North Carolina Botanical Garden Foundation, Inc.
A Conservation Garden
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Critical components of botanical education, research and management are lacking across government, academic, and private sectors. A recent nationwide survey revealed severe shortages of botanists at government agencies, a wave of upcoming retirements, and an alarming decline in botanical degree programs and course offerings at the nation's colleges and universities. Increasing our Botanical Capacity will be essential to solving the grand challenges of the next century, including climate change, sustainability, food security, preservation of ecosystem services, conservation of threatened species, and control of invasive species.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Education
Through the Education Program, the Garden connects people to nature through diverse, creative experiences that instill recognition of the intrinsic value of nature, including its benefits to the human condition. Annually the garden offers hundreds of lectures, workshops, classes, and field trips along with programs for children and families, on and off-site programs for public schools, environmental education programs to children in long-term hospital care, and training and mentorship for caregivers through the Horticultural Therapy Program. In addition, the garden trains botanists, ecologists, and botanical illustrators through its certificate programs. The garden has 20,000 registered participants in its programs and an annual visitation of over 100,000, not including satellite sites that are open dawn to dusk every day of the year.
Conservation
Through its Conservation Program, the Garden conducts research and application in ecological restoration and germplasm storage. As a founding member of the national Center for Plant Conservation, the garden holds genetic resources of 45 endangered Southeastern plants for use in restoration and as a last resort against extinction in the wild. The conservation program also partners with the state and federal agencies to coordinate collection of common species for short- and long-term storage, research, reintroduction, and plant materials development.
Horticulture
Through its Horticulture Program, the Garden is a leading source of information and expertise on the plants of North Carolina and the Southeastern United States. This department is responsible for the management and care of 12 acres of thematic display gardens containing 5,900 accessions and 2,100 species at 100 Old Mason Farm Road and the five acre Coker Arboretum on the main campus. The display gardens offer a variety of natural settings in which to view native plants and cultivars of native plants. The nursery makes 250 native southeastern plant species available to the nursery industry and the public through daily and semi-annual plant sales and provides Wildflower of the Year and other seed annually.
Plant Biodiversity Research
Through its Plant Biodiversity Research program, the Garden manages the UNC Herbarium, the largest collection of plant specimens in the Southeast (800,000 specimens dating from the mid-1800s). This collection is the definitive resource for plant identification and geographic distribution in the Southeastern U.S. The Herbarium is a key scientific resource that provides data to UNC researchers and to other universities, government agencies, and other researchers.
Where we work
External reviews
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Botanical Capacity Initiative will bring together various concerns and resources throughout the University of North Carolina to promote excellence in this crucial area of biology. The main activities of the initiative will be to coordinate existing research collections and field resources, to promote synergisms for research and funding opportunities, to enhance the undergraduate and graduate curriculum with course and research offerings, to create partnerships with other agencies (municipal, state and federal) and institutions engaged in botanical research and education and to inspire the citizens of North Carolina (and beyond) to understand, appreciate, and conserve their natural heritage.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Botanical Capacity will be increased with four Key Strategies:
1. Create Infrastructure to develop Botanical Capacity.
2. In partnership with Biology, Curriculum for the Environment, and other UNCCH departments, develop Botanical Capacity in Education and Training.
3. In partnership with state and federal agencies, non-profits organizations, and commercial enterprises, develop Botanical Capacity in Research and Management.
4. Develop an informed citizenry by increasing Botanical Capacity in Communications and Outreach.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The North Carolina Botanical Garden has been a leader in native plant conservation and education in the southeastern United States for more than 50 years. As part of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, we further the University's tripartite teaching, research, and public service mission through our own mission to inspire understanding, appreciation, and conservation of plants and to advance a sustainable relationship between people and nature. In the process, the garden has established itself as:
1. A university-affiliated botanical garden with an outstanding international reputation as a garden that integrates a conservation ethic into all of its programs.
2. The region's most comprehensive center of knowledge on plants in North Carolina and the southeastern United States.
3. An institute that provides a broad audience with inspirational experiences, opportunities for health and wellness through outdoor activities, and educational programs within a scientifically based institution.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The Garden manages over 1100 acres of land and supports university classes as an outdoor classroom and laboratory through field trips, research facilities, long-term ecological research, and ecosystem monitoring sites. Garden scientists teach university classes and mentor undergraduate, MS and PhD research projects. The Garden also provides students with experience in careers in museums, classroom and non-classroom education (20 interns and 50 work-study and temporary workers annually). Some 250 volunteers working in 28 volunteer groups contribute to all Garden programs.
Today the North Carolina Botanical Garden is nationally known for its conservation practices, educational programs, and display gardens. The concept of the Conservation Garden was developed at the North Carolina Botanical Garden in the early 1990s to represent the many conservation-related activities that were always at the heart of the Garden's mission and programs.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
North Carolina Botanical Garden Foundation, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 02/24/2023
Ms. Anne Harris
Retired
Term: 2023 - 2019
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/24/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.