Desert Botanical Garden 2022 Annual Report

DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

Dale Chihuly, Fiori Boat, 2018 Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, installed 2021 © 2021 Chihuly Studio. All rights reserved.

OF RECOVERY A Year

2022 was a period of change for the Garden, as it transitioned away from the strict COVID protocols that defined 2021, and established a “new normal” in our daily operations.

With an internal motto of “health first, bottom line second,” the Garden presented a strong lineup of experiences for Garden members and guests in 2022. The Garden also reinstated nearly all of its conservation and research activities to pre-COVID levels, bringing back to life our “local to global” strategy for desert plant conservation. The Garden’s work included restoring habitats and plant populations in the mountain park system that rings our metro Phoenix area, as well as sending Garden research staff to the southern edge of the Sonoran Desert in Mexico and to the far reaches of the Namib Desert in southeastern Africa.

Our education programs returned more slowly, as teachers and administrators are still working to define the future in K-12 education throughout the Valley. The Garden’s own Desert Landscape School (DLS) went on hiatus in 2022, and our Horticulture staff used that pause to transition the DLS curriculum to a digital format online. The digital version of DLS won’t replace in-person learning — it will simply provide more options for our members and other learners across the world.

In spring 2022, the Garden announced a $15 million fundraising effort to complete the Hazel Hare Center for Plant Science (HHCPS), including a new state-of-the-art greenhouse, a headquarters building for horticulture staff and a large-scale (10,000 sq. ft.) desert plant nursery. A solar and shade canopy will expand over the HHCPS campus, providing shade over pathways and buildings that do not store plants. The canopy will hold solar panels that will power the campus, offsetting its entire energy need. By the end of 2022, more than $11 million in cash and pledges had been secured for these new facilities, and construction will start summer 2023.

An unexpected benefit of COVID was the need to create new ways of operating, and the pandemic pushed many of us out of our comfort zones with respect to technology. To keep staff and visitors safe, we created a cashless/touchless/paperless system for general admissions and special event tickets. And finally, we invested in new ticketing software that streamlines the process of becoming a member and purchasing admission passes for all.

As you can see in the financial statements in this report, the Garden operated profitably in 2022, providing funds to invest in the Garden’s mission in 2023 and the years to follow. Our success depends on you. On behalf of the entire Garden family, I would like to thank you for your generosity and enthusiasm in supporting the Garden’s mission.

With best wishes,

Ken Schutz

The Dr. William Huizingh Executive Director

Connecting

THE COMMUNITY TO THE GARDEN

2022 was a blockbuster year for the Garden, filled with enriching experiences for guests of all ages, epic art exhibits, community-based science projects and record-breaking attendance.

601K

visitors to Chihuly in the Desert

The year kicked off with the continuation of Chihuly in the Desert, a joint exhibition with Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West that featured the glass artwork of Dale Chihuly. The exhibit attracted more than 601,000 local and international visitors to the Garden who spent $22 million in metro Phoenix, according to an economic impact report.

It was a boost to Arizona’s tourism industry — a state that has been a go-to destination for visitors worldwide. The exhibit also served as an introduction of the Garden to new guests, many of whom became members.

Chihuly, Sol del Citrón

Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, installed

The exhibit was supported by a $1 million grant from the Arizona Office of Tourism.

Desert Botanical Garden’s mastery of showcasing compelling displays and stunning special exhibitions such as Chihuly in the Desert is critical to the continued recovery of Arizona’s travel industry. This multi-destination exhibition made this an obvious choice to support through our VAI grant program.” – Debbie Johnson, Director of the Arizona Office of Tourism

In the summer, the exhibit was awarded the 2022 Best Tourism Partnership Award from the state at its annual tourism conference. The award recognizes the best partnership between two or more organizations that shared resources to promote a common tourism experience and attracted domestic or international visitors.

Awarded the 2022 Best Tourism Partnership Award with

870K+

total visitors in 2022

And even as the Valley was sizzling with three-digit weather, visitors continued to find the Garden a compelling attraction with family-friendly events like Flashlight Nights and Sonoran Sippin’. In addition, the Garden launched its first ever urban Saguaro Census, a community science project, led by staff researchers, that helped locate saguaro cactus throughout metro Phoenix in May. The project also helped spotlight the Garden’s work in research and conservation.

But the best was yet to come.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West

Dale Chihuly, Blue Birch Reeds and Scorpion Tails (detail), 2021, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix © 2021 Chihuly Studio. All rights reserved.

