Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association

What Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association does

The Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association (MNLA) is a regional non-profit trade association founded in 1925 (originally as the Minnesota State Nurseryman's Association, renamed in 1988) and headquartered in Roseville, Minnesota. It serves approximately 900 member firms across the full Minnesota green-industry supply chain — wholesale nursery growers, retail nurseries and garden centers, commercial flower growers, landscape contractors and designers, irrigation contractors, lawn and landscape management services, professional gardening services, commercial arborists and tree care providers, snow and ice management services, and allied suppliers — plus a secondary tier of municipal/nonprofit grounds professionals, educators, and students. The association's mission is to help members operate more successfully through education, networking, cost-savings partnerships, marketing tools, government affairs advocacy, and professional development.

MNLA's product surface is organized as an integrated membership platform: a tiered Business Membership ($399 first year, $399–$2,159 renewals based on gross sales volume), the MNLA Certified Professional credential (three tracks — Garden Center, Grower, Landscape — developed with the University of Minnesota and backed by a 50-chapter manual with 700+ horticultural terms and 381 plant images), the annual Northern Green trade show at the Minneapolis Convention Center, the Green Industry Leadership Institute, a registered Landscape Crew Member Apprenticeship Program (4,000 OJT hours plus 288 classroom hours, partnered with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry), an MNLA Foundation administering scholarships and K-12 curriculum, eleven peer networking groups, and a portfolio of member-discount partnerships (Ford, Chrysler/Stellantis, Kwik Trip, Circle K/Holiday, Canopy Business Law). Underlying technology is a standard YourMembership association management platform plus an online certification testing system with integrated images and videos.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: recurring annual membership dues, event registration and certification exam fees, advertising and sponsorship (The Scoop magazine, website, event sponsorships), and Foundation fundraising events. The organization employs approximately 9+ staff plus consultants and is governed by an elected Board of Directors.

Name

Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association

Legal name

Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association

Website

https://mnla.biz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association is a 100-year-old regional non-profit trade association serving roughly 900 green-industry firms in Minnesota — including nursery growers, landscape contractors, garden centers, arborists, and suppliers — through membership dues, certification, advocacy, education, and the Northern Green trade show.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues based on business type and gross sales volume. First-year business members pay $399; subsequent years range from $399-$2,159 based on gross annual sales. Industry affiliates pay $138, retired members pay $79, academic affiliates are free or $120 with mailed magazine.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from Northern Green trade show, seminars, certification exams, golf tournaments, shooting events, and bowling tournaments. Exam fees range from $59-$119 depending on membership status.
3. Advertising & Sponsorship: Revenue from advertising in The Scoop magazine, website ads, event sponsorships, and marketing prospectus placements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MNLA is a regional horticultural trade association that provides paid membership services to approximately 900 green-industry firms in Minnesota. Its core deliverables include tiered business membership, the MNLA Certified Professional designation, the annual Northern Green trade show and education conference, advocacy and legislative monitoring, member-only discount programs, networking groups, and an affiliated Foundation that runs workforce development, scholarships, and horticulture curricula.

