Garden Club of Jacksonville

What Garden Club of Jacksonville does

Garden Club of Jacksonville is a nonprofit civic and horticultural organization founded in 1922 in Jacksonville, Florida. The organization operates from a historic property at 1005 Riverside Avenue on the St. Johns River and serves the local community through gardening education, youth programs, conservation initiatives, and civic beautification. It is structured around more than 30 member "garden circles" and runs a recurring calendar of community events — over 12 per month — reaching an audience of approximately 6,000 email contacts. Programming is delivered in collaboration with partners including UF/IFAS and the Florida Native Plant Society.

The organization monetizes its operations through a diversified set of revenue streams rather than a single pricing model. These include tiered membership dues ranging from $30 to $5,000, individual donations and fundraising, venue and facility rentals (capitalizing on its riverside location for weddings and private events), event and program fees of $5 to $55 per session, corporate and event sponsorships at $500–$1,000, and grants from institutional funders such as the Jesse Ball duPont Fund. It runs with a small paid staff of 1–10 employees, supported by a larger volunteer base drawn from its garden circles and broader membership.

In 2019, the organization transitioned from a fully volunteer-run model to professional management, hiring its first Executive Director (Denise M. Reagan) and a full-time caretaker (Damien Lamar Robinson). This shift signaled an intent to expand programming, formalize operations, and pursue institutional philanthropic support. The organization's core technology footprint is conventional — a CRM/membership system, email communications, and standard event-management tools — with no disclosed AI, proprietary platform, or advanced digital products.

Name

Garden Club of Jacksonville

Legal name

Garden Club of Jacksonville

Website

https://gardenclubjax.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Garden Club of Jacksonville is a 100+ year-old nonprofit in Jacksonville, Florida that delivers horticultural education, youth programs, and community events through 30+ member garden circles, reaching 6,000+ contacts and serving the local community from a riverside venue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Jacksonville

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. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees at multiple tiers ($30-$5,000) providing access to events, discounts, recognition, and member benefits. Cultivator Single ($30), Cultivator Double ($50), Cultivator Family ($90), Perennial ($250), Topiary ($500), Evergreen ($1,000), and Heirloom ($5,000) tiers.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Donations from supporters and members, with annual giving campaigns and matching campaigns referenced. The organization emphasizes community support to provide free and low-cost programming.
3. Venue Rentals: Historic property rental for weddings, celebrations, corporate retreats, business lunches, meetings, and special events. Campus includes Ballroom, Club Room, Courtyard, catering kitchens, offices, and storage space. Revenue from events such as Civic Orchestra of Jacksonville fundraiser and St. Johns Riverkeeper Oyster Roast.
4. Event Fees and Program Charges: Revenue from ticketed educational programs including Horticulture Corner ($5-$55), Budding Gardeners ($5-$10), and special workshops. Some programs are free for members with fees for nonmembers.
5. Sponsorships: Event sponsorships at individual program level ($500-$1,000) and annual Horticulture Corner sponsorship levels, providing recognition on event pages, email marketing to 6,000+ contacts, social media, and event slideshows.
6. Grants: Grant funding from organizations such as Jesse Ball duPont Fund for strategic planning, signature events, and operational support including the caretaker position.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Garden Club of Jacksonville is a 501(c) nonprofit founded in 1922 that delivers horticultural and environmental education, youth and family programming, and member-based community activities from its historic St. Johns River campus. It sells tiered annual memberships, ticketed programs (Horticulture Corner, Budding Gardeners, Fun with Flowers), and rents its Ballroom, Club Room and Courtyard for weddings, corporate events, and nonprofit fundraisers.

Product overview

The Garden Club of Jacksonville offers a portfolio of educational programs, community events, venue rentals, and membership services. The core offerings include Horticulture Corner (educational lecture series), Budding Gardeners (youth and family programs), venue rental services for events, and a tiered membership program. Additional programs include Fun with Flowers workshops, Blooms Galore & More plant sales, the Jacksonville Fair Horticulture Show, and the Luminaria Festival. The organization is volunteer-led with professional staff, situated on historic property next to the St. Johns River, serving as both an educational center and event venue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Horticulture Corner Educational lecture series featuring guest speakers and experts on gardening, plant conservation, soil health, garden design, seasonal practices, and environmental stewardship. Open to members and the public with tiered ticket pricing.
• Budding Gardeners Interactive programs for children and families that introduce young nature enthusiasts to gardening, birds, plants, and the natural world through hands-on activities, crafts, and expert-led talks.
• Venue Rental Rental of the Garden Club campus including the Ballroom, Club Room, Courtyard, and catering kitchens for weddings, celebrations, corporate retreats, business lunches, meetings, and nonprofit fundraisers.
• Friend of the Garden Club Membership Tiered annual membership program with levels Cultivator Single ($30), Cultivator Double ($50), Cultivator Family ($90), Perennial ($250), Topiary ($500), Evergreen ($1,000), and Heirloom ($5,000). Benefits include decals, newsletter, event and partner discounts, yearbook and website recognition, and event sponsorship opportunities.
• Fun with Flowers Make-and-take floral design workshops for members and the public featuring hands-on instruction in flower arrangement.
• Blooms Galore & More Annual plant sale and green market event featuring Northeast Florida vendors and plant selections.
• Jacksonville Fair Horticulture Show Annual horticulture show held in conjunction with the Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair featuring plant competitions and ribbon-winning exhibits.
• Luminaria Festival Holiday celebration event featuring handmade and homegrown themes on the historic Garden Club campus.

