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Nonprofit · EIN 36-1505770

MORTON ARBORETUM

Tax-exempt · LISLE, IL 60532

Financials

$45.1M$52.2M2023$57.8M$58.3M2024
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of MORTON ARBORETUM by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
December 31, 2024990$57,793,716$58,286,620-$492,904$367,601,821$57,379,664$310,222,157
December 31, 2023990$45,149,282$52,201,196-$7,051,914$354,910,949$57,374,055$297,536,894
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$19,759,730
of which government grants
$4,114,035
Membership dues
$6,447,434
Program service revenue
$10,584,870
Investment income
$17,359,675
Net rental income
$1,721,640
Net gain from sales of assets
$13,926,044
Net income from fundraising events
-$123,170
Net income from sales of inventory
$8,490,971
Other revenue
$10,089,441

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$1,465,749
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$3,338,873
Other salaries and wages
$19,542,752
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$28,091,465
Professional fundraising fees
$158,060
Legal fees
$92,970
Accounting fees
$923,779
Occupancy
$2,396,333
Travel
$502,310
Depreciation
$3,331,409
Program services (functional)
$48,114,237
Management and general (functional)
$6,188,994
Fundraising (functional)
$3,983,389

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$354,910,949
Total assets, end of year
$367,601,821
Total liabilities, end of year
$57,379,664
Net assets, end of year
$310,222,157
Land, buildings and equipment
$59,822,044
Publicly traded securities
$167,722,973
Net assets without donor restrictions
$272,151,087
Net assets with donor restrictions
$38,071,070
Gross unrelated business income
$382,847
Gross receipts
$164,624,205
Employees
561
Volunteers
1,157
Year formed
1922
State of legal domicile
IL

From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.

