Massachusetts Horticultural Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY SEEKS TO HELP PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR LIVES AND COMMUNITIES FOR THE BETTER THROUGH GROWING PLANTS TOGETHER. FOR 196 YEARS, MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY HAS HAD A MISSION TO PROMOTE THE ART AND SCIENCE OF HORTICULTURE, WHILE STAYING TRUE TO ITS FOUNDING MOTTO, `COMMUNE BONUM,' FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD.
- Income
- $3.2 million
- Spending
- $3.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- 6.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 55%
- Employees
- 39
- Volunteers
- 643
- Highest pay
- $235,690, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1571% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 44 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $2.5 million spent. THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK:MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY (MHS) IS LOCATED ON 36 ACRES IN THE HISTORIC ELM BANK RESERVATION. ELM BANK IS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES FOR ITS MANOR HOUSE, DESIGNED BY CARRERE AND HASTINGS, THE ARCHITECTS WHO DESIGNED THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY; ITS ORIGINAL OWNER, BENJAMIN CHENEY, ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF AMERICAN EXPRESS; AND THE LANDSCAPES CREATED BY THE OLMSTED BROTHERS FIRM IN THE EARLY 1900S.WITH 20 ACRES UNDER CULTIVATION, THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK OFFERS ADULTS AND CHILDREN FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE, ENJOY AND LEARN ABOUT PLANTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THERE ARE A WIDE VARIETY OF DISTINCT GARDEN AREAS INCLUDING THE HISTORIC ITALIANATE GARDEN DESIGNED BY THE OLMSTED BROTHERS, THE NEW ENGLAND TRIAL GARDEN THAT TESTS PLANT VARIETIES FOR HARDINESS IN OUR ZONE, THE WHIMSICAL WEEZIE'S GARDEN FOR CHILDREN, AND BRESSINGHAM GARDEN, WHICH DEMONSTRATES PERENNIAL PLANTS FOR THE NEW ENGLAND GARDEN, DESIGNED BY ADRIAN BLOOM.MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY IS OPEN YEAR-ROUND FOR CLASSES, WORKSHOPS AND SYMPOSIA HELD IN THE EDUCATION BUILDING, THE HUNNEWELL CARRIAGE HOUSE, AND THE PUTNAM BUILDING WITH WET LAB. THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK IS OPEN FOR GARDEN VISITORS, VISITATION AND EVENTS FROM APRIL THROUGH DECEMBER. ADMISSION FOR THE GARDEN AND EVENTS IS FREE OR DISCOUNTED FOR MEMBERS OF MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY AND AHS GARDEN NETWORK ORGANIZATIONS, AND IS FULL-PRICE FOR OTHER GUESTS. MEMBERS ENTER WITHOUT CHARGE AND OTHER GUESTS PAY ADMISSION.THE GARDEN FUNCTIONS AS THE PROGRAMMATIC FOUNDATION FOR ALL OTHER PROGRAMS OF MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. IN SEEKING TO HELP PEOPLE LIVE BETTER, HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER LIVES IN COMMUNITY, WE BOTH MODEL THIS IN THE GARDEN OURSELVES AND PROVIDE THE PRACTICAL CLASSROOM FOR THESE ACTIVITIES. OUR PROGRAMS ARE ACTIVATED BOTH THROUGH THE BEAUTIFUL 'COMPLETED' GARDEN AREAS, AND THROUGH THE ONGOING AND OFTEN LESS BEAUTIFUL PROCESS OF GARDEN DEVELOPMENT. NOTABLY, MHS IS CURRENTLY UNDERTAKING A LONG-TERM RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC OLMSTED BROTHERS DESIGNED TEMPLE GARDEN AREA.GARDEN EVENTS:THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK PROVIDES AN EVENT VENUE THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE BEAUTIFUL GARDENS AND HORTICULTURAL WONDERS OF THE UNIQUE SETTING. WITH A FOCUS ON THE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE OF THE GARDEN, MHS SEEKS TO PROMOTE THE ROLE OF HORTICULTURE IN CREATING AND ENHANCING LIFE'S MOST IMPORTANT MEMORIES. HORTICULTURAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL EDUCATION:ADULT EDUCATION: ADULT EDUCATION INCLUDES A COMPREHENSIVE CATALOG OF HORTICULTURAL, GARDENING AND ENVIRONMENTAL LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS TO EDUCATE ADULTS, SUCH AS YEAR-ROUND