Opperational Support
In March of 2021, MBG reached an agreement with the City of Mobile such that the City now provides $150,000 in operational support annually. In July 2023 the Mobile County Commission increased operational support to MBG. The Gardens is set to receive $75,000 beginning in FY 2023-24. Financial operational support is conditioned on increased performance by the Gardens in 6 critical areas: revenue, attendance, fund raising, capital projects, volunteer participation and prudent financial management.
At the conclusion of our FY 2022-23 we reported the following:
- Revenue – our total revenue to date: $713,198.
- Attendance – our Admissions to date: $29,452.
- Fundraising – our contributions oto date: $95,397.
- Endowment – we raised and contributed $137,323 to the fund managed at the Community Foundation of South Alabama, achieving the match goal of $250,000.
- Capital Improvements – added $32,137:
- Wilhelm Tea Maze Trail and Baehr-Camp Bridge
- Four Little Free Library Units on grounds
- WinterGarden Deck and Bridge rebuilt
- Koi bridge rebuilt
- Cleyera Cathedral improvements, including outdoor ‘bridal suite’ and musician area
- Artful Garden Gift Shop improvements including new display units, area rugs, decor, new lighting
- Grounds equipment including tractor implements, power drills and pruners, golf cart upgrades
- Ex6 Tag Machine for plant labels
- Laptop Computer
- CLOVER POS unit for Gift shop along with four new terminals for support of plant sales
- Our membership continues to grow with more young families joining than in prior years. The income generated through membership to date this year is $85,140. For perspective, the 2019 year topped out at $55,000 in membership.
- Volunteers are our most valuable resource at MBG. Through weekly individual efforts (Earl Gochey on Grounds; Betty Graham and Nita Crandall in the office, Nancy Patterson with Friday lunch service, Marcus Rhodes with nature trails clearing, Veronica Culberson (Honey of the Hill Apiaries) with our bee hives, and Angela Fore with chicken flock care) and with strong groups such as the Greenhouse Volunteers and the Education Docents – we could not accomplish the good work at MBG without them. Our deepest appreciation to all who give of their time and talents in support of Mobile Botanical Gardens! We completed the 2022-23 year with volunteer hours of 5,634 with the most hours contributed through our greenhouse volunteers.
Endowment Fund for the Mobile Botanical Gardens
In 2021, the Mobile Botanical Gardens received a large gift from the Wayne Denson McRae Endowment Fund for educational and programming support. This seed money, managed by The Community Foundation of South Alabama, serves as the beginning of a larger fund to sustain the Gardens in perpetuity.
Match Challenge: The Wayne Denson McRae Endowment Fund for the Mobile Botanical Gardens
In addition to the initial gift of $500,000, a match challenge of $250,000 was extended from the McRae Foundation. MBG successfully fundraised $250,000 by August 2023 resulting in our fulfillment of a $1,000,000 endowment.
Contributions are encouraged to the Endowment fund or you may consider participating in a Naming Opportunity as a way to support a garden asset in addition to contributing to the endowment.
For more information on Naming Opportunities, please see the section below. If you would like to contribute strictly to the matching endowment fund, please use the link below and check the box to apply towards the endowment.
The Gardens gratefully acknowledges the following contributors to the match challenge for the Endowment Fund:
-A-
June and Roe Acree
Jane and Dale Adams
Cisco Aguilar, in Memory of Kitty Aguilar
Karen Alford
Brenda Allen
John Allen
Marion Andrews, in Memory of Ursel Norman and Genny Pollard; in Honor of Derek Norman
Tom Andrews
The Conrad and Gigi Armbrecht Fund, in Memory of Ursel Norman
Teresa Ashcraft
Norma Ashley
-B-
Jeanne Backes
John and Celia Mann Baehr, given in Honor of Robin Krchak
Elisa and Wes Baldwin
Mary Anne Ball
Jessica and Bill Barrick
Dale Batchelor
Susan D. and Travis M. Bedsole, Jr.
Kelly Beeker
Carol Bishop
Karen Blaylock
Norman Bolling
Brenda and Harold Bolton
Prudence Booker, in Memory of Ursel Norman and in Honor of Derek Norman
Judith Boswell, in Memory of Ursel Norman and in Honor of Derek Norman
Katherine Boyers
Holle and Donald Briskman
Kathy Bronstein
Donna Brown
Georgia Roussos Brown
Margaret and Milton Brown, in memory of Margaret and Dwain G. Luce
Shannon Brown, in Memory of Lonnie Brown
Sharon Brown
-C-
Donna and Joe Camp
Diane and Murray Cape
Sally and David Carrington
Josie Carter
Susan and William L. Case
Robin Chestnutt
Brenda Lee Clemans-Taylor
Stephen E. Clements
DeAnna Cobb, In memory of my dad and my maternal and paternal grandparents
Francisco Codina
Lynn E. Coleman
Julie and Kevin Conrey
Wanda Cook
Carolyn Courson
Nita Crandall
Martha Crenshaw
Lydia Criswell
Thomas Cunningham
Sally Czepiel
-D-
Suzanne and Michael Damrich
Anne and Michael B. Daniels
John Daugherty
Theresa Davidson
Lynne Davis
Blanche and Allen Dawe
Mary Ann and Teresa Ann Days
Kathy Deckbar
The Ann & A.F. Delchamps, Jr. Charitable Fund,
as recommended by Dr. and Mrs. Bernard H. Eichold, II
Valerie DePalma
Robbin Desporte
Mark DeWitt
Ann and Jack Di Palma
Candy and Charlie Dolan, in Memory of J.C. and Mary McCue
Lori Dorminey
Carolyn Doughty
Elizabeth and Hardy Downing
Barbara Drey
Mark Dunnam
Kathy and Doug Dunning
Tracey Duren
-E-
Betsy Eager
Joy B. Earp
Roosevelt Edwards
Elevator World
Mary Epps Ellingwood
Kris Enzor
Nicole and Fabien Eyal
Paul Ezelle
-F-
Cyle and Mary Ellen Ferguson
Jane Finley
Kelli Foley
Sandra Forbus
Mary and Vernon Fowlkes
Valerie and S. Floyd Fraser, Jr.
Robin and Michael Freeman
Dr. Laura Frost
-G-
Elizabeth M. and Vicki H. Gelineau
Hilda Gewin
Earl and Karen Gochey
Priscilla Gold-Darby
Billie F. and Russell Goodloe
Margaret Gordon
Betty and Mack Graham
Chuck Greer
Therese G. ‘Winkie’ Greer
Margaret Greer
Jeff Grill, in Honor of Sue Brannan Walker
-H-
Dale A. and Joseph Hair, Jr.
Allison and Trent Hall, given in Memory of Ryan Phillip Hall
Helen Hamill
Charlene Hanlon
Nancy Hanna
Lindsey and Patrick Hannahan
Foy and Woody Hannum
Beth Hardaway, in Memory of Ursel Norman and in Honor of Derek Norman
Kimberly Hargrove
Martha and Ben Harris
Candace Harsany, in Memory of Dr. John Harsany
Bob Haskins, Jr., in Memory of Terry Plauche’ and Lily Woolford
Birry Heagle
Sammy and Paul Helminger
Tallulah Q. Helmsing
Ricia Hendrick
Margaret Henken
Phyllis and Jay Henson
Joyce and Tom Hewitt
Sheri and Tom Hewitt
Patti and Steve Hicks
Michelle Hill
Carol and Craig Hoadley
Julie Hoagland
Suzanne and Norris Hoffman
Brenda and Robert Howard
Brenda and Michael Huddle
Carol and James Hunter
-I-
Bonney Irwin
Carolyn D. and Robert W. Israel
-J-
Charlie and Stella Jackson
Tim Jackson
Betty and David Jeffries
John W. Jeffries
Phyllis and Jeff Jeffery, in Memory of Carolyn Saunders
Jackie and James Jenkins
Jan Johnson
Michael O. Johnson
Rosemary Johnson
Michelle Jones
James R. Jones
Jacquelin M. Jones
-K-
Deborah Kassner
Theodore Kearley
Colleen Keleher
Loriel Kelly
Neil and Helen Kennedy
Shannon Kenny
Sherman Putman and Cheryle Kent
Diane C. Kilpatrick
Nicholas King
Wanda G. Kirkpatrick
Linda Kloter
Robin and Robert Krchak, in memory of Terry Plauche’
-L-
Mary Ann Lafleur
Laidlaw Foundation
Caroline S. Lamberth
Gloria and Alex Landi
Jain Ann Lane
Joyce and Barry Langley
Doris C. Lanham
Eloise and Keville Larson
Myra Lassere
Glinda Lathan
Kathy and Forrest Latta
Nick and Kim Lawkis
Leslie and Robert D. Lerner
Wendi and Andy Lightbourne
Sara Long
Pat Lytle
-M-
Carol and Pete Mackey
Nella and David MacRae
Julia Maitre
Barbara Malkove, in memory of Bernard Malkove
Bess Marks
Fran Marshall, in Memory of David Jernigan
Dianne Martin
John Mayronne & Associates, in Memory of Terry Plauché
Rebecca McClure
Joan McCracken
Arthur McCrory
Gretchen McDermott
Karen McGahagin, in Memory of Ursel Norman and in Honor of Derek Norman
Emily and Patrick McGough, in Memory of Jim McGough
Shirley A. McKinney
Earl McLaughlin
Katherine and Matthew McLean
Mr. & Mrs. William McLeod
Kitty and Michael Meshad
Larry S. Miller
Garry Mitchell
Randall and Marilyn Aromi Moody, in Memory of Dr. Eugene Aromi, Jr.
Julie and Howard Moore
Julie S. Moore in Honor of Howard Moore
Christina Morse
Joy Murphy
-N-
Catherine M. Neal
David Nelson
Erin Nelson
Florence Nelson
William T. Nicholas
Annette Nolan
Derek and Ursel Norman
Carol and Dave Norris
-O-
Kimi and Allen Oaks
Sherrin Puckett and Steven O’Dell
Margaret and John Olive
Joanne Ortmann
-P-
Marianna M. and Roy T. Parker
Amy Patterson
Nancy Patterson
Karen Peacock
Mary Elizabeth Perry
Joan and Douglas Peterson
Kimberley Peterson
Stephanie and Trey Pluscht
Beth Poates
Catherine Fowlkes Potter
Ethel M. Powell
Susan Powers
Amy Prendergast
-Q-
Marion Quina
Annette Quint
-R-
Mary Mullins-Redditt and Mark L. Redditt
Kerry Rehm, in Memory of Sandy Rehm
Olivia Reinhaus
Connie P. Reynolds
Mary and Charles B. Rodning, in memory of Selmer & Ida Rodning / Orville & Rosella Lipke
Laura and David Rogers
Melissa and John Roombos
Melissa M. Root
Amy B. Russell
Gudrun and Freeman Russell, Jr.
-S-
Andrew Saunders, Jr., given in Memory of “Mr. Roy” Law
Genie and Steve Schneider
Diane Sellers
Roger and Janice Setzler
Vera Lynn and Randy Sheets
Charles M. Shirk
Barley and Lewis Shreve
Shirley D. Silverman
Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Sindel
Maryella and Wayne Sirmon,
in honor of William Desak Sirmon
Steven Sisk
Mary Jane Sisson
Mary Hunter Slaton
Janice Small
James Small, In Honor of Janice Small
Karen Carr and Michael Smith
Jason Smith
Katherine Spadafora
Springhill Garden Club
Linda and Sam St. John
Kathleen and Frank St. Lawrence
Brenda Johnson Stanton
Debbie and Thornton Stephens
Nancy B. Stone
Judy and Rick Stout
Daniel Stover
Sharon and Christen Strang
Linda Stringer
Martha and Harry Surline
-T-
Marianne W. Terry
Nancy Thomas
Barbara and Tim Tillery
Deborah Tillman
Mary Townsley
Jane Trawick
-V-
Colleen Keleher and Maarten van der Giessen
-W-
Kathy Wadkins
Frederick E. Walch, IV, in Memory of Ashley Walch Emrich
Beth Walmsley
Matthew Walsh
Gregory Waselkov
Janet and Marshall Waters
Marilyn Way, given in Memory of David R. Way
Judy and Mark Weaver
Sheri N. Weber
Katherine and David Webster
Dr. and Mrs. Steve Weinstein
Jo Ann Wettlaufer
Erin Wheeler, given in Honor of Holle Briskman
Leslie Whiston
Barbie Whitaker
Sarah Whitfield
Lindy Kaiser Wiggins
Greer and David Wilhelm
Kim and Bob Willett
Elise Williams, given in Honor of Holle Briskman
Lynda Williams
Konrad Kressley and Catherine Windom
Nan Woddail-Smith
Melissa Wold, given in Honor of Nita Crandall
Mary Gale Woolford
Peggy W. Wright
Shelby W. Wright
-Y-
Betsy Yager
Dr. and Mrs. Charles F. Yeager
-Z-
Cynthia Zipperly
Kathy and Tommy Zoghby
Naming Opportunities at Mobile Botanical Gardens
Naming Opportunities are categorized as 1) Existing Garden Features, 2) Existing Garden Features to be upgraded or 3) New Garden Features. Please contact us if you are interested in a naming opportunity. Please email or call the office at 251.342.0555 for more information. Click the image below to view the full list of naming opportunities.
How Naming Opportunity Funds are applied
Example: Funding the Naming Opportunity of the Crepe Myrtle Alley for $25,000.
First, the funder can decide if they wish to make the contribution fully in one payment or divide the amount over two years (completing by June 2024).
10% of the asset naming cost will be set aside in our asset management restricted fund. In the case of our example, that amount is $2,500. These funds are only accessed for specific enhancements made to the named asset.
If the funder elects to divide the naming opportunity over two years, their initial contribution is $12,500. Of that initial amount, $2,500 is directed to the asset management restricted fund and the remainder ($10,000) goes directly to the endowment fund. In year 2 the funder makes the balance payment of $12,500 and the full amount applies to the endowment. Naming of the Crepe Myrtle Alley ultimately results in $22,500 added to our endowment and $2,500 added to our asset management restricted fund.
Mobile Botanical Gardens is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with public/private funding.