DELAWARE CENTER FOR HORTICULTURE INC
The Power of Plants and People
Mission
The Delaware Center for Horticulture inspires individuals and communities through the power of plants.
Ruling year
1980
Executive Director
Mr. Vikram Krishnamurthy
Main address
1810 North Dupont St
Wilmington, DE 19806 USA
Formerly known as
Wilmington Garden Center
EIN
51-0252857
NTEE code
Environmental Beautification (C50)
Garden Club, Horticultural Programs (C42)
Employment Training (J22)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
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Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The work of DCH strengthens the social fabric and builds more livable towns and cities by enhancing the environmental, economic, and aesthetic qualities of our cities and state. Working together, we create neighborhoods that are healthier, more attractive, and more ecologically sustainable. Because much of our work occurs in low income neighborhoods with higher rates of disease, environmental contamination, and poor access to healthy foods, our educational efforts also emphasize the personal health and sustainability benefits of gardening.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
DCH Membership Program
We are a membership organization that provides support for community gardeners throughout the city; beautifies Delaware's roadsides with native vegetation; maintains many of Wilmington's gateways, corridors, and streetscapes; leads regional conservation stewardship projects to enhance the urban forest in public green spaces; and provides educational programs for children, teens, and adults. Our programs serve thousands of people every year both within the City of Wilmington and its immediate surroundings.
Public Landscape Beautification
We work with local community groups, municipalities, corporations and volunteers to design, plant, and care for approximately 60 public landscapes - highly visible gateway, traffic medians and traffic islands.
Community Forestry
Tree planting, care, and citizen stewardship programs for city street trees, park trees, community/neighborhood trees, and private tree care consultation
Urban Agriculture
DCH has worked to initiate, support, and sustain community gardens since our founding. We also founded Wilmington's first urban farm as a larger-scale operation for production and community-based food access.
Greening Education and Outreach
We offer a variety of gardening education programs for children, youth, and adults, including workshops, lectures, trips and tours.
Branches to Chances: A Return to Work Program
DCH runs a horticultural job skills training program for ex-offenders, which offers job placement, life skills training, and in the coming years new program tracks for formal education and small business/entrepreneurship.
Where we work
External reviews
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of clients placed in internships
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Branches to Chances: A Return to Work Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
DCH summer intern works on our grounds and public landscapes along with a Public Allies intern. The Branches to Chances Program places 8 individuals each year in an internship position.
Number of job skills training courses/workshops conducted
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Branches to Chances: A Return to Work Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Horticulture classes, life skills training, and financial literacy are part of these courses.
Number of rallies/events/conferences/lectures held to further mission
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Greening Education and Outreach
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Lectures, conferences, garden visits and fund raising events to engage our constituents in multiple ways to convey our mission
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Volunteers work throughout the organization on programs, events, and administration.
Number of corporate volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Corporate groups help with large scale volunteer projects like tree plantings, landscape clean up and plants, or special events.
Number of people on the organization's email list
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Social media has helped us increase our email list each year.
Total number of volunteer hours contributed to the organization
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
DCH was founded by volunteers in 1977. Volunteers help in all aspects of our organization to help us deliver our mission.
Total number of organization members
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
DCH Membership Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Our member program has individuals, students, seniors, household, sustaining and business or non-profit members.
Number of species introduced to the area(s) managed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Public Landscape Beautification
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
We introduced native species into our public landscapes as well as our headquarters gardens.
Number of trees planted
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Community Forestry
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
In 2020 we've planted 135 trees. We continue to increase the tree canopy in Wilmington and other counties in Delaware.
Number of grants received
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Grants for programs, facilities and events.
Total dollars received in contributions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Donations to Annual Appeal, unrestricted, in-kind and memorial.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
DCH is the only nonprofit membership organization in Delaware that mobilizes and inspires community greening statewide in urban and suburban environments. By inspiring an appreciation for improving our environment through horticulture, education, and conservation, we have become a leader in improving and beautifying communities by harnessing the power of our members, volunteers, and staff to go out and make a difference. Our members come from Delaware and the surrounding region and bring with them a passion for plants only matched by that of our staff members. With more than 600 active and dedicated volunteers annually, we have a tremendous amount of community support, which allows us to accomplish the impossible.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Since 1977, the Delaware Center for Horticulture (DCH) has cultivated a greener community by bringing people and plants together. Our work includes creating and maintaining the first Urban Farm in the city of Wilmington, creating and supporting over 40 community gardens, beautifying public landscapes, planting and advising on the urban placement of trees, and hosting community events and educational programs, including our Branches to Chances Return to Work program.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We approach the problems we are working to solve through the variety of programs and approaches we employ. Our greening programs in local neighborhoods engage local leadership to develop and lead beautification projects, so we build local capacity to initiate and sustain our work. Our education programs reinforce greening outcomes by establishing a knowledge base for children and adults to understand and appreciate the value of our work. Our advancement efforts engage members, donors, and the public in joining and supporting this work, which has been identified as the primary reason people support our organization. Our professional staff make these things happen, and through contractual relationships, partnerships, program revenue and long-term endowment support, we are able to sustain these efforts financially.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We have had tremendous success in Wilmington and have created lasting relationships, landscapes and programs, which have been sustained over time - some at a maximum impact based on our staff capacity, some that have grown thanks to volunteer capacity, and others we have grown by adding our own staff capacity over time.
Next phases for the organization include taking what have been successful programs and initiatives in Wilmington and expanding beyond New Castle County, DE.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Constituent (client or resident, etc.) advisory committees,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve,
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners,
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback,
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
DELAWARE CENTER FOR HORTICULTURE INC
Board of directorsas of 2/25/2021
Mr. Harold (Hank) Davis
Susan Fisher
Wilmington Trust
Patricia Fitzharris
Food Safety Solutions, Inc.
Jeff Lank
M&T Bank
Robert Lyons
University of Delaware
Beth Wells
Wells Consultants
Ann Wick
DCH Volunteer
Harold Davis
DCH Volunteer
Paul Ignudo, Jr.
EDiS
Mary Patterson
DCH Volunteer
Marion du Pont
Garden Club of Wilmington
Sally DeWees
DCH Volunteer
Marybeth Johns
Delaware Federation of Garden Clubs
John Kerns
Kerns Brothers Tree Service (retired)
Sharon Loving
Longwood Gardens
Carrie Wiles
North Creek Nursery
Walter Matthews
U.S. Probation & Parole
Corey Heacock
Red Clay Consolidated School District
Sarah Willoughby
Greater Wilmington Visitors & Convention Bureau
William Kelly
Wilmington Trust
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
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