All summer long, the Garden prepared to launch a fall schedule that celebrated the people, plants and culture of the Americas. Dubbed the Celebration of the Americas, the Garden offered new events, created a Plant Passport for guests of all ages to learn about the desert plants of the Americas and hosted a private Naturalization Ceremony on Veterans Day that welcomed 26 new U.S. citizens.

62,000 attended free with Community Days, Culture

Pass & Community and Audience Engagement Committee Challenge

In October, the Garden held its first Guelaguetza, an indigenous festival held every summer in Oaxaca, Mexico. The colorful event that celebrates the eight regions of Oaxaca and its indigenous communities with a parade of dances, mole sauce and art. The Garden partnered with Ricardo Santiago and his mother Elizabeth Hernández, who have hosted a similar event in the Valley. Elizabeth and Ricardo’s passion to host this event stems from sharing their traditions and culture with the community.

Plant Passports completed 7,500

Garden visitors also experienced a reimagined Día de Muertos in October, which returned after a two-year pause. The festival was curated by Ulrike Figueroa, a Mexican arts and culture consultant, and the beautiful Mega Community Altar was designed by Mexican artisan group Taller Ruiz López, led by Rufina Ruiz López.

200 handmade ceramic skulls

600 ft of papel picado

6,000 handmade paper marigolds

100+ handmade ceramic elements

Día de Muertos and its related offerings were the culmination of the Garden’s Celebration of the Americas programming. Through cultural experiences for guests of all ages, the Garden has cemented its footing as a premier destination among museum and arts venues in Phoenix.

50 visitors from all

states

32 visitors from countries

The altar included:

THE FUTURE OF PLANT SCIENCE Looking to

The Garden focused on raising funds in 2022 for Hazel Hare Center for Plant Science (HHCPS), which will advance its vision to become a global leader in desert plant conservation and the most sophisticated center in the Southwest for cactus and agave horticulture, conservation and research.

The Garden stands ready to finish the work that began when HHCPS opened in 2017. To date, more than $11 million has been raised thanks to 77 generous donors.

This transformational investment will position the Garden to drive sustainability for the health of our planet and the benefit of future generations” – Ken Schutz, The Dr. William Huizingh Executive Director

The completion of HHCPS represents a oncein-a-generation opportunity to influence the future of desert conservation and research.

The work made possible by the completion of HHCPS will enable the Garden to not only identify and study threats to our ecosystem but to also mitigate those threats and improve conditions for desert plant species. The capacity of these new facilities will accelerate the Garden’s efforts to cultivate and preserve flora from arid deserts in Arizona, North America and across the globe. Additionally, greater access to enhanced tools, technology and workspace will advance our comprehensive plant propagation program — the cornerstone of the Garden’s conservation work.

95,900 herbarium specimens

5,664 seed accessions

4,833 taxa 909 new accessions

519 rare and threatened plants

26 scientists

In 2022, $500,000 in grant funds was raised to support research and conservation. The Garden’s research and conservation team also had three field expeditions to Mexico, South Africa and Namibia and to five states across the U.S.

$11M+

total funding raised to date

Giving to the Garden today allows these exceptional plants and the Sonoran Desert to be here for generations into the future. We are proud to support this research leader and community treasure.”

Kathy and Chuck Munson

giving in 2022 $13M+ 91% increase

GIVING IN 2022 Your

Our sincere gratitude to the generous community members who gave to the Garden in 2022. Because of you, we will continue to grow into the future.

6,948 unique donors 46% Increase

$2M+ total corporation/ foundation/ government giving

$222K+ fall matching gift challenge

$617K+ annual fund donations

1,818 visitors became members

323 Garden memberships donated to community organizations

33,108 membership households

View our Honor Roll of Supporters at dbg.org/thankyou

More diverse talent joined the Garden staff.

42.2% of 2022 hires identified as Asian, Black/ AfricanAmerican, Indigenous, Latinx or two or more races.

INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY and ACCESSIBILITY

Our new hire workforce:

In 2022 the Garden continued to do the vital work of creating an inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible institution. The Garden still has much work to do, but we are happy to share our progress.

This year, “Your Voices” webinar series was created as a space to bring diverse perspectives about environmental, historical and cultural topics to the community. “Your Voices” amplified the voices of underrepresented groups and explicitly sought speakers from these communities to discuss Black agriculturalists and conservationists, Indigenous heritage and food sovereignty.

35% identified as Generation Z

40% identified as Millennials

12% identified as Generation X

13% identified as Baby Boomers

The Garden launched an employee volunteer program which incentivizes employees to volunteer at local community organizations, which included three volunteer days at Spaces of Opportunity with more than 100 volunteers.

