Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PHIPPS' MISSION IS TO INSPIRE AND EDUCATE ALL WITH THE BEAUTY AND IMPORTANCE OF PLANTS, TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABILITY AND PROMOTE HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL WELL-BEING THROUGH ACTION AND RESEARCH, AND TO CELEBRATE ITS HISTORIC GLASSHOUSE.
- Income
- $16.1 million
- Spending
- $18.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- -3.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 40%
- Employees
- 211
- Volunteers
- 202
- Highest pay
- $714,763, president and ceo
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
Weak: 49 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2538 of 38 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
10 of 10Gave 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 (4)
- $2.8 million spent. OVERVIEW/HORTICULTURE: IN 2025, PHIPPS REMAINED AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE PUBLIC GARDEN MOVEMENT AS ONE OF THE NATION'S SELECT CERTIFIED BOTANIC MUSEUMS, ADVANCING ITS REGENERATIVE OPERATING MODEL TO REINFORCE A MORE RESILIENT INSTITUTION. FOLLOWING ITS PRIOR RECEIPT OF THE IMLS NATIONAL MEDAL FOR MUSEUMS, THE FIELD'S HIGHEST HONOR FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT, AND THE EPA GREEN POWER LEADERSHIP AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN RENEWABLE ENERGY INNOVATION, PHIPPS CONTINUED ITS NATIONAL ASCENT WHEN NEWSWEEK NAMED IT THE NATION'S BEST BOTANICAL GARDEN. FROM WORLD - CLASS EXHIBITS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION TO BOLD SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES, PHIPPS DELIVERED INSPIRING EXPERIENCES AND MEASURABLE PROGRAMS THAT ENRICH LIVES AND RESTORE THE NATURAL WORLD. SEE CONTINUATION ON SCHEDULE O.AS A PREMIER CULTURAL DESTINATION, PHIPPS DRIVES REGIONAL TOURISM, STRENGTHENS PITTSBURGH'S CIVIC IDENTITY, AND CONTRIBUTES MEANINGFULLY TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.HORTICULTURE: SINCE OPENING IN 1893 AS THE NATION'S FIRST LARGE-SCALE PERMANENT GARDEN CONSERVATORY - AND BEING RECOGNIZED AS THE FIRST TEACHING ONE IN 1901 - PHIPPS HAS REMAINED A LEADER IN CONNECTING PEOPLE TO NATURE THROUGH THE BEAUTY AND SCIENCE OF PLANTS. TODAY, AS ONE OF THE FEW PUBLIC GARDENS ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS, PHIPPS CONTINUES TO SET THE STANDARD FOR HORTICULTURAL EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION.WITH FIVE MAJOR SEASONAL FLOWER SHOWS AND A DYNAMIC CALENDAR OF ROTATING EXHIBITIONS, PHIPPS BRINGS THE WORLD OF PLANTS TO LIFE IN INNOVATIVE AND EDUCATIONAL WAYS, WELCOMING GUESTS FROM ACROSS THE REGION AND BEYOND TO EXPLORE HOW PLANTS CONTRIBUTE TO HEALTHIER LIVES AND COMMUNITIES. LOCATED IN THE HEART OF PITTSBURGH'S HISTORIC URBAN PARK DISTRICT AND ADJACENT TO LEADING UNIVERSITIES AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, PHIPPS SERVES AS A SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE, CONTRIBUTING TO TOURISM, LIFELONG LEARNING, AND REGIONAL VITALITY WITHIN ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST FORWARD-LOOKING CITIES.PHIPPS' INTEGRATED LEARNING AND INNOVATION CAMPUS INCLUDES 14 INDOOR GLASSHOUSE ROOMS, EIGHT OUTDOOR GARDEN ROOMS, AND THREE HIGH-PERFORMANCE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH BUILDINGS. THESE LIVING LABORATORIES DEMONSTRATE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN, REGENERATIVE LANDSCAPES, AND ADVANCED ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES WHILE PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE, PLANT-BASED EDUCATION TO DIVERSE AUDIENCES. THROUGH IMMERSIVE EXHIBITS, RESEARCH INITIATIVES, AND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, PHIPPS FOSTERS CURIOSITY, STRENGTHENS ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY, AND PROMOTES RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF NATURAL RESOURCES - REINFORCING THE ESSENTIAL CONNECTION BETWEEN HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL WELLBEING AND ADVANCING A GREENER, MORE RESILIENT FUTURE FOR THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES.
