Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County

What Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County does

Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County (MGofMC) is a 501c3 nonprofit volunteer organization, founded in 1994 by Mercer County Horticulturist Barbara Bromley, that delivers research-based horticultural education to residents of Mercer County, New Jersey. Its core products and services include a telephone/email/in-person Helpline (Monday–Thursday 9am–3pm, Friday 9am–Noon, with a stated 48-hour response time), a Speaker's Bureau of trained volunteer educators who present at local organizations within Mercer County, and the Mercer Educational Gardens (MEG), an award-winning public demonstration facility featuring Butterfly, Cottage, Herb, Meadow, Native Plant, and Perennial gardens plus compost bins. Auxiliary offerings include a monthly email newsletter via Constant Contact, downloadable gardening guides (composting, deer management, seed starting, lawn care, seasonal tasks), and educational partnerships with public sites such as Drumthwacket, Barbara Boggs Sigmund Park, Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County, and William Trent House.

The underlying "technology" is the Rutgers University-affiliated Master Gardener training curriculum, supported by Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, which ensures that all advice is grounded in university research rather than anecdote. The organization operates from 1440 Parkside Avenue, Ewing, NJ 08638, with a paid staff of approximately 7 employees supplemented by an active volunteer corps.

The business model is a community-led nonprofit: all services are provided free of charge to the community, and the organization has no commercial revenue streams. Income is sourced exclusively from tax-deductible donations (now formalized under 501c3 status effective June 4, 2025, EIN 39-2855061), accepted via Zelle (treasurermgofmc.org) or mailed to the Treasurer. The go-to-market motion is community-led, reaching residents through the trained volunteer network, the helpline, community presentations, social media (Facebook, Instagram), and free public events such as Evening in the Garden, Insect Fest, the Hopewell Harvest Festival, and an annual Symposium. The organization is governed as a private nonprofit under the umbrella of Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County and reports no external investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity.

Name

Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County

Legal name

Master Gardeners of Mercer County

Website

https://mgofmc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Master Gardeners of Mercer County is a 501c3 volunteer nonprofit, founded in 1994 and affiliated with Rutgers Cooperative Extension, that provides free, research-based horticultural education and a Helpline, Speaker's Bureau, and demonstration gardens to Mercer County, NJ residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Horticultural Education

NAICS

Landscaping Services (561730), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Seasonal Color, Planting & Horticultural Services (BPABADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forestry, Arboriculture & Silviculture (EDAOAOAJ), Garden Bed Installation & Planting (Annuals, Perennials, Shrubs) (HSAIAFAB)

Keywords

• Horticultural education
• Gardening advice
• Volunteer services
• Plant identification
• Community gardening

Headquarters

HQ city

Ewing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a 501c3 nonprofit organization (EIN 39-2855061, effective June 4, 2025), the organization relies on tax-deductible donations from the community. Donations can be received via Zelle or mailed to the Treasurer.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Master Gardeners of Mercer County (MGofMC) provides free, research-based horticultural education and gardening advice to Mercer County, NJ residents through a network of Rutgers University-trained volunteer Master Gardeners. Core services include a Helpline (phone, email, and in-person), a Speaker's Bureau for organizational presentations, the Mercer Educational Gardens demonstration facility, and an email newsletter with monthly gardening tips.

