The Garden Club of America
The Garden Club of America is a public charity based in New York, New York. It brings together garden clubs to cultivate connections among people, plants, and the environment, and supports educational programs, scholarships, and civic and conservation projects.
The Garden Club of America at a glance
In short: The Garden Club of America gave $180K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), top state New York. 73% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $180,000
- +5.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +7.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $12,000
- -1.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $65,702,198
- +7.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 73% first-time grantees (11 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (28% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Garden Club of America
- Contact
Mailing address: 14 East 60Th Street 3Rd Fl, New York, NY 10022
Phone: (212) 753-8287
Website: https://gcamerica.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
23 open opportunities from The Garden Club of America
Board of Associates Centennial Pollinator Fellowship Grant
The Garden Club of America
Amount
Approximately US $4,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
GCA Awards for Summer Environmental Studies Grant
The Garden Club of America
Amount
US $3,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
GCA Fellowship in Ecological Restoration Grant
The Garden Club of America
Amount
US $8,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Garden Club of America funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Little Garden Club of Rye ($40K). Together the top 10 received $130K.
Grant Size Distribution
60 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 60 grants of 60 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization is based in New York, New York. Its 2025 filing reports that grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states, with the largest listed state shares being New York (28%), Georgia (11%), Texas (11%), and Connecticut (11%). The website describes Partners for Plants projects on federal, state, local, and other significant public lands.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Garden Club of America open to new grantees?
73%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 15 grantees (73%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $60K (2019) to $180K (2025). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $180K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Little Garden Club of Rye Rye, NY | Approved Project | $40,000 |
| Trustees Garden Club Savannah, GA | Approved Project | $10,000 |
| The Tuckahoe Garden Club of Westhampton Richmond, VA | Approved Project | $10,000 |
| Founders Garden Club of Dallas Dallas, TX | Approved Project | $10,000 |
| The Garden Club of Houston Houston, TX | Approved Project | $10,000 |
| Millbrook Garden Club Salisbury, CT | Approved Project | $10,000 |
| Sand Hills Garden Club Augusta, GA | Approved Project | $10,000 |
| The French Broad River Garden Club Foundationn Asheville, NC | Approved Project | $10,000 |
| Garden Club of Aiken Aiken, SC | Approved Project | $10,000 |
| Hortulus Inc Greenwich, CT | Approved Project | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $65,702,198 | $7,369,737 | $5,497,289 | $180,000 | 15 | $3,871,126 |
| 2024 | $61,105,116 | $6,553,761 | $4,857,258 | $170,000 | 14 | $2,479,541 |
| 2023 | $56,440,415 | $4,640,301 | $4,428,844 | $110,000 | 9 | $1,643,415 |
| 2022 | $51,161,418 | $4,627,896 | $3,511,636 | $150,000 | 12 | $2,421,975 |
| 2021 | $60,320,258 | $6,532,564 | $3,084,356 | $142,500 | 10 | $3,265,290 |
| 2020 | $47,227,073 | $8,014,119 | $4,675,598 | $72,000 | 5 | $1,602,488 |
| 2019 | $44,448,529 | $7,582,993 | $5,085,777 | $60,000 | 4 | $222,922 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated purpose is to stimulate knowledge and love of gardening; share the benefits of association through educational meetings, conferences, correspondence, and publications; and restore, improve, and protect environmental quality through education and action in conservation and civic improvement.
Its programs include educational conferences and resources; scholarships and fellowships in areas such as botany, conservation, ecology, horticulture, and landscape design; and civic projects proposed by member clubs. The Common Ground Collaborative supports member clubs working with community groups on public land and programs. The Founders Fund supports member-club projects in conservation and civic improvement. Partners for Plants facilitates volunteer projects between member clubs and land managers on public lands.
The grantees’ own stated missions illustrate the kinds of organizations receiving support. Trustees’ Garden Club Inc. says its mission is to stimulate knowledge and love of gardening and restore and protect the environment through conservation and civic improvements. Hortulus Inc. describes its mission as promoting gardening and creative design and improving environmental quality through education, conservation, and civic improvement.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Garden Club of America reported 15 grants totaling $180,000. The median grant was $10,000; grants ranged from $10,000 to $40,000. The largest listed award was $40,000 to The Little Garden Club of Rye in Rye, New York, for an “approved project.” Other listed $10,000 grants included awards to Trustees Garden Club in Savannah, Georgia; Founders Garden Club of Dallas in Dallas, Texas; Hortulus Inc. in Greenwich, Connecticut; and The Garden Club of Houston in Houston, Texas. The filing lists the grant purposes as “approved project.”
