What Leach Botanical Garden does

Leach Botanical Garden is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public botanical garden founded in 1936 by botanist Lilla Leach and pharmacist John Leach on their southeast Portland property 'Sleepy Hollow.' Operated by the nonprofit entity Leach Garden Friends under a long-standing partnership with Portland Parks & Recreation and the City of Portland (which owns the underlying 17-acre property donated in 1980), the garden preserves over 2,000 plant varieties — including the rare Kalmiopsis leachiana species — alongside historic structures such as a 1936 Manor House and stone cabin. The garden welcomes 32,000-36,000+ visitors annually and serves East Portland families, Title-I schools, community-based nonprofits, event renters, and general public visitors through general admission, the Garden for All free-access program, group tours, public programs, and an East 5 Community Habitat Enhancement Project.

Revenue is generated through a diversified nonprofit mix: earned income from admissions ($12 adult, $5 youth, free for children under 5 and Garden for All participants), gift shop sales, and private event/wedding rentals; individual donations and memberships (including monthly giving tiers of $5-$100 and business membership tiers); foundation grants from Autzen, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, EMSWCD, Garden Conservancy, and others; government support from the City of Portland, Prosper Portland, and Metro; and a small endowment managed by the Oregon Community Foundation. Total projected income for FY26-27 is $1,228,000 against $1,193,000 in expenses, with a projected $35,000 net surplus. The organization operates four days per week (Thursday-Sunday) with a staff of 17 following February 2026 layoffs, supplemented by 50+ regular volunteers.

In early 2026 the organization faced an acute funding crisis after the expiration of a $350,000/year Portland Parks subsidy, triggering 50% staff layoffs, an emergency community fundraising campaign that raised over $700,000, a 140% admission price increase, and a multi-year sustainability plan targeting $1.5 million by July 2028. The organization has since stabilized operations through mid-2027 via restored partial city funding, reciprocal membership in the 29-attraction Northwest Attractions Alliance, and the reopening of the Johnson Creek pedestrian bridge and East 5 trail loop — entering a defensive turnaround posture.

Name

Leach Botanical Garden

Legal name

Leach Garden Friends

Website

https://leachgarden.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Leach Botanical Garden is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public botanical garden in southeast Portland, Oregon, operating a 17-acre historic garden with 2,000+ plant varieties, serving 32,000+ annual visitors through admissions, memberships, educational programs, and event rentals, funded by earned income, donations, grants, and City of Portland support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Earned Income: Revenue from admissions, gift shop sales, special events, and private event/wedding rentals. Total earned income projected at $616,000 for FY26-27.
2. Individual Giving: Donations and memberships from individuals. Projected at $281,000 for FY26-27.
3. Foundation Grants: Grant funding from private foundations. Projected at $105,000 for FY26-27.
4. Government Support: City of Portland support through Portland Parks & Recreation. Projected at $200,000 for FY26-27. Previously received $350K/year subsidy which expired June 30, 2025.
5. Fundraising Events: Revenue from fundraising events. Less than $20,000 annually.
6. Endowment Income: Annual endowment income from Oregon Community Foundation. $5,000 per year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Leach Botanical Garden is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a 17-acre public botanical garden in Portland, Oregon, providing free general admission through its Garden for All program along with ticketed seasonal events, children's summer camps, private event and wedding venue rentals, an on-site gift shop, individual and business memberships, and the Garden for All Community Grants program for local organizations. The organization combines a curated horticultural collection with community-focused conservation, environmental education, and urban nature access.

Product overview

Leach Botanical Garden operates as a 17-acre public botanical garden offering a unified visitor experience centered on garden admission, supplemented by membership programs, private event rentals, and retail operations. The product portfolio includes core visitor services (admission, guided/group tours), membership tiers (individual, family, business), educational programming (public events, workshops, field trips), accessibility initiatives (Garden for All free admission and community grants), volunteer engagement, and charitable giving options (monthly donations, planned giving, bench sponsorship, vehicle donations). The garden also features venue rentals for weddings and corporate events, a gift shop, and restoration projects like the East 5 Community Habitat Enhancement Project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Garden for All: Free admission program providing entry to anyone who requests it, designed to support individuals or families for whom admission fees present a barrier to entry.
• East 5: Community Habitat Enhancement Project