The Garden continued to increase connections with diverse communities and public programming was created to highlight Juneteenth, Pride Month, Hispanic Heritage Month and Native American Heritage Month.

The Garden and 21 public gardens were selected to participate in the IDEA Center program through the American Public Garden Association. The program was created to teach and inspire inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility initiatives among the public gardens.

A DAZZLING display

The Garden’s horticulture department works year-round fervently to maintain and care for its living collection of 50,000 plants. The work includes beautifying the Garden’s five main trails and displaying the charm of desert plants from around the world. Here’s what was accomplished in 2022:

1,000 new emitters installed

500 new plants planted

240 tons of new decomposed granite for smoother paths

44 tons of green waste recycled

The Garden’s horticultural work was also on display through its landscape school. Visitors and members sought out the Garden’s expertise through its Desert Landscape School (DLS) program that offers homeowners, gardeners and other professionals an opportunity to learn from experts about all the aspects of desert landscaping. Courses are available in person and online, including complimentary resources to entice new students.

• 280 downloads for free landscaping and gardening videos and resources

• 175 DLS guidebooks sold

• 83 course certificates

50,000

plants in the collection

The horticulture team is also ready for the new Hazel Hare Center for Plant Science. Once completed, it will include new space for staff to excel in:

• Providing optimal environmental conditions for long term growth and success.

• Caring for more of the living collection with additional space for new acquisitions.

• Enhancing the Garden’s irrigation program with a workshop for repairing, designing and building.

• Engaging with the community through public horticulture experiences and hands-on learning.

Community support helps more than double saguaro observations in metro Phoenix.

The Garden's first-ever Saguaro Census recorded 8,497 saguaros in May 2022. The project involved the help of residents and volunteers to track and document the health of saguaros across the Phoenix metro area. The Garden enlisted the support of the community to help record urban saguaros through iNaturalist, a website that allows users to map and share observations of biodiversity across the world.

1,000 observations

8,497 saguaros recorded 300 participants

Participants made 1,000 saguaro observations that showed damages, which included rot, sun scorch, freeze and human damage. The work continues this year, as the Garden will visit Valley residents who volunteered their saguaros for plant research. The Saguaro Census is in collaboration with the Metro Phoenix EcoFlora and the Save Our Saguaros project, led by Girl Scout Gold Award recipient Ella Werre.

36th Annual DINNER ON THE DESERT

raised $450K

Dinner on the Desert (DOD) has been the Garden’s largest fundraising event bringing in more than $8 million in the last 13 years. The 2022 event led by chairs Russ and Mac Perlich was again the highlight of the season with more than 600 philanthropists and community leaders in attendance. A special thank you to all who attended this event. Because of donor support, the Garden was able to increase its missiondriven work in research, conservation and collections.

Through DOD’s generous donors, projects like plant collection trips and plant salvage projects are possible. Every dollar of this event, goes back to the Garden’s mission of saving desert plants.” – Mac Perlich, Event co-chair

The 2023 date for DOD is set for April 22, 2023. If you are interested in learning more, contact Lindsi Baldwin at dod@dbg.org.

“

Haute Media

2022 FUND THE FARM

Celebrating the 5th annual Fund the Farm in 2022, 400 guests gathered to raise necessary funds for the farmers at Spaces of Opportunity. Their event tickets and sponsorships provided essential support to Spaces and directly funds the farmers who care for and tend the land. Without donor support, Spaces and its numerous programs and events would not be possible.

Because of generous community support, Spaces of Opportunity was able to share its many programs and resources with more than 22,000 visitors in 2022. Twenty five farmers had active plots throughout the farm’s 19 acres and more than 23,000 volunteers gave their time and energy volunteering at the farm and many community events.

Donate to Spaces of Opportunity spacesofopportunity.org

22,000

visitors in 2022

“ We invite you to learn more about the crucial work happening in south Phoenix to turn a food desert into a food oasis. Each member of the community can make an impact by attending this event and learning more.”

Joette Schmidt 2023 Event chair

Haute Media

Haute Media

The 2022 event was led by chairs Joette Schmidt and Salvador A. Betts.

WITH US Growing

Children’s Education Programs

During 2022, the Garden connected with children 12 and younger to help expand their interest in the Sonoran Desert, its plants and the natural world. From storytime pop-ups to nature play and hands-on interactive experiences for the whole family, the Garden is a place for families to come together. The moment visitors walked into the Garden, they become a member of the Cactus Kids Club, leading the way for future cactus lovers.

