2008 Annual Report
Introduction
A Letter From the Chairman of the Board and President
Scot Medbury, President, and Frederick Bland, Chairman of the Board
In 2007–08 Brooklyn Botanic Garden welcomed over 725,000 visitors and took exciting steps forward in its role as a resource for the community and its position as an ecological leader.
The world is changing at a rapid pace, and the need for environmental awareness and stewardship is at an all-time high. In spring 2008, the Garden embarked on a breakthrough conservation initiative with the City of New York. In response to the biodiversity threat in New York (where more than 550 native plant species are rare, threatened, or endangered), BBG scientists are helping city planners and conservationists implement programs to protect our local and regional ecology and address future environmental impacts.
In keeping with the Garden's mission to foster stewardship, BBG also provided technical assistance, street clinics, and workshops to 65,000 Brooklyn gardeners through GreenBridge, the Garden's community horticulture program. In the coming year, GreenBridge will launch the Community Garden Alliance, which will build a peer support network among greening projects in Brooklyn. GreenBridge's Street Tree Stewardship Initiative will train residents to care for the trees planted as part of Mayor Bloomberg's PlaNYC 2030 to create a greener New York City.
At BBG's historic Children's Garden, young people learned to plant and harvest their vegetables just as they have since 1914. The Garden's educators welcomed thousands of school groups for free class tours; provided professional development for teachers to help them meet rigorous citywide standards for science and leadership; and offered valuable yearlong internships, job training, and mentoring to middle and high school students. And BBG staff collaborated to produce Gardening With Children, a beautiful illustrated book that helps caregivers and young people work on projects that foster an awareness of the natural world.
Visitors of all ages and from all walks of life also celebrated the seasons and the diversity of cultures at BBG's many public events, which welcomed record crowds. Through engaging workshops, readings, and performances, children and adults continue to experience the many ways in which plants enrich our lives. A lyrical time-lapse video of the spring 2008 blossoming of BBG's Cherry Walk was viewed all over the world via the internet, and the Garden's website itself drew over five million unique visitors during the year.
The growth of our community and the needs of our audience demand that BBG approach its 100th anniversary able to respond to the urgent call for beauty and renewal in urban life and for environmental stewardship at all levels of society. In the coming year, BBG will break ground on a new “green” Visitor Center to better welcome the Garden's growing base of nearly one million visitors. BBG is also creating an expanded herb and vegetable garden and developing plans for several new gardens, further ensuring the long-term beauty and vitality of its 52 acres.
We are grateful to the Garden's many members and supporters for their loyal support and generosity, and to our staff, trustees, and volunteers for their dedication, all of which have played an invaluable role in our success in 2007–08.
Frederick Bland, Chairman of the Board, & Scot Medbury, President
Trustees
Board of Trustees as of June 30, 2008
- Frederick Bland
Chairman of the Board - Diane H. Steinberg
Vice Chairman - Constance Casey
Secretary - Suzanne T. Marquard
Treasurer
- Francesca Anderson
- David G. Booth
- Lois M. Carswell
- Robert B. Catell
- Bevin Cline
- Katharine B. Desai
- Judith Fishman
- Betsy Gile
- Herbert T. Glantz
- Donald A. Goldsmith
- Richard W. Hulbert
- Dr. Edison O. Jackson
- Tsutomu Sawano Karino
- Jack Macrae
- Lloyd M. Metz
- Carlos P. Naudon
- Wendy-Ann M. Olivier
- John E. Osnato
- Marc Porter
- Donald Reed
- Edward S. Reid
- Renny Reynolds
- Martha Adams Rubin
- Dagni B. Senzel
- Louisa Clark Spencer
- David R. Steinhardt
- Judith Steinhardt
- Ruth Ann Stewart
- Thomas L. Tuttle
- John A. Vlcek
- Earl D. Weiner
- Jonathan M. Weld
- Robert W. Whiteford
Ex Officio
- Honorable Michael R. Bloomberg
Mayor of the City of New York - Honorable Kate D. Levin
Commissioner, Department of Cultural Affairs - Honorable Marty Markowitz
Brooklyn Borough President - Honorable Christine Quinn
Speaker, New York City Council - Honorable William C. Thompson Jr.
