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Strategizing: How CSR Guided A Botanical Garden To Forge Effective Future Growth


Botanical Garden

charts a path to long-term viability through CSR’s strategic planning process.




"We are thankful for the way you 'got' our garden and how you've invested in helping [us] to succeed wildly!"

The Situation

  • The organization was in a search for a new executive director after the recent departure of a previous short-tenured director.

  • The board of directors is large and does not reflect the makeup of the community that the organization serves.

  • While the organization had been relatively successful in its capital campaign (raising approximately $8MM of a $10MM goal) the annual unrestricted giving was not at a level to sustain the organization

  • The organization’s business model was not sustainable, relying in recent years on one-time sources of revenue (e.g., COVID relief funds), a multi-year unrestricted pledge from a donor, and drawing from reserves to balance the budget

  • The lack of a secured premises and ability to charge for admissions limited revenue generation and the ability to grow memberships and events.

  • There was limited awareness of the organization within the community .


Go-forward Strategies

  • Strengthen staff and board capacity by implementing robust recruitment, onboarding, and professional development opportunities

  • Position the organization with the infrastructure for long-term financial stability

  • Revise the garden master plan for compatibility with financial objectives

  • Increase the visibility of the organization’s services and impact in the region, and diversify its audiences and customer base

  • Establish and implement, across the organization, all-encompassing policies and procedures

  • Develop a seasonally repeatable suite of events (e.g. fall festival, holiday lights show, welcoming spring) responsive to community needs, wants, and desires and which generate net positive revenue



At A Glance

Total Revenue Projection




 

"CSR helped us develop a transformational vision for the future of the organization, and was great at laying out a plan making that into a reality, with steps to how to make that happen."

- President, Board Chair


ABOUT CSR

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We help you implement what we recommend. Our compensation model is tied to organizational success.


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