Dallas County Master Gardener Association

What Dallas County Master Gardener Association does

Dallas County Master Gardener Association, Inc. (DCMGA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization dedicated to promoting horticultural education and volunteer service throughout Dallas County, Texas. Founded in 1986 as a local component of the statewide Texas Master Gardener program (initiated in 1978 by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service), DCMGA trains and certifies volunteer Master Gardeners who then deliver research-based horticultural information to the public, fulfilling a demand the county extension office cannot meet directly. The organization maintains a force of more than 400 certified Master Gardeners — part of a statewide Texas Master Gardener corps of 7,000+ — supported by 51-100 paid or contractor staff and an administrative headquarters at 6820 LBJ Freeway, Suite 3200, Dallas, with physical program presence at demonstration sites including the Raincatcher's Garden of Midway Hills, Garland Urban Farm, and the Master Gardener's Garden at Texas Discovery Gardens (Fair Park, Dallas).

DCMGA's product portfolio centers on free educational services: a Help Desk answering community gardening questions ([email protected]), a Speakers Bureau providing presentations to community groups, the Earth-Kind® Gardening Practices curriculum, a Gardening Resources library, the Master Gardener Training Program (80 hours of specialized courses in exchange for 50 hours of volunteer service, plus annual 30-hour recertification), and operation of more than 20 community and school gardens that supply produce to food pantries including the Vickery Meadow Food Pantry, the Salvation Army Carr P. Collins Social Service Center, and the North Texas Food Bank. Distribution is regional across Dallas County and adjacent North Texas cities (Garland, Mesquite, Farmers Branch, Rowlett), and the marketing footprint includes a WordPress website, The Urban Trowel email newsletter, a Facebook page, and biennial garden tours and plant sales.

The revenue model is structurally a donations-and-events non-profit. Cash inflows come from tax-deductible individual donations (online via PayPal or by mail), plant sales and pop-up tastings, biennial garden tours, the Kroger Community Rewards program (Organization YS521), the Tom Thumb Good Neighbor Program (1% of grocery purchases, Charity 13860), a $12 Master Gardener application fee, and Texas Master Gardener specialty license plate proceeds ($30 annually, of which $22 returns to the program). Strategic positioning rests on the institutional affiliation with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, credentialed volunteer base, school-garden curriculum partnerships, and a 2026 award sweep (two Texas Master Gardener Association Search for Excellence Awards plus National Wildlife Federation Iconic Monarch Hero recognition) that underscores recent programmatic momentum.

Name

Dallas County Master Gardener Association

Legal name

Dallas County Master Gardener Association, Inc.

Website

https://dallascountymastergardeners.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Dallas County Master Gardener Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that trains and coordinates 400+ certified volunteer Master Gardeners to deliver free, research-based horticultural education and community garden programs across Dallas County under Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Horticultural Education and Community Gardening Services

NAICS

Landscaping Services (56173), Landscaping Services (561730)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Native, Pollinator & Drought-Tolerant Garden Installations (HSAIAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seasonal Color & Flower Rotation (Spring/Fall Plantings) (HSAIAFAE), Tree & Shrub Fertilization & Plant Health Care (PHC) (HSAIAGAG), Pruning, Deadheading & Plant Health Maintenance (Non-tree) (HSAIAFAI)

Keywords

• Horticultural education
• Volunteer training
• Community gardens
• Gardening resources
• Master gardener program

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible cash donations accepted by mail or online via PayPal. The organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Proceeds support over twenty community and school gardens and multiple community outreach events throughout Dallas County.
2. Plant Sales and Events: Holds plant sales, pop-up tastings, and garden tours each year. 100% of proceeds from events go directly to funding projects and programs.
3. Retail Partner Programs: Kroger Community Rewards program donates percentage of purchases (Organization number YS521). Tom Thumb Good Neighbor Program donates 1% of grocery purchases (Charity number 13860).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Dallas County Master Gardener Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that delivers research-based horticultural education and volunteer service to Dallas County residents. Its core offerings include a Master Gardener certification training program (80 hours of specialized training plus 50 hours of volunteer service), a free community Help Desk for gardening questions, a Speakers Bureau, demonstration and community gardens, school garden programs, and educational resources grounded in the Earth-Kind® gardening methodology.

