The Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens

What The Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens does

The Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating a 93-acre public garden, arboretum, and nature preserve in Stamford, Connecticut, established in 1965 when the State of Connecticut purchased F.A. Bartlett's property. The organization maintains 12 distinct gardens and collections (including herb, sensory, perennial, conifer, tropical, ericaceous, and fern gardens), 10 mapped trails spanning over 5 miles, 7 Champion trees over 100 years old, and 17 Notable trees, including a descendant of Connecticut's Charter Oak. Grounds are open to the public free of charge from dawn to dusk, 365 days per year, with general admission priced at zero and revenue generated entirely from memberships, donations, event fees, facility rentals, and corporate sponsorships.

The organization delivers programming across three primary vectors: youth education (Camp Bart summer camps, school field trips reaching 5,000 children annually including every second-grader from all 13 Stamford public elementary schools, GrowMobile outreach to 1,000+ community members), adult enrichment (workshops, yoga, birding walks, book club, horticulture club, UConn Extension Master Gardener certification), and signature community events (Summer Concert Series, Honey Harvest Festival, Arbor Earth Day, annual Gala). Membership tiers range from $75 (Individual/Senior Family) to $1,000 (Charter Oak), with benefits including event discounts, plant sale discounts, and reciprocal admission to 345+ gardens through the American Horticultural Society.

The business model is event-driven and community-led, with no e-commerce or digital product distribution; ticketing and membership are processed through a Blackbaud platform. Key institutional partnerships include Stamford Public Schools (core), UConn Extension Master Gardener Program (core, 14+ years), American Horticultural Society (channel partner for reciprocal admissions), Connecticut Audubon Society, and Inspirica for at-risk youth access. The organization employs 1-10 staff, is governed by a Board of Directors led by Chair Peter Russell, and has key personnel including Director of Development Wendy Bennett, Grounds Manager Lenny Macari, and educators William Carter and James Flynn. The organization is currently developing a new Horticulture Complex as a capital expansion project.

Name

The Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens

Legal name

The Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens

Website

https://bartlettarboretum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens is a 501(c)(3) non-profit operating a 93-acre public garden and nature preserve in Stamford, CT, delivering horticulture, environmental education (K-12 and adult), and community events to families, schools, and nature enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Botanical Gardens & Nature Education

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH)

Keywords

• Public botanical gardens
• Environmental education programs
• Nature summer camps
• Horticulture workshops
• Arboretum membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Stamford

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 Contributions: The primary revenue stream. Gifts from directors, members, corporations, parents of campers, employees, volunteers, and foundations fund programs, grounds, and facilities. No gift is too large or too small.
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees ranging from $75 (Individual/Senior Family) to $1,000 (Charter Oak), with Club/Organization at $250 and Doggie Membership add-on at $25. Members receive discounts on events, plant sales, and facility rentals plus reciprocal admission to 300+ gardens.
3. Event Revenue: Ticket sales for concerts, festivals, workshops, and special programs. Concert tickets range from $5-10, workshops from $60-130, birding events at $10-15.
4. Facility Rentals: Room and grounds rentals for private events, weddings, and professional photography. Club/Organization members receive one free room rental per year.
5. Donor-Advised Fund Contributions: Accepts grants through donor-advised funds using EIN 06-6079591, allowing donors to make tax-advantaged charitable gifts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens operates a 93-acre public botanical garden and arboretum in Stamford, Connecticut, offering free daily public access to 12 gardens, 10 trails across 5 miles, and Champion/Notable tree collections. The organization sells tiered annual memberships, ticketed events (Summer Concert Series, Honey Harvest Festival, Arbor Earth Day, workshops), Camp Bart summer camp, facility rentals, and educational programs including Third Thursday Walks, Birding at the Bartlett, Horticulture Club, Book Club, Yoga, and GrowMobile community outreach, funded primarily through donations and contributions.

Product overview

The Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens is a 93-acre botanical garden and nature preserve in Stamford, CT, offering a unified portfolio of educational programs, community events, and recreational experiences. Core offerings include 10 trails across 5 miles, 12 distinct gardens and collections, and Champion and Notable trees. The organization delivers programming through seasonal camps (Camp Bart), recurring educational series (Birding at the Bartlett, Third Thursday Walks and Talks, Bartlett Book Club, Bartlett Horticulture Club), annual signature events (Summer Concert Series, Honey Harvest Festival, Arbor Earth Day, Gala), and fitness programs (Yoga Classes). Membership and facility rental services provide revenue and access, while outreach initiatives like GrowMobile extend reach to over 1,000 community members annually. The 60 Years / 60 Trees commemorative series celebrates the organization's history through guided tree-focused walks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Membership Program Tiered annual membership ($75 Individual/Senior Family, $100 Family, $150 Chestnut, $250 Club/Organization, $500 Heartnut, $1,000 Charter Oak, $25 Doggie Membership add-on) providing event discounts, free/discounted program access, plant sale discounts, facility rental perks, and reciprocal admission to 345+ gardens through the American Horticultural Society.
• Camp Bart (Summer Camp) 9-week summer day camp for children offering immersive nature-based exploration of the Arboretum's 93 acres of forests and gardens, with courses from wetland ecology to edible gardening.
• Facility Rentals