The Founders Fund awards three grants annually to projects proposed by GCA member clubs: one $40,000 award and two $10,000 awards. The GCA membership votes for the recipients. The Common Ground Collaborative awards $10,000 per recipient to member-club projects developed with diverse community groups. Partners for Plants also facilitates club-led projects with land managers.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing are Marilyn Donahue, President; Janice Fergus, Treasurer; Polly Glotzbach, Recording Secretary; Celine Lillie, Corresponding Secretary; and Vice Presidents Abby Coffin, Margaret Costan, Lisa Gadsden, Mary Harman, Betsy Huffman, and Cayce McAlister.
The Garden Club of America is led by Marilyn Donahue, President since 2023 (on filings since 2019); 1 of 13 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Marilyn Donahue
President
Vice President → First Vice President, 2022
First Vice President → President, 2023
On filings since 2019
50 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Barnette
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2019
50 hrs/week
$150K (2019) → $209K (2025)
Mary Harman
Vice President
Recording Secretary → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2019
50 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Janice Fergus
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
35 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cayce McAlister
Vice President
On filings since 2024
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Celine Lillie
Corresponding Secretary
On filings since 2024
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Meyer
Vice President
On filings since 2024
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Gadsden
Vice President
On filings since 2024
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Costan
Vice President
On filings since 2024
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Abby Coffin
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Betsy Huffman
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cindy Willis
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Polly Glotzbach
Recording Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (29)
- Former: Debbie Oliver (2020–2024) — President
- Former: Delane Porter (2021–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Carrie Waterman (2022–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Donna Ganson (2022–2024) — Corresponding Secretary
- Former: Jane Moore (2022–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Gail O'Gorman (2023–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Julie Peet (2023–2024) — Recording Secretary
- Former: Kathy Keller (2023–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Martha Moore (2023–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Terry Stockman (2023–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Annette Serrurier (2021–2023) — Vice President
- Former: Barbara Shea (2021–2023) — Vice President
- Former: Cynthia Rubin (2021–2023) — Vice President
- Former: Marianne Bestler (2021–2023) — Vice President
- Former: Marianne Salas (2021–2023) — Recording Secretary
- Former: Dale Naylor (2021–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Debbie Edwards (2019–2021) — President
- Former: Julie Johnson (2019–2021) — Vice President
- Former: Linda Fraser (2019–2021) — Vice President
- Former: Sandra Thomas (2020–2021) — Vice President
- Former: Suzanne Perry (2020–2021) — Corresponding Secretary
- Former: Anne Ferrell (2019–2020) — Vice President
- Former: Cindy Hilson (2019–2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Fleur Rueckert (2019–2020) — Vice President
- Former: Elizabeth Brumbaugh (2020) — Zone Director
- Former: Dede Petri (2019) — President
- Former: Jessie Shelburne (2019) — Corresponding Secretary
- Former: Linda Holden (2019) — Vice President
- Former: Missy Jensen (2019) — Vice President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $209K, to Jennifer Barnette (Chief Operating Officer).
Frequently asked questions about The Garden Club of America
How much does The Garden Club of America give each year?
The Garden Club of America gave $180K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $170K across 14 grants.
What is The Garden Club of America's typical grant size?
The Garden Club of America's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,000, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Garden Club of America that year got $10K on average.
Where does The Garden Club of America give grants?
The Garden Club of America's top state is New York, with 28% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Georgia (11%) and Texas (11%).
Does The Garden Club of America give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on The Garden Club of America's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Approved Project" (15 grants).
Who are The Garden Club of America's largest grantees?
The Garden Club of America's largest 2025 grantees include The Little Garden Club of Rye ($40,000), Trustees Garden Club ($10,000) and The Tuckahoe Garden Club of Westhampton ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Garden Club of America?
The Garden Club of America reported $65.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.4M.
What does The Garden Club of America fund?
The organization’s stated purpose is to stimulate knowledge and love of gardening; share the benefits of association through educational meetings, conferences, correspondence, and publications; and restore, improve, and protect environmental quality through education and action in conservation and civic improvement. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Garden Club of America?
The Garden Club of America has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check gcamerica.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Garden Club of America's EIN?
The Garden Club of America's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-1626773. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 2, 2020)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Garden Club of America's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Garden Club of America funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 9, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-garden-club-of-america-morg_2c50c8633635419b8e48480316276a8e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_131626773_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Garden Club of America funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-garden-club-of-america-morg_2c50c8633635419b8e48480316276a8e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-09. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Garden Club of America's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
The Garden Club of America down — hundreds of funders to go?