Holden Arboretum
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE HOLDEN ARBORETUM CONNECTS PEOPLE WITH THE WONDER, BEAUTY, AND VALUE OF TREES AND PLANTS, TO INSPIRE ACTION FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.
- Income
- $10.6 million
- Spending
- $12.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 53%
- Reserves
- 39.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 70%
- Employees
- 299
- Volunteers
- 600
- Highest pay
- $425,427, president/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
Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 39.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 17% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1553% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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 2531 of 31 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 (1)
- $6.6 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OTHE HOLDEN ARBORETUM IS A 3,500-ACRE OUTDOOR LIVING MUSEUM THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTH OF COMMUNITIES IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION BY DEMONSTRATING AND SHARING THE BEAUTY AND VALUE OF TREES AND PLANTS. IN ADDITION, THE ARBORETUM HOLDS APPROXIMATELY 1,600 ACRES IN CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND INCLUDES THE 29-ACRE LEACH RESEARCH STATION IN MADISON, OH. THE HOLDEN ARBORETUM IS INTEGRATED WITH THE CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN AS HOLDEN FORESTS & GARDENS ("HF&G"). THE CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN IS AN URBAN BOTANICAL GARDEN LOCATED 25 MILES FROM HOLDEN ARBORETUM IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND. TOGETHER, THE INSTITUTIONS ARE ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS AND REPRESENT ONE OF THE LARGEST PUBLIC GARDENS IN THE COUNTRY. THE MISSION OF THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS IS TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH THE WONDER, BEAUTY, AND VALUE OF TREES AND PLANTS, TO INSPIRE ACTION FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. THE HOLDEN ARBORETUM FULFILS THIS MISSION THROUGH CORE PROGRAMMING THAT FOCUSES ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, HORTICULTURE AND CURATION, EDUCATION, EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2025 (FY25), HF&G BEGAN TO OPERATIONALIZE ITS 2025-2029 STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH IS BASED ON THE STRATEGIC PILLARS OF LANDSCAPES, INSPIRATION, KNOWLEDGE, COMMUNITY, AND EXCELLENCE. ADDITIONALLY, HF&G BEGAN TO ADVANCE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE ORGANIZATION'S TRANSFORMATIONAL SITE PLAN, COMPRISING KEY PROJECTS THAT WILL ENSURE THAT BOTH CAMPUSES ARE WELCOMING, YEAR-ROUND DESTINATIONS FOR ALL GUESTS THAT MODEL AND CATALYZE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. HF&G ALSO CONTINUED ITS CORE MISSION-FOCUSED PROGRAMS.SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH: THE RESEARCH STAFF PUBLISHED 17 PEER-REVIEWED PAPERS IN INDUSTRY JOURNALS AND GAVE 10 PRESENTATIONS TO PROFESSIONAL AUDIENCES AND 18 TO PUBLIC AUDIENCES. ONGOING RESEARCH PROJECTS INCLUDE STUDIES ON BEECH LEAF DISEASE; BEECH BARK DISEASE; HEMLOCK WOOLY ADELGID; PLANT PHYSIOLOGY; PLANT PHENOLOGY; SOIL ECOLOGY; FOREST ECOLOGY; AND GENETICS; AND 13 INTERNS AND 1 GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORTED THIS WORK IN FY25. COLLECTIVELY, THE RESEARCH TEAM WAS AWARDED FIVE NEW GRANTS TOTALING OVER $1.5 MILLION. HF&G ALSO CONTINUED TO GROW ITS REGIONAL SEEDBANK FOR CLIMATE MITIGATION AND FOREST RESTORATION WORK; WORKING TO COLLECT, STORE, AND REDISTRIBUTE NATIVE SEEDS TO SUPPORT REFORESTATION AND RESTORATION PROJECTS THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST OHIO AND BEYOND. THIS YEAR, THE SEEDBANK PROCESSED 852,000 SEEDS FROM 65 DIFFERENT NATIVE SPECIES AND DONATED THOUSANDS OF SEED IN SUPPORT OF NATIVE SEED LIBRARIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION.CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY: THE CONSERVATION TEAM MANAGES OVER 3,000 ACRES OF NATURAL AREAS AT THE ARBORETUM. IN FY25, THEY PLANTED OVER 1,300 TREES AND SHRUBS TO ENHANCE 45 ACRES OF YOUNG SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT IN THE ARBORETUM'S NATURAL AREAS. THEY ALSO CONDUCTED RARE PLANT SURVEYS ON 11 SPECIES AND PERFORMED MANAGEMENT ON THREE RARE PLANT POPULATIONS. THE CONSERVATION TEAM MANAGED HEMLOCK WOOLY ADELGID AND HEMLOCK ELONGATE SCALE INFESTATIONS ON OVER 500 TREES LOCATED AT THE LITTLE MOUNTAIN NATURAL AREA, WITHIN THE ARBORETUM'S CORE COLLECTION, AND AT CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN. IN ADDITION, CONSERVATION STAFF ENGAGED 41 VOLUNTEERS IN THE BLUEBIRD NESTBOX PROGRAM, FLEDGING OVER 725 NATIVE BIRDS. HF&G'S WORKING WOODS INITIATIVE, WHICH IS A UNIQUE FOREST MANAGEMENT DEMONSTRATION SITE FOR LANDOWNERS OF SMALL WOODLOTS, CONTINUED OPERATIONS FUNDED LARGELY BY A $1.9M GRANT FROM THE US FOREST SERVICE. WORKING WOODS PROVIDES FOREST MANAGEMENT SUPPORT FOR PRIVATE LANDOWNERS THROUGH ONSITE DEMONSTRATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, AS WELL AS OFF SITE CONSULTING FORESTRY PROVIDED TO LANDOWNERS BY TWO CONSULTING FORESTERS ON HOLDEN'S STAFF. THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES BASIN FOREST HEALTH COLLABORATIVE, A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE US FOREST SERVICE BASED AT HOLDEN, HOLDEN CARED FOR 160 PLANTED BEECH TREES, 600 PLANTED ASH TREES, AND 70 PLANTED EASTERN HEMLOCK. ASIDE FROM THIS FORMAL PARTNERSHIP, HOLDEN ALSO CARED FOR 300 ASH, 200 BEECH, AND 1,770 HEMLOCK TREES POTTED FOR FUTURE RESEARCH OR PLANTINGS. HORTICULTURE AND COLLECTIONS : THE HORTICULTURE AND COLLECTIONS STAFF CULTIVATES, MAINTAINS, AND CARES FOR OVER 13,000 ACCESSIONED PLANTS AND PLANT GROUPINGS IN THE LIVING COLLECTION AT THE HOLDEN ARBORETUM. IN COLLABORATION WITH THE RESEARCH STAFF, THEY MANAGE ANOTHER 3,200 PRESERVED RESEARCH SPECIMENS AND ASSOCIATED DATA. THE HORTICULTURE TEAM MAINTAINS APPROXIMATELY 340 ACRES OF DEVELOPED GROUNDS IN AND OUTSIDE OF THE "CORE" VISITOR AREA OF THE ARBORETUM, ENSURING THAT GUESTS ENJOY A SENSE OF WONDER AND BEAUTY EVERY TIME THEY VISIT. WHILE THE HORTICULTURE STAFF CONTINUED TO ADVANCE A PHASED REFRESH AND REDESIGN OF SIGNATURE GARDENS AT THE ARBORETUM IN FY25, THE PIERSON VALLEY NATURAL SURFACE TRAILS PROJECT WAS COMPLETED AND OPENED TO GUESTS ALLOWING ACCESS TO THE ARBORETUM'S UNIQUE FORESTS AND NATURAL AREAS. THE COLLECTIONS CURATION STAFF LAUNCHED FLORA-FINDER, THE CULMINATION OF A 2-YEAR, $246K GRANT FROM THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM & LIBRARY SERVICES MAKING PLANT RECORDS AND INFORMATION MORE ACCESSIBLE TO STAFF, INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, AND THE PUBLIC. THE HORTICULTURE AND COLLECTIONS TEAM ALSO WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE EDUCATION AND VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS TO SUPPORT BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES. DURING FY25, THE TEAM FACILITATED 19 PUBLIC EDUCATION CLASSES AND TOURS, REACHING 585 PARTICIPANTS, AND ENGAGED 261 VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN 3,200 HOURS OF SERVICE. GUEST EXPERIENCE: IN FY25, THE ARBORETUM WELCOMED 158,000 TOTAL VISITORS, ENGAGING THEM IN THE WONDER AND BEAUTY OF PLANTS AND SHARING THEIR VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITIES. ARBORETUM STAFF HOSTED FOREST FORMS, A TRAVELING EXHIBITION OF LARGE-SCALE GARDEN SCULPTURES BY ELEMENTAL EXHIBITIONS AND ARTIST HUELANI MEI. THE ARBORETUM HOSTED 10 SPECIAL EVENTS, WHICH INCLUDED AN ARBOR DAY OPEN HOUSE WHICH ATTRACTED 1,400 PEOPLE WITH FREE ADMISSION, FAMILY ACTIVITIES, AND STAFF EXPERTS
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 December 1953.
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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