Officers, directors and key employees

As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024, highest compensation first.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
KOSKI JILLPRESIDENT AND CEO
Officer
40$565,997$65,544
DONNELLY GERARDSPECIAL ADVISOR
Key employee
30$234,998$54,068
LAVIRE ALICIAVP-MARKETING AND GUEST EXPERIENCE
Officer
40$242,459$40,557
SPIESS KATHLEENVP-DEVELOPMENT
Officer
40$247,048$31,715
BACHTELL KRISVP-COLLECTIONS AND HORTICULTURE
Officer
40$215,561$58,043
BAUTISTA PRESTON WONGVP-LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT
Officer
40$222,344$31,773
BAILEY NARISSAVP - PEOPLE AND CULTURE
Officer
40$199,264$38,608
FAWLEY JAMESVP-FINANCE AND CFO (THRU 4/2024)
Officer
40$209,326$10,529
WESTWOOD MEREDITHVP-SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION
Officer
40$199,010$16,144
REESE MICHAEL MVP- FINANCE (STARTING 9/2024)
Officer
40$170,423$35,792
NOLAN KELLYDIR-MAJOR GIFTS
Key employee
40$155,222$48,590
MIDGLEY MEGHANDIR-CENTER FOR TREE SCIENCE
Highest-paid employee
40$146,941$29,718
COSNER ANNA CDIR-GUEST REVENUE PROGRAMS
Key employee
40$157,731$18,700
DULCEAK RONALDDIR-FACILITIES
Highest-paid employee
40$137,274$37,446
GORTNER VINCENTDIR-GUEST EXPERIENCE AND SAFETY
Highest-paid employee
40$135,018$38,960
27 more people on this return
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
HIPP ANDREW LDIR-HERBARIUM AND SENIOR SCIENTIST
Highest-paid employee
40$136,813$36,241
RAVICHANDRAN SAI PDIR-INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Highest-paid employee
40$147,471$25,539
STOVALL-LEONARD DEREKCFO (7/2024-9/2024)
Officer
40$53,746$5,626
ROBERT J SCHILLERSTROMCHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
8$0$0
ANNA CAROLINE BALLVICE CHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
8$0$0
E JAMES DONDLINGERTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
8$0$0
JAMAL J SCOTTSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
8$0$0
KELLY POWERS BARIATRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
ROBERT A BARTLETT JRTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
PAT A BASUTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
WALTER W BECKY IITRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
BARBARA J BRADFORDTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
CHRISTOPHER B BURKETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
MARY L BURKETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
MICHAEL CAHILLTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
TRISHA L CONLEYTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
ROBERT L FEALYTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
ASHESH GOELTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
MARK C GOSSETTTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
TROY D HAMMONDTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
MATT HARRISTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
ANDREW O JOHNSONTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
ROBERT E KRESSTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
CHARLES P MCQUAIDTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
MILAN MRKSICHTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
CURTIS X REEDTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
STEPHEN C VAN ARSDELLTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 34 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
KOSKI JILLPRESIDENT AND CEO
Officer
40$501,766$58,441
DONNELLY GERARDSPECIAL ADVISOR
Key employee
30$440,286$77,555
FAWLEY JAMESVP-FINANCE AND CFO
Officer
40$270,816$54,690
BACHTELL KRISVP OF COLLECTIONS AND HORTICULTURE
Officer
40$206,336$64,672
SPIESS KATHLEENVP-DEVELOPMENT
Officer
40$237,472$30,799
PESKE NANCYDIR-HUMAN RESOURCES
Highest-paid employee
40$231,274$30,542
LAVIRE ALICIAVP-MARKETING AND GUEST EXPERIENCE
Officer
40$213,529$39,771
BAUTISTA PRESTON WONGVP-LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT
Officer
40$210,546$29,396
WESTWOOD MEREDITHVP-SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION
Officer
40$185,190$18,880
NOLAN KELLYDIR-MAJOR GIFTS
Highest-paid employee
40$148,756$47,458
CANNON CHARLESDIR-CENTER FOR TREE SCIENCE
Highest-paid employee
40$146,517$40,559
ROSS SUSANASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
Highest-paid employee
40$150,234$24,874
RAVICHANDRAN SAI PDIR-INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Highest-paid employee
40$149,175$19,829
ROBERT J SCHILLERSTROMCHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
8$0$0
ANNA CAROLINE BALLVICE CHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
8$0$0
E JAMES DONDLINGERTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
8$0$0
MARK C GOSSETTSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
8$0$0
ROBERT A BARTLETT JRTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
PAT A BASUTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
WALTER W BECKY IITRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
BARBARA J BRADFORDTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
CHRISTOPHER B BURKETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
MARY L BURKETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
MICHAEL CAHILLTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
TRISHA L CONLEYTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
ROBERT L FEALYTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
ASHESH GOELTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
TROY D HAMMONDTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
MATT HARRISTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
ANDREW O JOHNSONTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
ROBERT E KRESSTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
CHARLES P MCQUAIDTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
JAMAL J SCOTTTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0
STEPHEN C VAN ARSDELLTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8$0$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
4100 ILLINOIS ROUTE 53, LISLE, IL 60532-1288
In care of
% MORT
Principal officer (990 for 2024)
MICHAEL M REESE, 4100 ILLINOIS ROUTE 53, LISLE, IL 605321293
Signed the 990
MICHAEL M REESE, VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE
Phone
(630) 968-0074
Return prepared by
PLANTE & MORAN PLLC

Mission

TO COLLECT, STUDY, DISPLAY, AND CONSERVE TREES AND OTHER PLANTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO INSPIRE LEARNING, FOSTER ENJOYMENT, BENEFIT COMMUNITIES, ENCOURAGE ACTION, AND ENHANCE THE ENVIRONMENT.

