About Native Plant Trust
Mission: Conserving and promoting New England’s native plants to ensure healthy, biologically diverse landscapes.
Native Plant Trust is the nation’s first plant conservation organization and the only one solely focused on New England’s native plants. The organization saves native plants in the wild, grows them for gardens and restorations, and educates others on their value and use. Native Plant Trust operates Garden in the Woods, a renowned native plant botanic garden that attracts visitors from all over the world, and Nasami Farm nursery, which grows native plants without pesticides from sustainably sourced seeds. Six unstaffed sanctuaries in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont are open to the public; a seventh, in Maine, is the site of a long-term research project on a rare orchid.
Native Plant Trust accomplishes its mission with 32 year-round staff, seasonal interns (7), retail staff (15), and several hundred volunteers who monitor rare plant populations, conduct surveys, collect seeds, propagate plants, and serve as garden guides and work crews. With the exception of a senior research botanist based in Maine, the year-round staff are in three primary locations:
- Headquarters (16): administration, philanthropy, and conservation are moving in October to rented office space near Garden in the Woods
- Garden in the Woods (8): horticulture, public programs, retail manager
- Nasami Farm (7): nursery, rare plant seed technician, writer-editor
Native Plant Trust operates with a budget of $4.5 million funded primarily by philanthropy (including membership) and nearly $1.5 million in plant sales. Additional revenue streams for the organization include investment returns on an $8 million endowment, garden admissions, course fees, and contracts.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Native Plant Trust seeks a dynamic leader and accomplished fundraiser as its next Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”). As the organization approaches its 125th anniversary, the talented staff and energized board are eager to realize an ambitious vision focused on the twin environmental crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.
This context offers the new CEO an exciting opportunity to lead a successful, well-run organization through a period of strategic direction setting, growth and impact. To meet the needs of the future, the next CEO will need to substantially build funding to invest in staff development and hiring, technology, and facilities.
The Board of Trustees is committed to ambitious growth and to preparing for a comprehensive campaign that will include funding for such projects as:
- Revamping Go Botany: an invaluable resource used by nearly 100,000 people a month. The program is a decade old and in need of both content and technical revision.
- Continuing the investment in staff salaries and benefits while strategically adding positions.
- Supporting core programs, such as the Plant Conservation Volunteers, nursery, and Northeast Seed Network.
- Building the endowment and endowing key positions.
The Board and retiring Executive Director have built a strong foundation for the new CEO including:
- Approving the creation of two new senior positions to support the CEO: a Director of Finance and Operations to handle the day-to-day financial and contracting responsibilities currently done by the Executive Director and to oversee staff and consultants; and a Director of Communications to provide strategic guidance, take over management of staff and consultants, and prepare for the 125th anniversary and eventual fundraising campaign.
- Ensuring that core systems—from accounting to HR to a new phone system--are solid and will not need immediate attention. Resources for the new CEO include the 15-year vision, an initial draft of a 5-year strategic plan, and an 18-month communications plan to help guide the transition and the hiring and budgeting for a new Director of Communications.
With the 125th anniversary approaching in 2025, the new CEO has the opportunity to take the helm and position Native Plant Trust for the future. The next leader will also be tasked with completing the rebranding interrupted by the pandemic (the organization changed its name in April 2019 from New England Wild Flower Society).