32,927

people attended Cactus Clubhouse

27,693 guests engaged in pop-up experiences

175 Girl Scout badges completed

93 Teens in the Garden volunteers

Thank you to donors who provided more than $111,000 to support family and children’s programs at Desert Botanical Garden.

Adult Education Programs

In 2022 the Garden hosted 69 classes onsite and 22 classes at eight community locations that allowed learners to explore cooking, landscaping, art, photography, wellness and so much more.

More than 625 students gained new skills while exploring the beauty of the desert. The Garden debuted 24 new classes and worked with 11 new instructors.

Special programs in 2022 included a fourday clay sculpting workshop in conjunction with the Garden’s celebration of Día de Muertos. Internationally recognized Oaxacan artist Rufina Ruiz López shared her techniques for connecting with the earth and her ancestors, through the design and creation of an original clay sculpture.

Desert Sol programming attracted an average of 1,500 guests per day and it is included with general admission or membership to the Garden. The event series features health and wellness topics such as yoga, sound meditation, cooking demos, educational talks, world music and more.

classes offered 91

MAKING CONNECTIONSworldwide

The Garden continues to connect with people through its social media, digital marketing and media relations efforts worldwide.

46M social media impressions

291K+ followers across all social channels

27,000 new followers

108.2% increase from 2021

9.1M website page views

3,000+ media coverage in print, tv, radio and digital

Most liked post in 2022

SPOTLIGHTstories

Custom Lotería tablas unveiled, highlighting iconic items and places right from the Garden.

The Garden was featured on BBC’s “The Green Planet” hosted by Sir David Attenbourgh.

Meet Circe and Muon! Two new research canines added to Garden staff to look for rare and endangered plants.

Monarch Butterfly, listed as endangered in July 2022.

508 new volunteers 112

VOLUNTEERS Garden

total volunteers

Thank you to the 508 volunteers, who dedicated more than 38,000 service hours across the many tasks within the Garden in 2022. It was exciting to see docents return to the trails interacting with guests through Garden Tours and Discovery Guides and Carts.

To learn more about becoming a Garden volunteer visit dbg.org/support/volunteer

25 YEARS

4 volunteers achieved 25 years of service

10 YEARS

22 volunteers achieved 10 years of service

4 volunteers with over 5,000 lifetime hours

2 volunteers with over 6,000 lifetime hours

2 volunteers with over 7,000 lifetime hours

1 volunteer achieved more than 8,000 lifetime hours

ESTABLISHING ROOTS ACROSS the Valley

Spaces of Opportunity Community Initiative

Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation has invested more than $1 million in Spaces. We believe with the many nonprofit partners, community farmers and gardeners, and residents that steward Spaces, we are building something incredibly special that will continue to empower and enrich the lives of residents for many years to come.”

Lyndsey Waugh Executive Director, Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation

2022 was a memorable year at Spaces of Opportunity. They served 9,862 community members through the farmers market, wellness events and onsite classes. More than 1,700 community volunteers also supported the 14 active farmers working at Spaces. Thanks to Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, Spaces hired its new executive director Ryan Thayer who will lead all efforts at the farm.

To learn more about Spaces of Opportunity visit spacesofopportunity.org

The Garden received funding from the Gila River Indian Community to build a Healing Garden at Spaces of Opportunity and provide educational opportunities around the importance of plants. The Healing Garden provides a space for both pollinators and people. The Garden’s Great Milkweed Grow Out initiative worked with Unlimited Potential to plan and develop the garden, with a focus on native pollinator plants and plants with cultural significance. Community members participated in workdays building, planting and maintaining the garden. The garden is now welcoming visitors and we encourage you to explore it at Spaces of Opportunity.

550

plants planted

Great Milkweed Grow Out Community Initiative

FINANCIAL REPORT 2022

We are pleased to share with members, donors and friends the Garden’s financial statements for the fiscal year that ended September 30, 2022. As we transitioned to establishing our “new normal” in the FY2022, the Garden continued the use of timed admissions which enable us to manage the flow of guests in the Garden and the parking lot.

The Consolidated Statement of Activities shows total revenues for the year exceeded total expenditures by $14.3 million. This was driven by positive admission, membership, contribution and special event levels. Contribution revenue for the FY2022 includes an Employer Retention Tax Credit of $2.2 million, recorded as a conditional contribution. The Garden expects to receive payment in 2023 and has deemed this tax credit to be fully collectible.