- $2.7 million spent. GUEST SERVICES: IN 2025, PHIPPS CONSERVATORY WELCOMED MORE THAN 420,000 ONSITE GUESTS FROM 46 COUNTRIES AND 1.6 MILLION VIRTUAL VISITORS FROM ACROSS THE NATION AND GLOBE INTO AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE NATURE, SCIENCE, ART, AND SUSTAINABILITY INTERSECT IN MEANINGFUL AND EDUCATIONAL WAYS. THROUGH PRUDENT PLANNING AND DISCIPLINED SCENARIO FORECASTING, PHIPPS NAVIGATED SHORT-TERM ECONOMIC PRESSURES WHILE MAINTAINING OPERATIONAL STABILITY AND POSITIONING THE ORGANIZATION FOR SUSTAINED GROWTH AND CONTINUED INNOVATION.SEE CONTINUATION ON SCHEDULE O.AS ONE OF THE REGION'S LEADING CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED GARDEN MUSEUM, PHIPPS PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR VISITORS TO CONNECT WITH THE NATURAL WORLD AND LEARN PRACTICAL AND INNOVATIVE APPPROACHES TO HEALTHIER, MORE SUSTAINABLE LIVING. EXHIBITS, SEASONAL FLOWER SHOWS, IMMERSIVE TROPICAL FOREST ENVIRONMENTS, AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING ENCOURAGE GUESTS OF ALL AGES TO EXPLORE BIODIVERSITY, SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.GUESTS JOURNEY THROUGH SOARING GLASS PAVILIONS, EXPLORE DIVERSE BIOMES AND GLOBAL GARDEN TRADITIONS, AND ENCOUNTER INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS THAT REVEAL THE ASTONISHING COMPLEXITY OF THE ROLE OF PLANTS IN THE WEB OF LIFE. IN THE NEW TROPICAL FOREST PANAMA EXHIBIT, CHILDREN RAISE THEIR ARMS TO MIMIC TOWERING TREES; IN THE SERENE OUTDOOR GARDEN ROOMS, FAMILIES STROLL THROUGH LANDSCAPES DESIGNED FOR BOTH REFLECTION, REFRESHMENT, REGENERATION, AND INSTRUCTION.THE JOURNEY CONTINUES OUTDOORS ACROSS OUR 3.6-ACRE LIVING CAMPUS, HOME TO THREE OF THE WORLD'S PIONEERING HIGH-PERFORMANCE GREEN BUILDINGS. HERE, VISITORS SEE FIRSTHAND HOW HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ARE INTERCONNECTED, AND HOW THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT CAN HARMONIZE WITH NATURE TO MODEL A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. THIS IS MORE THAN A GARDEN DISPLAY - IT'S A LIVING, BREATHING CLASSROOM, A RESTORATIVE DESTINATION, AND A FIRST-DAY TOURIST ATTRACTION. IT'S WHERE PITTSBURGH RESIDENTS AND GLOBAL TRAVELERS ALIKE FIND BEAUTY, INSPIRATION, AND PRACTICAL TOOLS TO LIVE IN GREATER HARMONY WITH THE PLANET.WHEN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC NAMED PITTSBURGH ONE OF THE WORLD'S BEST DESTINATIONS, IT POINTED TO PHIPPS AS EMBLEMATIC OF THE CITY'S TRANSFORMATION - A PLACE WHERE HERITAGE MEETS INNOVATION AND WHERE THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE LIVING IS BEING SHAPED, EVERY DAY.