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 and minor.

• Florida Native Plant Society Ixia ChaptercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of annual Native Plants Summit to highlight native plants for wildlife habitat and environmental health. Partnership convenes community gardens and local growers from Northeast Florida for best practices sharing.
• PB&J JacksonvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit board membership connection between Executive Director Denise Reagan and Caretaker Damien Robinson. PB&J (Party, Benefit & Jam) builds social impact through engaging events.
• UF/IFAS Duval County ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured speaker partnerships at Horticulture Corner programs and Community Gardens Summit. Master Gardener Volunteer program connections and Florida-Friendly Landscaping initiatives.
• Museum of Science & History (MOSH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEddie Whisler, Director of Planetarium & Outreach Programming, featured speaker for Budding Gardeners: Plants in Outer Space program exploring space gardening science.
• Wild Birds Unlimited JacksonvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. John Peterson, owner, featured speaker for Budding Gardeners: The Amazing World of Birds program on bird adaptations and behaviors.
• Skydog Family BonsaiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMike Groeschel, owner, teaches Bonsai for Beginners workshop providing plants, supplies, and instruction for hands-on bonsai cultivation.
• Harmony Mushroom CominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShannon Sharpe, Lead Mycologist, presents mushroom cultivation and at-home mycology programs. Noah Schleifer founder also presented gourmet mushroom workshop.
• North Florida Land TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNFLT CEO Allison DeFoor and Land Stewardship Director Rianna Elliott presented on prescribed burns and land conservation at Horticulture Corner: Light My Fire.
• Florida Wildflower FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmily Bell, Communications Coordinator, leads workshops on creating native wildflower habitats for pollinators and wildlife conservation.
• North Florida Daylily SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnie Gladding, President, leads daylily presentation on growing and caring for daylilies as perfect perennials.
• 5 Points FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDavid Bane presents urban farming education at Horticulture Corner focusing on urban farming in Jacksonville and locally grown produce.
• Friends of Hemming ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDamien Robinson served as original team member, operations manager and director of office administration before joining Garden Club.
• Friends of the Labyrinth at Peace Memorial Rose GardenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with City of Jacksonville and Riverside Avondale Preservation to install meditative labyrinth in historic Riverside park.
• Florida Federation of Garden ClubscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level garden club federation. Jan Sillik served as Past President and Master Flower Show Judge, connecting local club to statewide garden club network.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Florida Federation of Garden Clubs: State-level umbrella federation of Florida garden clubs, of which the Garden Club of Jacksonville is a member. Connects the local club to the statewide garden club network (former GCJ president Jan Sillik was FFGC Past President), making it the most directly comparable peer organization.
• National Garden Clubs, Inc. National federation of garden clubs in the United States. Operates a parallel mission of horticultural education, community service, and member programming, making it a structurally comparable national peer to the Garden Club of Jacksonville.
• The Garden Club of America: National garden club organization founded in 1913 with a similarly educational and civic mission around horticulture, conservation, and historic preservation. Closely comparable in member tiers, programming model, and century-plus scale of operations.

Regional players

• Museum of Science & History (MOSH): Jacksonville science and history museum and current Garden Club programming partner (featured speakers from MOSH's planetarium). Similar Northeast Florida nonprofit educational institution with comparable programming cadence and audience.
• Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens: Major Jacksonville nonprofit zoological and botanical garden attraction. Comparable Northeast Florida nonprofit cultural/educational institution with memberships, sponsorship tiers, events, and conservation programming — sharing audience and funding pool with the Garden Club.
• Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens: Adjacent nonprofit cultural institution on Riverside Avenue with the historic Cummer gardens on the St. Johns River. Operates a similar Jacksonville nonprofit cultural model with gardens, programming, memberships, and event rentals — a natural geographic and operational peer.
• Tree Hill Nature Center: Jacksonville-area nonprofit focused on nature education and conservation programs. Operates with a similar combination of programming, memberships, and community partnerships serving Northeast Florida families.

Others

• Riverside Avondale Preservation: Historic preservation nonprofit in the same Jacksonville neighborhood as the Garden Club of Jacksonville and current partner on the Peace Memorial Rose Garden labyrinth project. Adjacent cultural nonprofit operating in the same Riverside ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/gardenclubjax
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@gardenclubjax
• Facebookfacebook.com/gardenclubjax
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gardenclubjax
• Instagraminstagram.com/gardenclubjax

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Garden Club of Jacksonville