Product overview

Master Gardeners of Mercer County is a volunteer nonprofit organization providing horticultural education to the community through a network of trained volunteers supported by Rutgers University. The organization operates as a service-oriented program rather than a commercial product company, offering community education services including a Master Gardener Helpline for answering garden and plant questions, a Speaker's Bureau for presentations, and the Mercer Educational Gardens (MEG) — an award-winning outdoor facility with seven themed demonstration gardens. Additional services include monthly email newsletters with gardening tips, downloadable educational guides covering topics such as composting, deer management, and seasonal care, plus community garden partnerships at local public spaces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master Gardener Helpline A free telephone and email helpline staffed by trained Master Gardener volunteers who research and provide accurate, science-based recommendations for home gardening, plant, lawn, and insect questions. Available by phone (609-989-6853), email ([email protected]), and in-person at 1440 Parkside Avenue, Ewing, NJ with a 48-hour response commitment. Hours: Monday-Thursday 9am-3pm, Friday 9am-Noon.
• Speaker's Bureau Trained volunteer educators who present on a variety of horticultural topics at organizations and events within Mercer County. Presentations are free and limited to Mercer County, subject to availability. To book, email Barbara Glass, President, at [email protected].
• Mercer Educational Gardens (MEG) An award-winning outdoor demonstration facility featuring seven themed gardens including Annual, Butterfly, Cottage, Herb, Meadow, Native Plant, and Perennial gardens, plus compost bins. Used for education, community inspiration, and open for public visits.
• Monthly Gardening Tips Newsletter A free email newsletter providing subscribers with monthly gardening tips, links to helpful websites and webinars, and updates from Mercer County Master Gardeners.
• Gardening Resources and Guides Downloadable and online horticultural resources including guides on composting, deer management, seed starting, annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, vines, soil testing, lawn care, and seasonal gardening topics.
• Timely Tips by Month Monthly gardening guidance providing seasonal recommendations, tasks, and warnings organized by calendar month from January through December, with links to General Tips covering year-round topics like composting, soil testing, and gardening questions.
• Community Garden Partnerships Educational partnerships with public spaces including Drumthwacket, Barbara Boggs Sigmund Park, Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County, and William Trent House, involving garden maintenance and educational programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• 48-hour response time for helpline inquiries
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaster Gardeners are directed and supported by Rutgers University faculty and staff through Rutgers Cooperative Extension, which provides the organizational framework and educational resources for the volunteer program.
• New Jersey Agricultural Experiment StationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides research-based horticultural information and technical support to the Master Gardener program, ensuring all advice is backed by scientific research from Rutgers University.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Horticultural Society: National nonprofit dedicated to horticultural education and gardening best practices. A broader-scale incumbent in the same mission space, providing content, publications, and programs that complement or overlap with county-level Master Gardener offerings.
• National Gardening Association: National nonprofit providing horticultural education, plant databases, and gardening resources. Broader-scale incumbent offering digital-first content that competes with the educational mission of MGofMC, though less locally tailored.

Others

• Cooperative Extension System (USDA NIFA): National umbrella network of university-based extension programs that host Master Gardener volunteer programs. MGofMC is a direct affiliate; the parent institution provides research, training, and operational framework.

Regional players

• Reeves-Reed Arboretum: Regional botanical garden and arboretum in Summit, NJ offering horticultural education, demonstration gardens, and community programming. Comparable as a NJ-based nonprofit delivering public-facing gardening education and stewardship.
• New Jersey Botanical Garden at Skylands: State-operated botanical garden in NJ that shares the public horticultural education mission and demonstration garden format, though at a larger institutional scale and as a state park facility rather than a volunteer nonprofit.

Direct peers

• Rutgers Master Gardeners of Burlington County: Another county Rutgers Master Gardener program with parallel volunteer education, helpline, and demonstration garden model. Direct peer under the same statewide Master Gardener program structure.
• Rutgers Master Gardeners of Middlesex County: Sibling Rutgers Master Gardener chapter offering the same research-based horticultural helpline, Speaker's Bureau, and demonstration garden services to Middlesex County residents. Operates under identical Rutgers Cooperative Extension framework.
• Rutgers Master Gardeners of Somerset County: Adjacent county-level Rutgers Master Gardener program operating under the same Cooperative Extension umbrella with an identical volunteer-driven horticultural education model. Directly comparable in mission, service format, and institutional sponsorship.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mgofmc
• Instagraminstagram.com/rutgersmastergardenermercerco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rutgers-master-gardeners-of-mercer-county

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County