Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Morton Arboretum

EIN 36-1505770 · Lisle, IL

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO COLLECT, STUDY, DISPLAY, AND CONSERVE TREES AND OTHER PLANTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO INSPIRE LEARNING, FOSTER ENJOYMENT, BENEFIT COMMUNITIES, ENCOURAGE ACTION, AND ENHANCE THE ENVIRONMENT.

Income
$57.8 million
Spending
$58.3 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
43.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 30%
Employees
561
Volunteers
1,157
Highest pay
$631,541, president and ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 43.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 16% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 28% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 25

    22 of 22 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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)
  1. $19.2 million spent. PLANTS AND COLLECTIONS: THE ARBORETUM GROWS AND DISPLAYS A RICH DIVERSITY OF TREES, SHRUBS, AND OTHER PLANTS THAT ARE EVALUATED FOR THEIR SUITABILITY FOR THE MIDWESTERN UNITED STATES. THESE LIVING COLLECTIONS INCLUDE 106,714 SPECIMENS REPRESENTING 4,067 DIFFERENT KINDS OF PLANTS. ARRANGED BY GEOGRAPHIC, TAXONOMIC, AND OTHER SPECIAL GROUPINGS, THE COLLECTIONS ARE ENHANCED BY RESTORED NATURAL AREAS OF NATIVE PLANTS AND ECOSYSTEMS. THE ARBORETUM'S WORK IN DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PLANTS RESULTS IN USEFUL AND ATTRACTIVE TREES AND SHRUBS THAT ARE INTRODUCED IN THE MARKETPLACE.
  2. $4.2 million spent. 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.
  3. $8.7 million spent. 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.
  4. $16.0 million spent. 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.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 1925.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.