- $1.3 million spent. EDUCATION: AS AMERICA'S FIRST PUBLIC TEACHING CONSERVATORY, PHIPPS HAS BEEN AN INNOVATOR, COMMUNITY-ANCHOR, AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR SINCE 1893 - COMBINING THE BEAUTY OF GARDENS WITH THE POWER OF PLANT-BASED SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES TO SHAPE A BETTER FUTURE. TODAY, PHIPPS CONTINUES TO LEAD WITH BOLD VISION AND PURPOSE, OFFERING HANDS-ON, INQUIRY-BASED PROGRAMS THAT EMPOWER LEARNERS OF ALL AGES TO EXPLORE, CREATE, AND ACT.OUR APPROACH TO EDUCATION IS ROOTED IN A REGENERATIVE APPROACH AND MAKER MINDSET - WHERE IMAGINATION, EXPERIMENTATION, AND DISCOVERY DRIVE MEANINGFUL LEARNING. SEE CONTINUATION ON SCHEDULE O.EACH CALENDAR QUARTER, PHIPPS OFFERS MORE THAN 150 DYNAMIC CLASSES, SYMPOSIA, AND LECTURES, REACHING THOUSANDS OF PARTICIPANTS THROUGH ON-SITE, VIRTUAL, AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMMING. FROM SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS TO NATIONALLY ACCLAIMED INITIATIVES LIKE THE FAIRCHILD CHALLENGE, AND THE ONE HEALTH ONE PLANET AND THE NATURE OF PLACE SYMPOSIA, PHIPPS CULTIVATES SCIENTIFIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE NATURAL WORLD.AS A LIVING LABORATORY, PHIPPS DEMONSTRATES SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES THROUGH EVERY FACET OF ITS OPERATIONS - PROVIDING AN IMMERSIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN ACTION. GUESTS LEARN FROM THREE OF THE WORLD'S GREENEST BUILDINGS, DINE ON HEALTHY MEALS MADE WITH FRESH INGREDIENTS, AND DISCOVER HOW ZERO-ENERGY DESIGN, ON-SITE SOLAR POWER, AND FULL CARBON OFFSETTING CAN BE ACHIEVED IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.PHIPPS ALSO PLAYS A GLOBAL LEADERSHIP ROLE. OUR CLIMATE TOOLKIT NETWORK (CLIMATETOOLKIT.ORG) CONNECTS HUNDREDS OF MUSEUMS, GARDENS, ZOOS, AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS WORLDWIDE TO SHARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS AND ACCELERATE IMPACT. WE ARE ADVANCING A MOVEMENT IN WHICH CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS BECOME POWERFUL DRIVERS OF BIODIVERSITY, COMMUNITY RESILIENCE, AND SUSTAINABLE ACTION.THROUGH THE BOTANY IN ACTION FELLOWSHIP, PHIPPS SUPPORTS OUTSTANDING PH.D. STUDENTS CONDUCTING PLANT-BASED RESEARCH AROUND THE WORLD WHILE TRAINING THEM IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, BIA HAS SUPPORTED 85 DOCTORAL-LEVEL STUDENTS REPRESENTING 42 UNIVERSITIES AND WORKING IN 29 COUNTRIES, PRODUCING CUTTING-EDGE SCIENCE WHILE DEEPENING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND SCIENCE COMMUNICATION SKILLS.NINE YEARS AGO, PHIPPS LAUNCHED THE NATION'S FIRST INSTITUTE FOR BIOPHILIA AND SCIENCE COMMUNICATION, A BOLD INITIATIVE THAT PROVIDES TRAINING, INTERNSHIPS, AND CERTIFICATIONS TO HELP SCIENTISTS AND STUDENTS STUDY AND SHARE HOW CONNECTIONS WITH NATURE ENHANCE HUMAN HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.EDUCATION AT PHIPPS EQUIPS FUTURE LEADERS, SCIENTISTS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION, AND PUBLIC HEALTH - ADVANCING A MORE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
- $9.1 million spent. INCLUDED IN OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES ARE DEPRECIATION, COSTS FOR MAINTAINING THE FACILITIES, INDIRECT LABOR AND OVERHEAD AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES.
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 July 1985.
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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