Comptroller, City of New York - Joan Gardiner
President, BBG Auxiliary
Distinguished Advisors
- Conni Cross
- Steven Handel
- Robin Herbert
- Helen Mattin
- William Park
- Allen Paterson
- Sir Ghillean Prance
- Shirley Sherwood
Financial Position
Statement of Financial Position as of June 30, 2008
Financial statements for fiscal year 2008 were audited by independent public accountants Condon O'Meara McGinty & Donnelly LLP. A summary of the financial statements follows. A copy of their complete report with financial statements and related notes is available upon request from the Garden.
Assets
| Cash and cash equivalents | $2,649,753 |
|---|---|
| Investments at market value | 26,764,649 |
| Accounts receivable | 595,942 |
| Pledges and grants receivable | 3,458,887 |
| Inventory | 271,477 |
| Prepaid expenses | 33,813 |
| Property and equipment, net | 12,949,174 |
| Trusts held by third parties | 2,423,477 |
| Total assets | $49,147,172 |
Liabilities and Net Assets
Liabilities
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | $1,647,198 |
|---|---|
| Post-retirement benefits | 7,653,229 |
| Deferred support | 25,000 |
| Total liabilities | 9,325,427 |
Net Assets
| Unrestricted | 32,423,943 |
|---|---|
| Temporarily restricted | 3,739,777 |
| Permanently restricted | 3,658,025 |
| Total net assets | 39,821,745 |
| Total liabilities and net assets | $49,147,172 |
Income Statement
Statement of Activities as of June 30, 2008
Revenue and Support
| Appropriations by the City of New York | $4,581,511 |
|---|---|
| Contributions and grants | 11,738,097 |
| Special events, net of direct costs | 364,632 |
| Interest and dividend income | 1,333,934 |
| Sales of publications | 138,925 |
| Membership dues | 1,075,767 |
| Sales of plants and other items | 937,725 |
| Educational programs | 613,021 |
| Special fees | 1,355,256 |
| Admissions | 1,226,915 |
| Total revenue and support | 23,365,783 |
Expenses
Program Services
| Horticulture | $2,955,199 |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | 2,588,162 |
| Education | 3,165,772 |
| Security | 1,198,298 |
| Publications | 316,848 |
| Garden Shop | 823,012 |
| Science | 998,486 |
| Program enhancement | 1,095,055 |
| Admissions | 170,837 |
| Total Program Services | 13,311,669 |
Support Services
| Administration | 2,298,268 |
|---|---|
| Membership | 689,020 |
| Fund-raising | 1,607,645 |
| Total supporting services | 4,594,933 |
| Total expenses | 17,906,602 |
| Increase in net assets before other additions (deductions) | 5,459,181 |
Other Additions (Deductions)
| Post-retirement benefits | (737,399) |
|---|---|
| Effect of FASB 158 adoption | 186,085 |
| Realized and unrealized (losses), net | (4,569,873) |
| Third-party trusts unrealized (losses) | (175,213) |
| Increase in net assets | 162,781 |
| Net assets, beginning of year | 39,658,964 |
|---|---|
| Net assets, end of year | $39,821,745 |
Stats
Brooklyn Botanic Garden as of June 30, 2008
Brooklyn Botanic Garden is an independent nonprofit institution, a living museum governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees. The land and buildings are owned by the City of New York, and operation of the Garden is in part supported by public funds through the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. Elected representatives in the city council and state legislature, and the Brooklyn borough president provide generous leadership support. Two-thirds of the Garden's budget comes from private sources, including the contributions of individuals, corporations, and foundations.
- Size: 52 acres
- Visitors: 733,119
- Membership: 16,404
- Membership renewal rate: 73%
- Full-time staff: 156
- Part-time staff: 105
- Interns: 62
- Volunteers: 590
- Volunteer hours of service: 51,150
- Children reached through education programs: 150,000
- Teachers trained: 5,299
- Continuing education enrollment: 2,000
- Certificate graduates: 42
- Visitors to bbg.org: 1,662,738
- Website page views: 5,299,704
- Publications distribution: 130,000
- Living collections: 11,874 kinds of plants
- New plant accessions: 1,058
- Herbarium holdings: 300,000 specimens
- Annual operating budget: $16.9 million