Leach Botanical Garden is at Risk

Leach Garden will be laying off staff, reducing hours, and working to raise $50K/month in order to remain open.

As you may know, Leach Botanical Garden is run by Leach Garden Friends,  a nonprofit that partners with Portland Parks and Recreation to manage the physical garden. This relationship has been in place since the 1980’s. Like all nonprofits right now, we are struggling to find the balance between increasing fees to offset inflationary costs and a mission to keep the garden accessible for everyone.

Over the past 20 years, our work has been subsidized by a sizable pass-thru from Portland Parks and Recreation.  The most recent subsidy ($350K/year) was part of a renewing set of agreements that expired on June 30, 2025. We expected to have an opportunity to negotiate a new agreement at the end of the contract period. Portland parks choose not to renew that funding , but they did agree that we should continue operating the garden on their behalf.

Although we always hoped there was a way that a new contract would allow for new funding, we have been working for years to build the infrastructure through grants, individual contributions and earned income that would allow us to continue without the PPR subsidy. We’ve made progress; our grant income has gone up substantially, our individual contributions have increased significantly, we’ve added visitor services and more rentals to bolster earned income.

But even as we have worked hard to increase revenue on all the fronts available to us, it hasn’t been enough. Expenses have gone up faster than revenue, and the bottom line is we have a shortfall looming for this current fiscal year ending June 30. Our cash reserves have dropped low enough that we face closure by mid-March unless drastic cuts are made and new revenue is secured.

To address the shortfall we have had to layoff 50% of our staff, cut garden hours and days, reduce horticultural services to basic maintenance only, and reduce public programming by 90%. These cuts take effect on February 22, 2026.

The Garden needs additional funding of $50K/month to avoid additional service and staffing cuts. Leach Garden Friends Board and staff are actively seeking donations, renewed city support, and corporate sponsorships to restore services and keep this beloved community resource accessible and thriving.

At the same time that we are trying raise funds within the community, we are working with the city to try to restore ongoing operational funding ($450K) for the next fiscal year that begins July 1, 2026.  But we still need to to raise $50K/month over the next 5 months to keep the gates open through June 30.

 How the Community Can Help:

• DONATE NOW to keep the Garden open. All support is welcome. 
• Become a monthly donor to support the Garden into the future.
• Visit the Garden this month and bring your community.
• Share this information on your social media. 

More from our Executive Director and Board Members:

Interim Executive Director Eric Vines says, “The board and staff worked hard at the end of last year to increase individual donations, additional visitation, and new memberships, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap caused by the loss of $350K in city funding. At this point, our checking account is nearly empty, and we’re forced to make painful decisions simply to stay open.”

"Leach Botanical Garden remains committed to providing an outstanding experience for our community," said Board President Bob Hyland. "This historic treasure continues to serve as a vital green space for Portland residents, particularly our underserved neighbors who rely on accessible public gardens. The financial reality is we can’t keep offering the same level of service and programming with 27% less income."

A Critical Community Resource at Risk

Last year, Leach Botanical Garden welcomed more than 36,000 visitors, offering free and low-cost access to nature, conservation education, and cultural programming in East Portland,  an area with limited access to public green space,  a natural respite in an increasingly urbanized area. 

For many East Portland families, the Garden serves as a key connection to nature, family-friendly events, and environmental learning for free or low cost. 

Leach Garden Friends Board and staff are continuing to seek donations, government support  and corporate sponsorships to maintain services and keep this beloved community resource accessible and thriving without losing decades of botanical stewardship, programming, and community partnerships built by Leach Garden Friends.

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