Playing with Stars: Rotraut at Desert Botanical Garden has generated enthusiastic response from guests and continues until mid May 2023. The Garden’s expenditures continue to be managed with careful stewardship in mind, while at the same time seizing opportunities for growth and greater mission impact.

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

Assets

The Consolidated Statement of Financial Position shows the Garden’s fiscal position remains solid, with more than $67.7 million in total assets and approximately $5.7 million in total liabilities. Unrestricted cash and Board-designated cash, totaling $18.2 million, is sufficient for normal operations and to provide funds for repair and maintenance of major building systems as facilities age. The Garden Foundation manages endowment assets conservatively with an annual target of a 4.25 percent distribution from the Foundation to the Garden’s operating budget. The Garden’s total debt of $0.84 million represents only 1.24 percent of the total combined assets of the Garden and Foundation. The Garden’s financial health and success in achieving its mission during the recent pandemic would not be possible without your commitment, dedication and generosity. On behalf of the Board, staff and volunteers, we extend our gratitude for all that you do for the Garden.

Ken Schutz

Margie

Current Liabilities Current Portion of Long-term Debt $103,934 Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities $1,622,332 Deferred Revenue $3,022,905 Annuity Payment Liability $8,550 Total current liabilities $4,757,721 Long-term Debt, Less Current Portion $738,755 Deferred Revenue, Less Current Portion $157,393 Other Liabilities $51,553 Total Liabilities $5,705,422 Total Net Assets: $62,003,348 Total Liabilities and Net Assets: $67,708,770

Paul Mountain Treasurer

Desert Botanical Garden is committed to full transparency in financial stewardship. Our complete audited financial statements are posted on the website. There you will also find the annual IRS Form 990 filings for the Garden and Foundation. Please visit dbg.org to review these documents.

The Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities reports the results of Garden Operations excluding the effect of depreciation expense. Depreciation refers to the systematic allocation of the cost of long-lived assets, including buildings, furniture, fixtures and equipment, to the periods that benefit from their use. Recording depreciation has no effect on the liquidity or cash flow of the Garden. It reflects an estimate of the using up of the economic value of tangible assets. In the financial statements it reduces the Change in Net Assets (and, therefore, Total Net Assets) and the carrying basis of Property and Equipment.

Unlike for-profit firms, not-for-profit organizations generally do not provide for the addition or replacement of major long-lived assets out of operations. Historically such entities look to capital contributions for those improvements. Hence, the financial performance for not-for-profits is best evaluated by analyzing operating results excluding the effects of depreciation. Depreciation expense recognized in the Garden’s records for 2022 was $1.46 million.

The Dr. William Huizingh

Executive Director

Burke Chief Financial Officer

BOARD of

TRUSTEES

Officers

Amy Flood President

Harold C. Dorenbecher Vice President, President Elect

Trustees

Rebecca Ailes-Fine

Kate Baker

Salvador Avila Bretts

Jason Barlow

Scott Burdick

Amanda Burke, Ph.D.

Shelley Cohn

Barry K. Fingerhut

Ursula Gangadean

Christopher Gately

Diana Gregory

Martin Harvier

Lori A. Higuera

Barbara Hoffnagle

Mary Hovden

Thomas R. Jones

Jane Jozoff

Mark Landy

Jan Lewis

Bruce Macdonough

Rea Mayer

Tammy McLeod

Geri Mingura

Paul Morell

Kathy Munson

Adriana Murrietta

Linda Norquist, MBA

Linda “Mac” Perlich

Dan Perez Vice President

Laura A. Lo Bianco Secretary

Paul J. Mountain Treasurer

Robert S. Reder

Edgardo Rivera, MD, FACP

Rick Robinson

Sara Schaefer

Joette Schmidt

Melanie Stuckenberg

Ann Stanton

Kathleen Taddie

Lorena Van Assche

Jamey Wetmore

Trustees Emeriti

Oonagh Boppart

Lee Baumann Cohn

Cliff Douglas

Barton Faber

Martha Hunter Henderson

Carolyn Polson O’Malley

Donald R. Ottosen

Rosellen C. Papp

Carol Schilling

Nancy Swanson

THE BEAUTY OF THE DESERT AND CARE ABOUT IT. help

Desert Botanical Garden is here to

MISSIONOur

The Garden’s commitment to the community is to advance excellence in education, research, exhibition and conservation of desert plants of the world with emphasis on the Sonoran Desert. We will ensure that the Garden is always a compelling attraction that brings to life the many wonders of the desert.