the cleveland cultural gardens federation

What the cleveland cultural gardens federation does

The Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves as the governing body for the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, a network of 38 developed outdoor gardens in Rockefeller Park along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and East Boulevard in Cleveland, Ohio. Each garden is designed and cultivated by a distinct ethnic or nationality community, featuring statuary, monuments, and symbolic landscaping honoring poets, philosophers, peacemakers, composers, and scientists from that culture. While the gardens themselves were established in 1910 (110 years of heritage), the Federation was formally incorporated as the governing body around 2010 to promote and preserve the Gardens, act as liaison between partner organizations and the City of Cleveland, and coordinate programming. As of 2025, an additional 13 gardens are in development, including recently approved Palestinian and Bangladeshi Gardens and completed first phases of French and Colombian Gardens.

The Federation's core products are physical cultural experiences: the annual One World Day festival (drawing more than 40,000 visitors with a naturalization ceremony, Parade of Flags featuring 50+ cultures, and ethnic performances); the World on Stage multicultural concert series at the Centennial Peace Plaza; monthly guided walking tours ($12 per person) during summer months; the annual Opera in the Italian Cultural Garden ($37.05 reserved seating); and the annual Gala fundraiser. It is developing a self-guided audio tour and a 1,000-square-foot visitor center in the former Stonebrook Montessori building for educational programming. Revenue comes from donations and grants from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors, supplemented by event ticket sales and gala sponsorship tiers ranging from $100 individual tickets to $5,000 Liberty Oaks table sponsorships. Leadership comprises Executive Director Thomas Turkaly and President Dr. Wael Khoury.

Name

the cleveland cultural gardens federation

Legal name

The Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation

Website

https://clevelandculturalgardens.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit governing 38 outdoor cultural gardens in Cleveland's Rockefeller Park, hosting multicultural events including One World Day (40,000+ visitors), walking tours, and educational programming for Northeast Ohio residents, schools, and ethnic communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: The Federation is a non-profit 501c3 organization that relies on donations and grants from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors to fund its operations, garden development, and educational programming.
2. Event Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from paid events including walking tours ($12/person), Opera in the Italian Garden reserved seating ($37.05), and other cultural performances.
3. Gala Fundraiser: Annual gala events featuring sponsorship packages (Liberty Oaks $5,000, Majestic Bridges $2,500, Garden Statuary $1,000) and individual tickets ($100-$125).
4. Visitor Center Revenue: Planned 1,000-square-foot visitor center in former Stonebrook Montessori building will provide educational programming and enhanced visitor engagement for school field trips and teacher sessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation governs, preserves, and promotes a network of 38 developed outdoor cultural gardens along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and East Boulevard in Cleveland's Rockefeller Park. The Federation offers visitors cultural garden access, signature events (annual One World Day, World on Stage concert series, Opera in the Italian Cultural Garden), guided walking tours, a self-guided audio tour in development, and a planned visitor center for educational programming. It functions as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded by donations, grants, event ticket sales, and gala sponsorships.

Product overview

The Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation operates a network of 38 outdoor cultural gardens representing distinct ethnic and nationality communities, making it one of Northeast Ohio's oldest and most significant cultural landmarks. The organization offers a portfolio of visitor experiences including the flagship annual One World Day event (drawing 40,000+ visitors), the World on Stage concert series at the Centennial Peace Plaza, guided walking tours, and seasonal events like the Opera in the Italian Garden and annual Gala. The Federation is developing a self-guided audio tour and a 1,000-square-foot visitor center to enhance educational programming. All offerings center on the organization's mission of 'peace through mutual understanding' by celebrating the diverse cultural contributions of Cleveland's immigrant and ethnic communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cultural Gardens
• One World Day

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000+ visitors to annual One World Day event
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Chris Ronayne (Cuyahoga County Executive)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 October 2026Keynote speaker at Gala at La Villa fundraiser celebrating the Federation's 110th year.
• Aurora School of MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2026Presents annual Liszt and more Concert in the Hungarian Cultural Garden featuring Hungarian-born director Vera Holczer-Waroquet with faculty and students.
• Cleveland Public TheatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presents World on Stage concert series events including Student Theater Enrichment Program (STEP), Panther Women, and other multicultural performances at the Centennial Peace Plaza.
• University Circle IncorporatedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts Wade Oval Wednesdays International Night featuring multicultural music, food, dancing, and community fun.
• St. Clair Superior Development CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts Glenville's Got Talent competition and performance celebrating talents of neighbors in the Glenville neighborhood.
• John Carroll UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVolunteer partner providing assistance with weeding, clean-ups and plantings at the Cultural Gardens.
• College NowminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided more than 100 volunteers on June 14 for garden maintenance and improvement projects.
• Trust for Public LandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVolunteer partner returning to help with spring garden kickoff and maintenance.
• Channel 3 WKYCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStaff volunteers created beautiful landscaping at the Centennial Peace Plaza (design by Bremec Group).
• Davey TreeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided trees for 24 commemorative plantings in Centennial Peace Plaza area for PanAm Masters Games.
• Bremec GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided landscaping design for Channel 3 WKYC volunteer project at Centennial Peace Plaza.
• Sports CommissionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership in staging PanAm Masters Games event with international dance marking the last night of Games.
• International Community Council-Worldwide Intercultural NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with the Cleveland Cultural Gardens to present The New American Mosaic International Fashion Show featuring traditional clothing from around the world.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Brooklyn Botanic Garden operates curated outdoor gardens, public events, and educational programming for a broad visitor base. Its combination of horticultural exhibits, cultural interpretation, and education directly overlaps with the Federation's offerings.
• New York Botanical Garden: New York Botanical Garden operates extensive curated gardens, exhibits, educational programs, and large public events. Its public-facing botanical and cultural programming is directly comparable, though at substantially greater scale.
• Wave Hill: Wave Hill is a public garden and cultural center offering horticulture, arts programming, education, and special events. Its integrated garden-and-programming model is closely aligned with the Cleveland Federation's visitor-experience model.
• Holden Forests & Gardens: Holden Forests & Gardens operates the nearby Cleveland Botanical Garden and Holden Arboretum, making it a direct local comparator in public garden operations, visitor education, conservation, and cultural programming.
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Missouri Botanical Garden is a nonprofit botanical destination with horticultural collections, education, conservation, festivals, and visitor amenities. It shares the Federation's blend of garden preservation, public education, and event-driven engagement.

Broad incumbents

• United States Botanic Garden: The United States Botanic Garden is a public institution focused on living plant collections, interpretation, education, and visitor experiences. It shares the Federation's garden-based educational mission while operating at greater institutional scale.
• Chicago Botanic Garden: Chicago Botanic Garden operates 27 gardens and extensive education, conservation, and visitor programs. It is broader and larger, but directly relevant for public-garden operations and monetized educational experiences.
• Cleveland Metroparks: Cleveland Metroparks operates a broad regional system of outdoor parks, education programs, and public events. Its portfolio is much wider, but it overlaps with the Federation's physical recreation, heritage, and community-engagement mission.

Regional players

• International Peace Garden: International Peace Garden is a nonprofit cross-border cultural and botanical attraction centered on peace, gardens, monuments, and visitor programming. It is highly comparable in mission and physical format, although it serves a different region.
• Balboa Park Conservancy: Balboa Park Conservancy supports a large cultural park containing gardens, museums, performance venues, and major public events. It is broader and regional, but comparable as a destination that combines outdoor space, cultural programming, and heritage assets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cleveland-cultural-gardens-federation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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