CLASSES IN HORTICULTURE, LANDSCAPE DESIGN, AND BOTANY TO NAME A FEW, FOR THE NOVICE TO EXPERT PRACTITIONER. A PROGRAM OF GARDEN TOURS BOTH IN MHS GARDENS AND OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE GARDENS IS HOSTED AND EXTENSIVE VOLUNTEER GARDENING TRAINING IS DELIVERED. IN SPRING 2023, MHS TOOK OVER LEADERSHIP OF THE FORMER WELLESLEY COLLEGE BOTANIC GARDEN CERTIFICATE IN BOTANICAL ART AND ILLUSTRATION AND THIS FORMS A LARGE AND GROWING COMPONENT OF ACCREDITED EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS RECOGNIZED AT A NATIONAL LEVEL.YOUTH EDUCATION: MHS'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH FOCUS ON THE SCIENCE OF GROWING PLANTS, HEALTHY NUTRITION, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THE PLANTMOBILE IS A TRAVELING PLANT SCIENCE WORKSHOP THAT PROVIDES EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN IN GRADES K-8. MHS GARDEN EDUCATORS VISIT CLASSROOMS WITH IMMERSIVE AND CURRICULUM-ALIGNED LESSONS FROM DIGGING DEEPER WITH DECOMPOSITION TO POLLINATION AND PLANT PARTS & FUNCTIONS. A MEMBER OF MHS EDUCATIONAL STAFF WILL COME TO YOUR CLASSROOM TO PRESENT EACH PROGRAM. OUR EMPHASIS IS ON HANDS-ON INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP ACTIVITIES. OUR PROGRAM IS BASED ON THE MASSACHUSETTS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FRAMEWORKS, STEM. EACH WORKSHOP IS DESIGNED TO DELIVER A POSITIVE AND UNIQUE LEARNING EXPERIENCE TO STUDENTS. ADDITIONALLY, PROGRAMMING FOR YOUNG CHILDREN SUCH AS LITTLE SPROUTS TAKES PLACE MONTHLY FROM APRIL - NOVEMBER IN WEEZIE'S GARDEN FOR CHILDREN.LIBRARY:MHS'S HORTICULTURAL LIBRARY IS THE OLDEST HORTICULTURAL LIBRARY IN THE COUNTRY AND IS RENOWNED FOR ITS COLLECTION OF BOOKS RELATED TO EARLY AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN. THE CIRCULATING LIBRARY IS COMPRISED OF OVER 20,000 BOOKS AND 5,000 RARE BOOKS AND A MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION STORED OFFSITE.MHS HAS AN ONGOING PROGRAM OF DIGITIZATION, INCLUDING ITS COLLECTION OF EDWIN HALE LINCOLN PLANT PHOTOGRAPHY PLATES, MAKING THEM AVAILABLE ONLINE TO STUDENTS, SCHOLARS, WRITERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. VISITING THE DIGITAL COMMONWEALTH SITE, ONE CAN FIND THE LINCOLN COLLECTION, AS WELL AS OUR COLLECTION OF BOTANICAL PRINTS DATING FROM 1620 TO 1969. UPDATING CATALOGS AND SEARCH TOOLS ARE A PRIMARY FOCUS OF OUR WORK AS WE SEEK TO MAKE THE COLLECTION ACCESSIBLE TO SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS GLOBALLY.MEMBERSHIP:MEMBERSHIP IN MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY PROVIDES ACCESS TO INFORMATION, LEARNING AND HORTICULTURAL EXPERIENCES, WHILE SUPPORTING AMERICA'S OLDEST HORTICULTURAL INSTITUTION. MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS INCLUDE FREE ADMISSION TO THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK, AS WELL AS A BI-MONTHLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER, THE LEAFLET, BORROWING PRIVILEGES AT OUR CIRCULATING LIBRARY, DISCOUNTS TO OUR HORTICULTURAL LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS, AND FREE/DISCOUNTED ADMISSION TO GARDENS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY GARDEN NETWORK RECIPROCAL PROGRAM.HONORARY MEDALS HORTICULTURAL AWARDS:AT THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY, MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY BEGAN THE PRACTICE OF CONFERRING HONORARY MEDALS ON THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS REGARDED AS IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTORS TO THE ART AND SCIENCE OF HORTICULTURE. THIS 121-YEAR-OLD TRADITION HONORS EXCELLENCE IN HORTICULTURE THROUGH AWARDING MEDALS: GEORGE ROBERT WHITE MEDAL OF HONOR, JACKSON DAWSON MEMORIAL REWARD, THOMAS ROLAND MEDAL, AND GOLD AND SILVER MEDALS. THE MOST RECENT KEYNOTE LECTURE IN 2024 WAS BY THE GEORGE ROBERT WHITE ME
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 1943.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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