Give.org logo
Support Give.org
Support Give.org
CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: May 2026 Expires: May 2028

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
(718) 623-7200
1000 Washington Avenue
Brooklyn, NY, 11225
https://www.bbg.org
📄 Full Report 🖨️ Print 📋 BBB Charity Standards

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

Brooklyn Botanic Garden meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:

Brooklyn Botanic Garden connects people to the wonder and power of plants, sparking delight and curiosity about science, culture, and our environment to help create a greener, more sustainable city and world.

In the Garden, in its community, and well beyond, BBG inspires people of all ages through the conservation, display, and enjoyment of plants; with educational programs that emphasize learning by doing; and with research focused on understanding and conserving regional plants and plant communities.

Year, State Incorporated:
1910, NY

Brooklyn Botanic Garden was founded in 1910 with the revolutionary vision that environmental education, conservation, and community engagement were necessary elements of urban life. Today, the Garden—one of New York Citys leading cultural institutions—welcomes over 900,000 visitors a year from around the corner and across the globe. On its 52 acre site, the public can experience over 14,000 different kinds of plants from around the world, along with many specialty gardens such as the Cranford Rose Garden, Japanese Hill and Pond Garden, Native Flora Garden, Discovery Garden, and Shelby White and Leon Levy Water Garden. The Garden extends well beyond its gates, engaging more than 150,000 children, teachers, and families annually through educational programs offered free or at minimal cost. Over 50,000 Brooklyn residents participate in the Gardens urban greening programs, which bring neighbors together, block by block, to strengthen communities on a grassroots level.

For the year ended December 31, 2024, Brooklyn Botanic Garden's program expenses were:

Maintenance $5,772,563
Horticulture $5,257,419
Education $4,850,586
Security $3,260,747
Program enhancement $2,204,139
Membership $1,171,697
Admissions $1,044,456
Publications $720,596
Total Program Expenses $24,282,203

Chair of the Board
Diane Steinberg

Board Size
34

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Invitations to fund raising events, Print advertisements (newspapers, magazines, etc.), Grant proposals, Internet, Cause-related marketing (affinity credit cards, consumer product sales, etc.), Membership appeals

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on Brooklyn Botanic Garden's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024.

Source of Funds
Contributions $14,986,992
Appropriations by the City of New $6,079,370
Admissions $5,273,149
Membership dues $2,780,862
Special fees $2,626,529
Grants $2,104,964
Interest and dividends $857,231
Educational programs $688,269
Special events, net of direct costs of $574,720 in 2024 and $613,362 in 2023 $641,133
Sale of plants and other items $158,903
Plants and gardens publications $32,090
Total Income $36,229,492

Programs: 83% Fundraising: 6% Administrative: 11%

Total Income $36,229,492
Total expenses: $29,307,454
  Program expenses $24,282,203
  Fundraising expenses $1,866,246
  Administrative expenses $3,159,005
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $6,922,038
Beginning Net Assets $122,633,255
Other Changes In Net Assets $14,596,394
Ending Net Assets $144,151,687
Total Liabilities $14,621,967
Total Assets $158,773,654

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
BBB Foundation of Metropolitan New York