Product overview

The Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association is a regional trade association offering a comprehensive membership program that serves as a hub for the green industry. The core offering is MNLA Membership, which provides access to certification programs (MNLA Certified Professional), educational initiatives (Green Industry Leadership Institute, Apprenticeship Programs), events (Northern Green trade show), and member benefits (discounts, marketing tools, networking). The association operates the MNLA Foundation for workforce development and scholarships, and provides specialized curricula for educational institutions. The product portfolio functions as an integrated membership platform with certification, education, advocacy, and workforce development as interconnected modules serving wholesale growers, retailers, landscape contractors, arborists, and allied suppliers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MNLA Membership Annual trade-association membership for Minnesota green-industry businesses, providing education programs, networking, member discounts on vehicles, fuel, and legal services, marketing tools, industry insights, advocacy, and access to certification programs. Tiered by gross annual sales from $399 (first year) to $2,159 (renewal).
• MNLA Certified Professional Program Professional certification designating individuals as MNLA Certified Professionals in Garden Center, Grower, or Landscape specialties. Exam fees are $89 for members/$119 for non-members; retests $59/$89. Includes a printed manual and recertification requirements.
• Green Industry Leadership Institute Annual cohort-based leadership development program for green-industry professionals with monthly facilitated sessions on business strategy, financial management, and professional growth.
• Northern Green Trade Show and Education Conference Annual trade show and education conference for green-industry professionals at the Minneapolis Convention Center, featuring exhibitors, continuing-education sessions, and networking.
• Landscape Crew Member Apprenticeship Program Registered apprenticeship combining 4,000 hours of on-the-job training with 288 hours of classroom instruction, enabling wage and training reimbursement for member companies sponsoring apprentices.
• High School Horticulture Curriculum (Pathways Through Horticulture) Free standards-aligned horticulture curriculum for high school instructors covering botany, plant growth, floriculture, landscape design and maintenance, and green-industry careers.
• Hooked on Horticulture - Elementary Curriculum Free downloadable curriculum for grades 3-4 addressing the importance and value of horticulture, aligned to Minnesota Department of Education Standards.
• MNLA Career Center / Job Board Online job-posting and search platform connecting green-industry employers with job seekers, featuring member pricing for postings.
• MNLA Foundation - Scholarships, Grants, and Workforce Outreach Affiliated nonprofit foundation administering scholarships, high school grants, career outreach, and industry fundraisers (Widmer Golf Tournament, MNLA Shootout, Bowling Tournament) to support green-industry workforce development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Vehicle savings up to $4,700 per member on select vehicles
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Ford Motor CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVehicle purchasing partnership offering rebates up to $3,500 on select Ford vehicles for MNLA members
• Chrysler/Stellantis Group FleetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVehicle purchasing partnership offering rebates up to $4,700 on select Dodge, Jeep, and RAM vehicles for MNLA members
• Kwik TripcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFuel discount partnership offering 7 cents off per gallon on gasoline and diesel, 10% off most in-store products, and volume car wash discounts up to 50% off
• Circle K/Holiday StationstorescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFuel discount partnership offering 30 cents/gallon discount for first 90 days for new applications, then 7 cents/gallon rebate on all gasoline and diesel with fleet card
• Canopy Business Law (Zlimen & McGuiness)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerLegal services partnership offering MNLA members free initial consultation plus 15% discount on all legal fees; attorneys with 25 years combined experience in construction and landscaping
• Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (MNDOLI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership developing Landscape Crew Member Apprenticeship Program with 4,000 hours on-the-job training and 288 hours classroom instruction; enables wage and training reimbursement for MNLA members
• Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerNewly developed relationship to connect job seekers with MNLA members for job opportunities, grant support, and employer leadership tools
• University of MinnesotacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on MNLA Certified Professional program; joint development of certification manual with 50 chapters; involvement in Green Industry Internship Fair
• Northern GreencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual trade show and education program at Minneapolis Convention Center; joint programming board with MNLA
• Bachman's Wholesale Nursery and HardscapesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkforce Development Partners Fund participant; contributes to industry recruitment efforts
• Bailey NurseriesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkforce Development Partners Fund participant; scholarship sponsor; contributes to industry recruitment efforts
• Gertens Professional Turf SupplyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkforce Development Partners Fund participant; Foundation Trustee representation
• Wilson's Nursery, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkforce Development Partners Fund participant; scholarship sponsor
• Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation (MTGF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Green Industry Bowling Tournament fundraiser for turf career promotion and scholarships

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Plant California Alliance: Consolidated California nursery and landscape association delivering membership, advocacy, and education to growers, retailers, and landscape professionals in California — comparable model in a much larger, but geographically distant, market.
• Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN): Regional nursery and greenhouse association serving Oregon growers with similar educational, advocacy, and trade-show programming (e.g., the Farwest Show). Overlaps in customer base but serves a different Pacific Northwest geography.

Direct peers

• Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association (ONLA): State-level nursery and landscape trade association in Ohio offering analogous membership tiers, certification programs, advocacy, and an annual trade show — structurally the closest peer in terms of size, scope, and product mix.
• AmericanHort: National trade association for the horticulture industry (formed via merger of ANLA and OFA) providing advocacy, education, certification, and events comparable to MNLA's offerings but at national scope. Directly overlapping member segments include growers, retailers, and landscape professionals.
• Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA): National trade association for commercial tree care; offers the CTSP (Certified Treecare Safety Professional) credential that MNLA explicitly promotes to its arborist members. Direct overlap in arboriculture certification, advocacy, and safety training.
• International Society of Arboriculture (ISA): Worldwide arboriculture organization administering the ISA Certified Arborist credential, which MNLA lists as a core certification pathway for its commercial arborist and tree-care service members.
• Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association (PLNA): State nursery and landscape trade association in Pennsylvania delivering similar member services, certification pathways, networking groups, and government-affairs advocacy for green industry businesses.
• Texas Nursery & Landscape Association (TNLA): State nursery and landscape trade association offering comparable membership, certification, legislative advocacy, and the annual Nursery/Landscape EXPO trade show — broader in scale than MNLA but functionally analogous.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLO9Fk6WCSyZkdaCVikWg2yvFF53rF-hJt
• Facebookfacebook.com/MNLACertPro
• Xx.com/minnesotanla
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mnla

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association