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National Tropical Botanical Garden

EIN 52-6057064 · Kalaheo, HI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair69 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ENRICH LIFE BY PERPETUATING TROPICAL PLANTS, ECOSYSTEMS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE THROUGH DISCOVERY, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, AND EDUCATION.

Income
$29.2 million
Spending
$14.4 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
0.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 64%
Employees
171
Volunteers
444
Highest pay
$192,846, ceo & director

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

Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 51% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 126% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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

    25 of 25 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 (3)
  1. $5.8 million spent. LIVING COLLECTIONS: NTBGS GARDENS & PRESERVES ARE SAFE HAVENS FOR AT-RISK SPECIES THAT OTHERWISE MIGHT DISAPPEAR FOREVER. 140 ACRES ARE FORMALLY MAINTAINED. NTBGS COLLECTIONS ENCOMPASS 127K LIVING PLANTS, REPRESENTING 3,133 SPECIES AND 3,726 DISTINCT TAXA. THE STAFF AT NTBGS HORTICULTUAL CENTER & NURSERIES GROW AND SAFEGUARD RARE & ENDANGERED PLANTS FROM HAWAII & OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDS. MANY SPECIES THAT ARE ALMOST EXTINCT IN NATURE HAVE BEEN REINTRODUCED TO THEIR HABITAT BY NTBGS BOTANISTS. NTBGS COLLECTIONS ARE STUDIED BY VISITING SCHOLARS, RESERCHERS & STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. NTBGS GARDEN IN FLORIDA, THE KAMPONG, IS THE FORMER ESTATE OF DR. DAVID FAIRCHILD, THE FAMED BOTANICAL EXPLORER. OUR GARDEN IN MAUI, KAHANU GARDEN, IS HOME TO THE PIILANIHALE HEIAU, BELIEVED TO BE THE LARGEST ANCIENT MAN-MADE STRUCTURE IN POLYNESIA.
  2. $3.1 million spent. SCIENCE & CONSERVATION: THIS PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON PROTECTING & CONSERVING TROPICAL PLANTS. OUR FIELD BOTANISTS SURVEY MANY AREAS IN HAWAII TO ASSESS THREATS TO NATIVE SPECIES & COLLECT SEEDS & CUTTINGS FOR PROPOGATION, & ARE EITHER OUTPLANTED,PRESERVED IN THE HERBARIUM OR PLACED IN SEED STORAGE. NTBGS SEED BANK CONTAINS MORE THAN 18.5 MILLION SEEDS OF MORE THAN 943 TAXA. THE BOTANICAL RESEARCH CENTER IS THE HOME FOR THE GARDENS HERBARIUM, SEED BANK & A RARE BOOK LIBRARY THAT IS TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY CONTROLLED & HOLDS OVER 1,200 VOLUMES OF BOOKS-SOME THAT DATE BACK TO THE 1500S. THESE COLLECTIONS ARE CRUCIAL FOR OUR RESEARCH, PUBLICATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. THE GARDENS BREADFRUIT INSTITUTE MANAGES THE LARGEST & MOST DIVERSE COLLECTION OF BREADFRUIT SPECIES & VARIETIES IN THE WORLD, WITH OVER 120 VARIETIES CONSERVED IN FIELD GENE BANKS. THE INSTITUTE PROMOTES THE CONSERVATION & USE OF BREADFRUIT FOR FOOD SECURITY, AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. NTBG IS ALSO A COLLABORATIVE PARTNER WITH FIU IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR TROPICAL BOTANY IN FLORIDA. THE CENTER IS DESIGNED TO EDUCATE & BRING TOGETHER BOTANISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE.
  3. $3.1 million spent. EDUCATION: NTBG BELIEVES THAT EDUCATION IS KEY FOR PRESERVATION OF TROPICAL PLANTS & ECOSYSTEMS. TOURS ARE OFFERED THROUGH ITS GARDENS TO EDUCATE THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT THE NEED TO PRESERVE TROPICAL FORESTS RICH WITH NATIVE BIODIVERSITY AND TO PROTECT OUR ECOSYSTEMS & RESOURCES THAT WE RELY ON FOR OUR OWN WELL-BEING. IN 2024, OUR BOTANICAL GARDENS HAD 110,379 VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. OTHER EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDE FORMAL AND INFORMAL LECTURES, BOTANICAL ILLUSTRATOR COURSES, INTERNSHIPS & WORKSHOPS FOR COLLEGE PROFESSORS, HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS & ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISTS. SCIENCE STAFF REGULARLY PROVIDE ARTICLES IN SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS. THE SCIENCE STAFF HAVE COLLABORATED ON & PUBLISHED SEVERAL BOOKS ON TROPICAL FLORA. THE LOY MCCANDLESS MARKS BOTANICAL LIBRARY CURRENTLY HOLDS OVER 20,000 VOLUMES, 3,000 ORIGINAL BOTANICAL ARTWORKS & PRINTS, 6,000 PHOTOGRAPHS & 16,000 COLOR SLIDES. THE LIBRARY COMPRISES ONE OF THE FINEST COLLECTIONS OF TROPICAL BOTANICAL & HORTICULTURAL REFERENCE COLLECTIONS IN THE PACIFIC BASIN. THE KAMPONG, IN COCONUT GROVE, FL IS HOME TO THE FORMER RESIDENCE OF DR. DAVID FAIRCHILD, AN AMERICAN BOTANIST WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF MORE THAN 200,000 EXOTIC PLANTS & CROPS IN THE U.S.

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 October 1971.

    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.

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