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000 school children served annually with STEAM-based curriculum-aligned education
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stamford Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinued collaboration including hosting every second-grader for Plant Life Cycle curriculum. All 13 Stamford public elementary schools send students twice per year for STEAM-based instruction.
• UConn Extension Master Gardener ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRigorous certification program through University of Connecticut. For 14+ years, the Arboretum has graduated Master Gardeners who provide education outreach in the community and help maintain the gardens.
• Connecticut Audubon SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for woodpecker walk and documentary screening event. Co-hosted programming to discover the fascinating world of woodpeckers.
• American Horticultural SocietycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBartlett is part of the American Horticulture Society's Reciprocal Admission Program (RAP). Current Bartlett membership entitles members to special admission privileges and discounts at 345+ gardens throughout North America and the Cayman Islands.
• DeloitteminorOthersCorporate volunteer group partner. Deloitte teams engage in meaningful, hands-on volunteer experiences including trail work, garden maintenance, invasive removal, and planting.
• Day Pitney LLPminorOthersCorporate sponsor for Summer Concert Series and volunteer partner for hands-on projects at the Arboretum.
• Bartlett Tree ExpertsminorOthersCorporate sponsor for Summer Concert Series. Also mentioned at Arbor Earth Day handing out tree seedlings to participants.
• InspiricaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to serve children at risk through summer camperships, ensuring underprivileged children can experience nature and the carefree fun of summer camp.
• Local Environmental Non-profitsminorOthersAnnual Arbor Earth Day features 15+ local organizations including Bartlett Vegetable Garden Masters, Curbside Compost, East Side Partnership Tree Project, Friends of Mianus River Park, Live GreenCT, Stamford Garden Club, Stamford Pollinator Pathway, and others.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tyler Arboretum: A 650-acre public arboretum in Delaware County, PA operating with gardens, trails, events, and educational programming for all ages. Highly comparable in mission, programming, and membership-driven nonprofit operating model.
• Wave Hill: A 28-acre public garden and cultural center in the Bronx offering gardens, educational programming, concerts, and family events with paid/free tiered access. Directly comparable operating model and program mix to the Bartlett.
• Connecticut Audubon Society: A statewide conservation nonprofit operating nature centers, sanctuaries, and educational programming throughout Connecticut. Co-host of Bartlett's woodpecker walk event and a directly comparable environmental education operator in the same geography.
• Brookgreen Gardens: A 9,100-acre public garden, arboretum, and zoological preserve in South Carolina operating with gardens, trails, programs, and paid admission. Comparable nonprofit operating model focused on horticulture, education, and special events, though at much larger geographic scale.
• Stamford Museum & Nature Center: A nearby 118-acre Stamford, CT nonprofit operating nature trails, animal exhibits, gardens, and educational programming. Comparable local peer competing for the same regional visitors, school partnerships, and donor base.
• Morris Arboretum: A 92-acre public arboretum affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia offering gardens, horticultural education, and events. Comparable in acreage, mission, programming mix, and university partnership structure to the Bartlett.
• Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park: A 409-acre public arboretum on Long Island with similar mixed-model operations including gardens, trails, events, and educational programming. Closely comparable in scale, public-admission model, and Northeast regional orientation to the Bartlett.

Broad incumbents

• New York Botanical Garden: A 250-acre flagship public botanical garden in the Bronx operating horticulture, research, and education programming. A much larger incumbent peer offering the same core product category (botanical gardens, education, events) but at materially greater scale and brand reach.
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden: A major 52-acre public botanical garden in NYC offering horticulture, education, and events at larger scale. Operates with similar membership tiers and educational programming but at materially greater visitation and operating budget.
• Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University: A 281-acre public arboretum and research institution affiliated with Harvard, offering free admission, plant collections, and educational programming. Comparable free-admission model and arboretum mission but anchored to a major research university.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bartlettarboretumandgardens
• Instagraminstagram.com/bartlettarboretum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bartlett-arboretum-and-gardens

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 The Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens