The Horticultural Society of Middle Tennessee

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
620680351
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2010–2025
Forms available
Form 990-EZ 2025
Location
Nashville, TN, USA
Phone
6153536978
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Single Organization Support

Reported finances

Revenue
$106,729
Expenses
$130,205
Assets
$42,658
Liabilities
$0

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • DEBORAH PITTS (PRESIDENT)
  • LAURIE SEABURY (FIRST VICE PRESIDENT)
  • JENNIE BOWMAN (SECOND VICE PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • DEBORAH PITTS (PRESIDENT)
  • LAURIE SEABURY (FIRST VICE PRESIDENT)
  • JENNIE BOWMAN (SECOND VICE PRESIDENT)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To support the cheekwood Tennessee botanical gardens and fine arts center

What it reported doing in 2025

For the past 94 years, the horticultural society of middle Tennessee has been a vital resource for those promoting horticulture and beautification throughout the middle Tennessee region. Our founding principles endure: to act as a clearing house to coordinate the horticultural interests of the garden clubs, to collect and diffuse information on all topics relating to the culture and care of plants, to encourage the conservation of trees, native plants and birds, to promote widespread interest in the beautification and landscaping of public and private grounds, to foster civic improvements, and to stimulate cultural interests. Founded in 1931, the horticultural society of middle Tennessee, a volunteer, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization is one of three original founders of cheekwood estate & gardens and has maintained its offices there since 1960. Hsmt is comprised of over 40 garden clubs and approximately 1000 auxiliary and garden club members throughout the middle Tennessee area.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 96% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 62% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

STRONG - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Expenses are high relative to revenue and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 71
  • Transparency & Controls: 100
  • Sustainability: 27
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 76.1%; rating input score 76
  • Program expense ratio: 62.3%; rating input score 62

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -22%; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.33; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 0.2% per year; rating input score 100; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1.1% per year; rating input score 100; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.3% per year; rating input score 100; 54th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 76.1% of revenue deployed · 62.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment · $81K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 12 people listed
  • Consistency: 9 of 9 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2010 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • 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.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 6/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 28/100.