Products and services

• Garden for All Admission

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 36,000 visitors annually welcomed, with 10% using Garden for All free admission program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Portland Parks & RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partnership since the 1980s. The nonprofit Leach Garden Friends operates the garden on behalf of Portland Parks & Recreation. Property donated to the city of Portland in 1980. City provides pass-through funding for general operations (previously $350K/year, reduced to $200K for FY26-27). Garden maintains joint reserve capital fund with city (20% of admission fees) for future maintenance.
• Johnson Creek Watershed CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for East 5 Habitat Enhancement Project. Leads monthly volunteer land stewardship sessions on second Wednesdays. Supports habitat restoration and environmental education in the East 5 acres.
• African Youth & Community Organization (AYCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for East 5 Habitat Enhancement Project serving East Portland communities.
• The Blueprint FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for East 5 Habitat Enhancement Project.
• Wisdom of the ElderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for East 5 Habitat Enhancement Project.
• David Douglas High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for East 5 Habitat Enhancement Project.
• Northwest Attractions AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReciprocal membership program (formerly Portland Attractions Marketing Alliance/PAMA) with 29 regional attractions in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Provides reciprocal admission benefits to Leach Botanical Garden members starting January 2026.
• Travel OregonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism marketing partnership. Website funded in part by Travel Oregon grant. Promotes garden as Portland-area destination.
• Travel PortlandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism marketing partnership promoting garden as Portland destination.
• MonroviaminorOthersDonated plants for Manor House garden areas.
• Ego Power PlusminorOthersDonated electric blower for garden maintenance operations.
• Rose CovertminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOregon-based fiber artist selected to create Sun and Moon Gateway willow sculptures in Far Meadow through public artist selection process with community jury involvement.
• Bartlett Tree ExpertsminorOthersBusiness sponsor listed on website with link and recognition in Leach Garden News and Calendar.
• Bremik ConstructionminorOthersBusiness sponsor listed on website with link and recognition.
• Portland NurseryminorOthersBusiness sponsor and plant supplier partner.
• Olson KundigminorOthersArchitecture/design firm business sponsor.
• Coava CoffeeminorOthersLocal coffee company business sponsor.

Scale indicators22 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens: A large nonprofit cultural institution with significant botanical garden collections, paid admission, and membership programs. Relevant for understanding fundraising and membership scale at a peer nonprofit.
• Longwood Gardens: A large, premier public garden with extensive plant collections, educational programming, and event rentals. Bob Hyland's prior leadership at this institution provides direct relevance to horticultural operations standards.
• United States Botanic Garden: A federally operated public botanical garden in Washington, D.C. with free admission, educational programs, and curated plant collections. Comparable in public-facing mission and educational focus.
• Desert Botanical Garden: A nonprofit public botanical garden in Phoenix with paid admission, memberships, events, and educational programs. Comparable mid-sized nonprofit botanical garden operating model.
• New York Botanical Garden: One of the largest nonprofit botanical gardens in the U.S., with paid admission, memberships, education, conservation, and event rentals. Comparable in mission and operational model at much larger scale.
• Chicago Botanic Garden: A large nonprofit public garden with extensive plant collections, research programs, and educational mission. Comparable operating model at significantly larger scale.
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden: A large, established urban botanical garden with paid admission, extensive programming, and educational mission. Bob Hyland's prior leadership provides direct relevance to the operational model at Leach.

Direct peers

• Portland Japanese Garden: A nonprofit public garden in the Portland metro area offering paid admission, membership programs, and educational programming. It is the most direct peer given shared geography, nonprofit operating model, and overlapping visitor segments.
• San Francisco Botanical Garden: A nonprofit public botanical garden operating under a city partnership structure similar to Leach, with paid admission, memberships, and educational programming. Bob Hyland's prior leadership at this institution provides direct operational relevance.
• Hoyt Arboretum: A Portland-based public arboretum managed in partnership with Portland Parks & Recreation, offering free admission, trails, and educational programs. Comparable given shared municipal partnership model and Portland community audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LeachBotanicalGarden
• Instagraminstagram.com/leachbotanicalgarden
• TikToktiktok.com/@leachbotanicalgarden
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leach-botanical-garden

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Leach Botanical Garden