books, periodicals, and catalogs; information is also accessible online. the plant clinic answers inquiries about plant selection and care.
Science and conservation: the center for tree science generates and communicates the scientific knowledge and technical expertise necessary to understand and sustain trees and their ecosystems, in all their diversity, in built environments, natural landscapes, and living collections. the arboretum houses research labs and a herbarium with a collection of 216,500 dried specimens for botanical research. through the global tree conservation programs, the arboretum leads partnerships and assists efforts to prevent tree extinction and secure threatened tree species, with a focus on oaks. the chicago region trees initiative develops strategies for urban tree and forest improvement, advocating for trees in communities throughout the chicago region and the state of illinois. arbnet, facilitated by the morton arboretum, is an interactive professional community of arboreta and an arboretum accreditation program that fosters advancements among tree-focused gardens.
Visitor programs: welcomed 1,156,732 visitors, maintaining the institution as one of the most visited public gardens in north america. served membership of 55,269 households. open every day of the year the arboretum features 16 miles of hiking trails and 9 miles of paved roads for driving, bicycling, or guided tram tours. specialty gardens include the grand garden, 4-acre children's garden, 1-acre maze garden. the visitor center houses interpretive displays, the arboretum store, and the gingko restaurant. special events and thematic exhibitions are offered throughout the year. conference and banquet facilities are available for rental.
Contact & location
- Address
- 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle, IL, 60532
- City
- Lisle
- State
- Illinois
- Category
- Environment
- Subcategory
- Botanical Gardens & Horticulture
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $32.1M (FY2013) to $57.8M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $57.4MNet assets $310.2M
Operating margin
-0.9%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$367.6M
Total liabilities
$57.4M
Net assets
$310.2M
Salaries & benefits
$28.1M
48% of expenses
Board members
22
22 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $57,793,716▲28.0% | $58,286,620▲11.7% | $310,222,157▲4.3% | $367,601,821▲3.6% | 990 |
| 2023 | $45,149,282▼15.8% | $52,201,196▲9.2% | $297,536,894▲6.0% | $354,910,949▲4.6% | 990 |
| 2022 | $53,650,331▼17.4% | $47,787,763▲16.7% | $280,785,934▼11.3% | $339,322,232▼9.3% | 990 |
| 2021 | $64,971,405▲125% | $40,941,761▲14.7% | $316,483,560▲21.0% | $374,122,908▲16.5% | 990 |
| 2020 | $28,928,117▲1.6% | $35,709,406▼10.1% | $261,490,776▲3.5% | $321,129,910▲4.3% | 990 |
| 2019 | $28,464,414▼48.7% | $39,708,822▲2.5% | $252,750,023▲8.5% | $308,004,458▲6.4% | 990 |
| 2018 | $55,465,982▲21.2% | $38,744,591▲3.9% | $233,000,558▼6.4% | $289,401,298▼5.9% | 990 |
| 2017 | $45,756,008▲152% | $37,286,192▲8.4% | $249,027,602▲7.0% | $307,524,510▲9.1% | 990 |
| 2016 | $18,142,764▼42.9% | $34,397,968▲4.4% | $232,744,675▲3.2% | $281,968,545▲2.9% | 990 |
| 2015 | $31,789,482▼41.5% | $32,952,740▲3.9% | $225,600,435▼6.9% | $273,966,742▼5.7% | 990 |
| 2014 | $54,327,903▲69.2% | $31,725,140▲16.7% | $242,292,485▼0.9% | $290,453,098▼0.1% | 990 |
| 2013 | $32,109,978 | $27,186,843▼1.0% | $244,435,012▲5.2% | $290,663,050▲4.1% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $27,451,381▲7.1% | $232,339,040▲5.3% | $279,168,007▲4.9% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $25,621,362▲0.2% | $220,696,875▼7.2% | $266,149,707▼6.0% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $25,561,516 | $237,705,740 | $283,231,528 | 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.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Koski Jill — $565,997 (0.97% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koski Jill | President and Ceo | 40 | $565,997 |
| Spiess Kathleen | Vp-development | 40 | $247,048 |
| Lavire Alicia | Vp-marketing and Guest Experience | 40 | $242,459 |
| Donnelly Gerard | Special Advisor | 30 | $234,998 |
| Bautista Preston Wong | Vp-learning and Engagement | 40 | $222,344 |
| Bachtell Kris | Vp-collections and Horticulture | 40 | $215,561 |
| Fawley James | Vp-finance and Cfo (thru 4/2024) | 40 | $209,326 |
| Bailey Narissa | Vp - People and Culture | 40 | $199,264 |
| Westwood Meredith | Vp-science and Conservation | 40 | $199,010 |
| Reese Michael M | Vp- Finance (starting 9/2024) | 40 | $170,423 |
| Cosner Anna C | Dir-guest Revenue Programs | 40 | $157,731 |
