irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $696KSCHOLARSHIPSTHE GCA AWARDS NUMEROUS SCHOLARSHIPS, INTERNSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS IN MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES INCLUDING BOTANY, ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, CONSERVATION, LANDSCAPE DESIGN AND HORTICULTURE. APPLICANTS INCLUDE UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE, PD AND PROFESSIONAL CANDIDATES. PROGRAM EXPENSES INCLUDE SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS AND IN SOME CASES SMALL ADMINISTRATIVE FEES TO COLLABORATING INSTITUTIONS.
- #2 $367KCIVIC PROJECTSCLUB PROJECT GRANTS INCLUDING FOUNDERS FUND, PARTNERS FOR PLANTS, RESTORATION INITIATIVE AND COMMON GROUND COLLABORATIVE.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Founders Fund
Grants awarded to member clubs for civic improvement and environmental restoration projects, such as public garden restorations and urban greening initiatives
GCA Position Papers
Policy documents on environmental issues produced jointly by the National Affairs & Legislation and Conservation committees to guide advocacy and legislative priorities
GCA Scholarships
Provides 29 merit-based scholarships in fields including botany, conservation, horticulture, landscape architecture, and pollinator research to undergraduate, graduate, and professional candidates
Partners for Plants
Supports collaborative projects between GCA member clubs and local entities to restore and maintain public gardens and green spaces
activities · 7 groups
What they do
-
Horticultural Education and Community Gardening 2 activities
- Environmental education and horticultural therapy programsConducts environmental education in schools, teaches propagation to prison inmates, promotes recycling, maintains public gardens, and implements horticultural therapy and farm-to-table programming in hospital and community settings.
- Promoting native plant definitions and ecological standardsAdvocates for the use of native plants by providing scientifically grounded definitions based on evolutionary history and regional ecological context.
-
-
Environmental Conservation Grantmaking 1 activity
- Funding civic and environmental restoration projectsProvides project grants through initiatives including the Founders Fund, Partners for Plants, Restoration Initiative, and Common Ground Collaborative, supporting habitat restoration, native plantings, and civic greening. Awarded $264,550 to fund 104 civic projects and $15,000 grants to multiple finalists and partners nationwide.
-
-
Multi-Institution Scholarship Funding 1 activity
- Funding scholarships in conservation and horticultureAwards merit-based scholarships and fellowships to students and professionals in botany, environmental studies, conservation, landscape design, and horticulture across more than 70 U.S. colleges and institutions. In 2026, awarded $604,000 to 130 scholars, with over 2,000 recipients supported since 1926.
-
-
Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
- Historic site preservation through volunteer effortsMaintains and preserves thousands of historic sites through volunteer-driven stewardship and horticultural care.
-
-
Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
- Implementing native plant and habitat restoration projectsDirectly engages in planting native species to restore habitats and support pollinators, including installing native plants at Sandy Hook Park, planting 100 Oregon Grape shrubs in the Columbia River Gorge, and contributing to monarch butterfly recovery through milkweed cultivation.
-
-
Tree Planting and Reforestation Initiatives 1 activity
- Urban greening and tree planting initiativesSupports urban reforestation and community orchard development, including planting over 26,000 trees in South Florida and transforming a former dump into a public fruit orchard in Delray Beach.
-
-
Uncategorized 2 activities
- Floral design and donation for public eventsCreates floral centerpieces for major public events such as the Erie Canal bicentennial gala and donates arrangements to hospitals for distribution to staff and patients.
- Supporting member garden clubs and volunteer leadershipSustains a network of 199 member garden clubs and over 18,000 members engaged in environmental projects, supported by 13 full-time staff and over 450 volunteers in national leadership roles.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$7.37M
Contributions & grants$2.21M30%
Program service revenue$1.16M16%
Investment income$3.87M53%
Other revenue$119K
expenses
Total expenses$5.50M
Program expenses72%
Admin / overhead23%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$1.53M
Grants paid out$815K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$65.70M
Cash$232K
Investments$62.88M
Liabilities$2.64M
Net assets$63.07M
Liquid reserves137.8 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +12.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JENNIFER BARNETTE | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 50 | $242K |
board members · 12
- ABBY COFFIN — VICE PRESIDENT
- BETSY HUFFMAN — VICE PRESIDENT
- CAYCE MCALISTER — VICE PRESIDENT
- CELINE LILLIE — CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
- CINDY WILLIS — VICE PRESIDENT
- ELIZABETH MEYER — VICE PRESIDENT
- JANICE FERGUS — TREASURER
- LISA GADSDEN — VICE PRESIDENT
- MARGARET COSTAN — VICE PRESIDENT
- MARILYN DONAHUE — PRESIDENT
- MARY HARMAN — VICE PRESIDENT
- POLLY GLOTZBACH — RECORDING SECRETARY
relationships · 21
Who they work with
- 16 collaborating organizations Partner — Partners with 16 organizations to assist in selecting scholarship recipients in their respective fields.
