irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $1.31MENGAGING COMMUNITIES (EDUCATION AND INFORMATION SERVICES)- THE HORT ENGAGES NEW YORKERS TO CONNECT WITH THEIR COMMUNITY SPACES THROUGH PLANT-FOCUSED SCHOOL AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS AS WELL AS THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE WORKSHOPS IN CARE FACILITIES AND DETENTION CENTERS.
- #2 $9.83MTRANSFORMING SPACE (URBAN GREENING)- THE HORT EMBEDS NATURE INTO THE FABRIC OF EVERYDAY CITY LIFE BY TRANSFORMING OTHERWISE "UNPLANTABLE" URBAN SPACES INTO SUSTAINABLE GARDENS.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Carol Pino Learning Farm
Manages a two-acre outdoor classroom in Brooklyn for NYC Public Schools, serving as a living laboratory for horticultural education and programming.
Engaging Communities
Offers free public programs including gardening workshops, cooking classes, artmaking, and therapeutic horticulture in schools, care facilities, and detention centers.
Greenhouse & Education Center
Operates a year-round public greenhouse and education hub in Harlem offering free classes, workshops, and community events focused on gardening and plant-based learning.
Pollinator Port Project
Creates native bee habitats in urban areas by installing pollinator-friendly plantings and nesting sites to support biodiversity and ecological resilience.
Transforming Space
Designs, installs, and maintains sustainable planted spaces in streets, housing developments, schools, and public areas across NYC, focusing on underutilized urban sites with limited green access.
Workforce Development
Provides paid training and employment opportunities for New Yorkers in horticulture and public space maintenance through programs like HORTGreenhouse.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Horticultural Education and Community Gardening 6 activities
- Native plant propagation and restoration supportPropagates hundreds of native plants annually at the Greenhouse Education Center for distribution to ecological restoration sites across New York City, supporting local biodiversity and habitat recovery efforts.
- Operation of Greenhouse Education CenterOperates the Greenhouse Education Center and Learning Garden at Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park in West Harlem year-round, seven days a week (except holidays), from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., serving as a hub for public horticulture education, programming, and plant propagation.
- Plant-focused programming at open streetsHosts free, drop-in, plant-focused public programming and workshops—such as microgreens training—at Audubon Ave Open Street and other open street locations in New York City during summer months.
- Public horticulture education programsOffers free public classes, workshops, events, and hands-on activities in gardening, cooking, artmaking, seed-starting, plant potting, and plant-based product-making for community members of all ages and experience levels. Includes seasonal programming and plant giveaways at the Greenhouse Education Center and other public sites.
- School-based horticulture educationProvides in-school horticulture programs for K–12 students in public and private schools across New York City, integrating plant-based learning into subjects such as science, math, art, nutrition, and engineering. Also offers a comprehensive library of free downloadable curriculum materials for formal, informal, and therapeutic educational settings.
- Therapeutic and community horticulture programsDelivers therapeutic horticulture workshops and plant-connected programs in care facilities, detention centers, and community settings, using horticulture as a tool for healing, engagement, and social connection.
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Public Space Beautification and Maintenance 1 activity
- Design and maintenance of urban greenspacesDesigns, installs, builds, and maintains planted spaces in urban settings across New York City, including streets, sidewalks, medians, traffic triangles, housing developments, schools, courtyards, campuses, and multi-acre gardens. Focuses on underserved neighborhoods and uses durable plantings to transform underutilized areas into accessible green spaces.
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Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
- Pollinator habitat installationInstalls Pollinator Ports—small, designed habitats—in public green spaces across New York City to support native pollinators by providing nesting sites and floral resources.
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Youth Workforce Development in Food & Environment 1 activity
- Urban greening workforce developmentTrains and employs New Yorkers in horticulture and public space maintenance through paid workforce development programs that integrate job readiness, skills training, and long-term career pathways in urban greening fields.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$14.14M
Contributions & grants$2.36M17%
Program service revenue$11.42M81%
Investment income$247K2%
Other revenue$110K
expenses
Total expenses$13.07M
Program expenses93%
Admin / overhead6%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$8.36M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$13.09M
Cash$5.75M
Investments$2.25M
Liabilities$1.29M
Net assets$11.80M
Liquid reserves7.3 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +9.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SARA HOBEL | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $335K |
board members · 9
- BRUCE W ADDISON — TREASURER
- DUNCAN SAHNER — VICE CHAIR & SECRETARY
- GEORGE BALL — BOARD MEMBER
- JAMES DRUCKMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- JARED GOSS — CHAIRMAN
- MATT BERMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- RINA NILES — BOARD MEMBER
- RONNIE LONDON — BOARD MEMBER
- TIMOTHY HAMILTON — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 12
Who they work with
- Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park Government — Hosts the Greenhouse and Education Center within the park grounds.
- Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park Partner — Hosts The Hort's Greenhouse Education Center within the park grounds
- Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park Partner — Hosts the Greenhouse Education Center and Learning Garden on its premises.
- NYC Public Schools Partner — Collaborated with The Hort to transform an empty lot into the Carol Pino Learning Farm, an outdoor classroom in Brooklyn.
- Pamela Ito Partner — Contact person for educator outreach and school program coordination.
- city agencies Partner — Coordinates with city agencies to ensure predictable, responsive, and sustained care of planted spaces.
- government agencies Government — Collaborates with government agencies to navigate NYC regulatory requirements for urban greening projects.
- housing staff Partner — Collaborates with housing staff to integrate horticultural care into daily site operations.
- residents Partner — Collaborates with residents in planning and activating green spaces
- site partners Partner — Works in collaboration with site partners to maintain and steward planted spaces.
- students Partner — Engages students in hands-on learning and space activation programs
- workers Partner — Partners with workers in designing and maintaining planted spaces
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Participatory Design for Ownership and Longevitymethodology: community-participatory-designBy involving communities in the collaborative design and programming of green spaces, the organization builds community ownership and long-term connection to those spaces, because participatory processes increase stewardship, care, and sustained engagement.
- Equitable Access Through Free and Customized Servicesmethodology: equitable_access_modelBy providing free access to gardening programs and offering high-touch, below-market-cost greenspace services, the organization increases inclusivity and community benefit, because removing financial and logistical barriers enables broader participation—especially among underserved populations.
- Integrated Greening and Community Healingmethodology: community-based_healingBy integrating physical greening of urban spaces with community-based healing practices—including herbal arts and rituals—the organization strengthens collective care and social infrastructure, because shared nature-based experiences foster resilience, cultural continuity, and mutual support.
- Living Laboratories for Interdisciplinary Educationmethodology: experiential_educationBy using greenhouse and garden settings as living laboratories that integrate plant science, art, and academic subjects, the organization creates engaging, interdisciplinary learning experiences, because experiential, multisensory education enhances mindfulness, creativity, and knowledge retention.
- Therapeutic Horticulture for Emotional Well-beingmethodology: therapeutic_horticultureBy engaging individuals in hands-on horticulture activities, the organization supports emotional well-being, reduces stress, and fosters personal pride through tangible growth and creation, because interaction with plants and nurturing living things has restorative psychological effects.