Product overview

Dallas County Master Gardener Association (DCMGA) is a non-profit educational organization affiliated with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. The organization offers a unified portfolio of gardening education services including a Help Desk for community Q&A, a Speakers Bureau for presentations, Earth-Kind® Gardening Practices education, and an extensive Gardening Resources library. The core volunteer training program provides 80 hours of specialized horticultural instruction. DCMGA also operates over twenty community and school garden projects across Dallas County, publishes The Urban Trowel newsletter, and hosts periodic garden tours and plant sales to fund its charitable programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Help Desk Free gardening information and Q&A service where Master Gardeners answer horticulture and landscape questions from the community. Reachable via email at [email protected].
• Speakers Bureau Provides trained Master Gardener speakers on a wide variety of gardening topics for garden clubs, organizations, and events. Request form available on the website.
• Master Gardener Training Program Volunteer certification training program requiring 80 hours of specialized courses and 50 hours of volunteer service, covering lawn care, plant pathology, entomology, vegetables, and water conservation. Recertification requires 30 volunteer service hours and 6 continuing education credits annually.
• Community Gardens Over twenty community garden projects across Dallas County, including demonstration gardens, school gardens, and charitable gardens providing produce to food pantries such as the North Texas Food Bank and Vickery Meadow Food Pantry.
• Garden Tours Biennial garden tours open to the public featuring private gardens, often accompanied by silent auctions. 100% of proceeds fund community and school garden projects.
• Plant Sales Plant sales and pop-up tastings where proceeds directly fund community and school garden projects and programs throughout Dallas County.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 Certified Master Gardeners serving Dallas County
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary affiliated agency of Texas A&M University that provides the administrative framework for the Master Gardener program. County Extension Agent coordinates volunteer activities and determines how volunteer time is best utilized. Training and certification administered through this partnership.
• Texas Master Gardener AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide organization connecting county Master Gardener programs. DCMGA is a component of this association and the broader Texas A&M University System.
• Texas Discovery GardensflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of the Master Gardener's Garden at TDG, demonstrating Earth-Kind® principles. DCMGA developed a video education program shown to approximately 100,000 annual visitors. Greenhouses dedicated to DCMG Roseann Ferguson.
• Temple Emanu-ElcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Jill Stone Community Garden providing produce for Vickery Meadow Food Pantry. DCMGA provides leadership and horticultural training for volunteers growing fresh produce for people in need.
• The Salvation ArmycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership at Carr P. Collins Social Service Garden. Master Gardeners provide ongoing monthly maintenance, supplementary plantings and watering. Contributing partners include Home Depot and Central Market.
• Juliette Fowler CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGNITE program - cooperative gardening community among 375 residents. DCMGA provides leadership and coaching in best horticultural practices through hands-on gardening and education.
• Friends of Oak Cliff ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to maintain and restore horticulture in five historic Oak Cliff parks including Lake Cliff Park, Japanese Garden at Kidd Springs, Kiest Memorial Garden, Founders Park, and Kiest Conservation Area.
• Chapel Hill United Methodist ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated land for Farmers Branch Community Garden. Four-way partnership including church, city of Farmers Branch, Master Gardeners and local community. 25% of produce donated to needy families.
• First United Methodist Church of MesquiteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSacred Spaces Garden - preschool garden in economically challenged neighborhood founded in 2012. Master Gardener volunteers support outdoor learning environment with butterfly plants and vegetables.
• North Texas Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity gardens supported by DCMGA grow produce for food banks and pantries including Vickery Meadow Food Pantry and Metroplex Social Services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Harris County Master Gardeners: Another large Texas A&M-affiliated Master Gardener program serving the Houston area. Highly comparable volunteer-driven horticultural education model with similar Earth-Kind curriculum, demonstration gardens, and county-scale community outreach.
• Texas Master Gardener Association: Statewide parent organization of DCMGA and all Texas county Master Gardener programs. Most directly comparable as it operates the same Master Gardener training model, certification standards, and volunteer service structure at the state level.
• Colorado Master Gardeners: Colorado State University Extension-affiliated Master Gardener program. Operates the same land-grant university Master Gardener training framework with comparable volunteer service requirements, demonstration gardens, and research-based curriculum.
• Tarrant County Master Gardeners: Fort Worth-area Master Gardener program affiliated with Texas A&M AgriLife. Operates the same volunteer certification model with comparable demonstration gardens, help desk, and school programs in adjacent North Texas geography.
• Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia: Virginia Cooperative Extension-affiliated Master Gardener program. Operates the same US-wide Master Gardener volunteer training and certification model with comparable community garden, help desk, and educational programming structure.

Broad incumbents

• Arbor Day Foundation: National nonprofit focused on tree planting and conservation education. Adjacent in horticultural/environmental education mission, though broader national scope and stronger tree-planting specialization than DCMGA's general gardening focus.
• American Horticultural Society: National horticultural education nonprofit offering gardening resources, publications, and master gardener-adjacent programming. Broader scope than DCMGA (national vs. county) with overlapping educational mission and member-based model.
• National Garden Clubs: National federation of local garden clubs providing horticultural education and community garden programming. Comparable volunteer-driven educational model but operates as membership federation rather than extension-affiliated county program.

Regional players

• Urban Harvest: Houston-based nonprofit promoting gardening, food security, and community education. Comparable Texas-focused non-profit horticultural education mission with similar school garden, community garden, and food bank partnership models.
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: University of Texas-affiliated botanical garden and native plant conservation center in Austin. Comparable Texas-based horticultural education and conservation mission with focus on native/drought-tolerant plants overlapping DCMGA's Earth-Kind practices.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DallasCountyMasterGardnerAssoc
• Xx.com/DallasGardeners
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dallas-county-master-gardener-association-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Dallas County Master Gardener Association