- 199 member garden clubs Network — Local garden clubs affiliated with The Garden Club of America, participating in national programs and initiatives.
- American Academy in Rome Partner — Collaborates on the Rome Prize Fellowship in Landscape Architecture, providing a year of study at the Academy.
- Cape Horn Conservancy Partner — Collaborated on the planting project at the Nancy Russell Overlook in the Columbia River Gorge.
- City of Lake Forest Partner — Partnered with The Garden Club of America to restore Belvedere Garden at Lake Forest Park Beach.
- Community Greening Partner — Partnered with Community Greening to support tree planting, urban greening projects, and environmental education in South Florida.
- Conservation Committee Coalition — Jointly produces GCA Position Papers on environmental issues.
- Conservation Committee Partner — Jointly produces GCA Position Papers with the National Affairs & Legislation Committee.
- Erie Canal Museum Partner — Co-hosted a gala celebrating the Erie Canal's 200th anniversary.
- Gateway National Recreation Area Partner — Collaborates with park botanists and rangers on habitat restoration at Sandy Hook Division.
- Grass River Garden Club of Delray Beach Network — Grass River Garden Club of Delray Beach is a member club of The Garden Club of America, collaborating on conservation and civic improvement initiatives.
- Greenbelt Native Plant Center Partner — Sources native plant species for habitat restoration projects at Sandy Hook Park.
- Kanawha Garden Club Partner — Co-recipient of the Founders Fund grant for the Appalachian Spring Project.
- National Affairs & Legislation Committee Coalition — Jointly produces GCA Position Papers on environmental issues.
- National Affairs & Legislation Committee Partner — Jointly produces GCA Position Papers with the Conservation Committee.
- New York City’s Parks Department Government — Provides native plant stock through its Greenbelt Native Plant Center for restoration projects.
- Onondaga Historical Association Partner — Collaborated on a gala event and provided vintage Syracuse China containers for floral centerpieces.
- St. Joseph’s Health Hospital Partner — Received donated floral arrangements for staff and patients following the Erie Canal bicentennial gala.
- The Garden Club of Alexandria Partner — Co-recipient of the Founders Fund grant for the Appalachian Spring Project.
- The Tuckahoe Garden Club Partner — Recipient of a GCA Founders Fund Finalist grant for the Virginia War Memorial Public Green Space Project.
- Weed Wrangle Partner — Partners with Weed Wrangle to support one-day volunteer projects for community gardening and invasive species removal.
strategies · 4
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.
- Environmental Education as Civic and Leadership Development 181 orgsmethodology: education_and_civic_engagementBy combining public education, living classrooms, and scholarship programs, the organization builds long-term environmental leadership and civic engagement because experiential learning and financial support at key career stages cultivate expertise and intergenerational stewardship.shared approach: Experiential Engagement for Stewardship →
- Native Plant-Based Ecological Restoration 181 orgsmethodology: native_plant_restorationBy restoring habitats using resilient, locally propagated native plants, the organization ensures ecological integration and long-term environmental function because native species are co-evolved with local ecosystems and support biodiversity, especially under climate stress.shared approach: Experiential Engagement for Stewardship →
- Policy Advocacy Informed by Ecological Science 19 orgsmethodology: policy_advocacy_through_scienceBy developing and disseminating position papers grounded in ecological baselines, the organization advances conservation policy because scientifically informed advocacy increases credibility and effectiveness in shaping legislative priorities.shared approach: Science-Based Advocacy →
- Member-Led Conservation with Civic Engagementmethodology: member_led_conservationBy empowering club members and local communities to lead on-the-ground conservation projects, the organization fosters stewardship and drives environmental improvement because local ownership increases commitment, sustainability, and public education impact.