| Nolan Kelly | Dir-major Gifts | 40 | $155,222 |
| Ravichandran Sai P | Dir-information Technology | 40 | $147,471 |
| Midgley Meghan | Dir-center For Tree Science | 40 | $146,941 |
| Dulceak Ronald | Dir-facilities | 40 | $137,274 |
| Hipp Andrew L | Dir-herbarium and Senior Scientist | 40 | $136,813 |
| Gortner Vincent | Dir-guest Experience and Safety | 40 | $135,018 |
| Stovall-leonard Derek | Cfo (7/2024-9/2024) | 40 | $53,746 |
| Andrew O Johnson | Trustee | 8 | — |
| Anna Caroline Ball | Vice Chair | 8 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligent Lighting Creations Inc | Exhibition Contractor | $1,172,470 |
| Aramark Corporation | Food Service Contractor | $1,111,408 |
| Reed Hilderbrand LLC | Site Planning Consultant | $838,391 |
| Basis Global Technologies Inc | Advertising Contractor | $649,238 |
| Imperial Service Systems Inc | Janatorial Service Contractor | $557,800 |
Grants received · $8.3M total
86 grants to Morton Arboretum totaling $8.3M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Endowment Foundation | Environmental | 2024 | $49,500 |
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2024 | $25,200 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $23,851 |
| Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund | General support | 2024 | $21,750 |
| Robert R Mccormick Foundation | Sponsorship | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $6,513 |
| T Rowe Price Program For Charitable Giving Inc | Multiple | 2024 | $6,200 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $233,371 |
| National Fish and Wildlife Foundation | Expand tree canopy in chicago-calumet watersheds | 2023 | $227,322 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $175,659 |
| The Chicago Community Trust | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | 2023 | $134,250 |
| Maine Community Foundation Inc | Botanical gardens & arboreta | 2023 | $75,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Environmental and animals | 2023 | $53,745 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Human services | 2023 | $41,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $31,001 |
Grants made · $1.1M in FY2024
48 grants totaling $1.1M in FY2024 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by Morton Arboretum →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| City of Chicago | Cooperative forestry assistance | $75,000 |
| Roselle Park District | Urban and community forestry | $73,443 |
| Chicago Horticultural Society | Managing genetic diversity in botanic garden collections | $70,494 |
| Forest Preserve District of Cook County | Urban and community forestry support in chicago region | $55,000 |
| Openlands | Expanding tree canopy to reduce stormwater impacts | $51,414 |
| Village of Westchester | Urban and community forestry | $40,000 |
| Hawthorn Woods | Urban and community forestry support in chicago region | $40,000 |
| City of Naperville | Urban and community forestry | $30,000 |
| Belvidere Township Park District | Urban and community forestry | $27,933 |
| Village of Beckemeyer | Urban and community forestry | $27,331 |
| City of West Chicago | Urban and community forestry | $25,000 |
| City of Rockford | Urban and community forestry | $25,000 |
| City of Ottawa | Urban and community forestry | $25,000 |
| Forest Preserve District of Dupage County | Urban and community forestry support in chicago region | $25,000 |
| Village of Palatine | Urban and community forestry support in chicago region | $25,000 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Morton Arboretum a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Morton Arboretum is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 36-1505770, based in Lisle, Illinois. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Morton Arboretum's EIN?
- Morton Arboretum's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 36-1505770.
- How much revenue does Morton Arboretum report?
- Morton Arboretum reported $57,793,716 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Morton Arboretum's spending goes to programs?
- Morton Arboretum spends about 83% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Morton Arboretum have?
- CharityIndex grades Morton Arboretum A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Morton Arboretum's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Morton Arboretum's latest Form 990 is $565,997, paid to Koski Jill (President and Ceo).
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Explore more
Data for Morton Arboretum (EIN 36-1505770) 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.