Friends of Mounts Botanical Garden Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
592418059
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
West Palm Beach, FL, USA
Phone
5612331757
Rating
71
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Single Organization Support

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,266,452
Expenses
$2,229,153
Assets
$1,232,568
Liabilities
$379,412

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

15 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SCOTT SCOVILL (PRESIDENT)
  • JOSEPH SINGER (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • JAMES MAY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • JAMES MAY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $189,239 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Mission: to inspire and educate through nature.vision: we envision our public garden as a nationally acclaimed attraction for residents and visitors alike. Its cultural, social and educational activities will draw attendees to enjoy, appreciate and learn from this oasis of tranquil beauty.

What it reported doing in 2024

Mbg's seasonal plant sale festivals and major exhibits continue to be the garden's most popular events, attracting more than 11,000 attendees throughout the year. Held in february, april, september, and november, the four seasonal plant sales feature top growers from throughout Florida displaying and selling a wide variety of ornamentals, orchids, succulents, cactus, bonsai, butterfly/native plants, shrubs, fruit trees, herbs, garden accessories, baskets, fine crafts, and more. In addition, speakers and authors who are experts in their respective fields conduct fun and informative presentations on gardening and horticulture. The festivals also feature live music, food vendors, arts and crafts, and lawn games.mbg expanded its offering events, including a successful summerfest family fun weekend that drew more than 1,000 visitors, and its 1st orchid symposium in partnership with the orchid society of the palm beaches drew a sell-out of 150 attendees.to complement its lush tropical landscape, mbg houses a number of permanent exhibits and collections. The 'moai at mounts botanical garden' exhibit reconnects visitors to the ancient rapa nui culture of easter island, and the story of preserving and protecting our environment and resources, including our potable water, ocean and sea life, forests, native wildlife, and fertile farmlands. Mbg also houses an eclectic art collection of sculptures prominently displayed throughout the garden.mbg provides visitors the opportunity to experience featured exhibits. From nov. 20, 2024 - may 26, 2025, mbg showcased ribbit the exhibit ii by artist andy cobb, featuring a collection of 18 larger-than-life whimsical frog sculptures throughout the garden. The exhibit served as the backdrop for the garden's 'leap into a year of nature, art & science' programming, drawing 33,000 visitors to the garden.mbg's popular monthly dogs' days in the garden drew 2,300 attendees to the garden, and mbg's palm beach county residents days, offering free for residents attracted over 1,600 attendees.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 61
  • Transparency & Controls: 70
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 33
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 63.1%; rating input score 63
  • Program expense ratio: 63.5%; rating input score 64
  • Fundraising efficiency: $10.84 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 1.6%; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.55; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.31; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 8.5%; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 10.5% per year; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.3% per year; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 63.1% of revenue deployed · 63.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 10 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $1.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $189K · 15 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 40/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 40/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 20/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: CEO compensation review process not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 33/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 35/100.