990 for the year ended December 31, 2024

Program accomplishments

  • PLANTS AND COLLECTIONS: THE ARBORETUM GROWS AND DISPLAYS A RICH DIVERSITY OF TREES, SHRUBS, AND OTHER PLANTS THAT ARE EVALUATED FOR THEIR SUITABILITY FOR THE MIDWESTERN UNITED STATES. THESE LIVING COLLECTIONS INCLUDE 106,714 SPECIMENS REPRESENTING 4,067 DIFFERENT KINDS OF PLANTS. ARRANGED BY GEOGRAPHIC, TAXONOMIC, AND OTHER SPECIAL GROUPINGS, THE COLLECTIONS ARE ENHANCED BY RESTORED NATURAL AREAS OF NATIVE PLANTS AND ECOSYSTEMS. THE ARBORETUM'S WORK IN DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PLANTS RESULTS IN USEFUL AND ATTRACTIVE TREES AND SHRUBS THAT ARE INTRODUCED IN THE MARKETPLACE.
    Expenses $19,220,812
  • LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT: PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE RELEVANT TO PUBLIC NEEDS AND INTERESTS IN LEARNING ABOUT PLANTS AND NATURE IN WAYS THAT PROVIDE MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES AND IMPROVE THE WORLD. BASED IN THE THORNHILL EDUCATION CENTER, CLASSES AND OTHER OFFERINGS ON SITE, ONLINE, AND THROUGH OUTREACH PROGRAMS SERVE ADULTS, YOUTH AND FAMILY AUDIENCES, SCHOOLS, AND SCOUTS. ALSO AVAILABLE ARE TEACHER-TRAINING RESOURCES AND A COOPERATIVE BOTANY DEGREE PROGRAM WITH REGIONAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. THE STERLING MORTON LIBRARY, WITH 117,000 ITEMS, CONTAINS PUBLICATIONS ON BOTANY, HORTICULTURE, NATURAL HISTORY, AND ECOLOGY; BOTANICAL ARTWORKS; RARE BOOKS, PERIODICALS, AND CATALOGS; INFORMATION IS ALSO ACCESSIBLE ONLINE. THE PLANT CLINIC ANSWERS INQUIRIES ABOUT PLANT SELECTION AND CARE.
    Expenses $4,242,937 · revenue $1,227,139
  • SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION: THE CENTER FOR TREE SCIENCE GENERATES AND COMMUNICATES THE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND AND SUSTAIN TREES AND THEIR ECOSYSTEMS, IN ALL THEIR DIVERSITY, IN BUILT ENVIRONMENTS, NATURAL LANDSCAPES, AND LIVING COLLECTIONS. THE ARBORETUM HOUSES RESEARCH LABS AND A HERBARIUM WITH A COLLECTION OF 216,500 DRIED SPECIMENS FOR BOTANICAL RESEARCH. THROUGH THE GLOBAL TREE CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, THE ARBORETUM LEADS PARTNERSHIPS AND ASSISTS EFFORTS TO PREVENT TREE EXTINCTION AND SECURE THREATENED TREE SPECIES, WITH A FOCUS ON OAKS. THE CHICAGO REGION TREES INITIATIVE DEVELOPS STRATEGIES FOR URBAN TREE AND FOREST IMPROVEMENT, ADVOCATING FOR TREES IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE CHICAGO REGION AND THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. ARBNET, FACILITATED BY THE MORTON ARBORETUM, IS AN INTERACTIVE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY OF ARBORETA AND AN ARBORETUM ACCREDITATION PROGRAM THAT FOSTERS ADVANCEMENTS AMONG TREE-FOCUSED GARDENS.
    Expenses $8,654,692 · grants $1,465,749
  • VISITOR PROGRAMS: WELCOMED 1,156,732 VISITORS, MAINTAINING THE INSTITUTION AS ONE OF THE MOST VISITED PUBLIC GARDENS IN NORTH AMERICA. SERVED MEMBERSHIP OF 55,269 HOUSEHOLDS. OPEN EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR THE ARBORETUM FEATURES 16 MILES OF HIKING TRAILS AND 9 MILES OF PAVED ROADS FOR DRIVING, BICYCLING, OR GUIDED TRAM TOURS. SPECIALTY GARDENS INCLUDE THE GRAND GARDEN, 4-ACRE CHILDREN'S GARDEN, 1-ACRE MAZE GARDEN. THE VISITOR CENTER HOUSES INTERPRETIVE DISPLAYS, THE ARBORETUM STORE, AND THE GINGKO RESTAURANT. SPECIAL EVENTS AND THEMATIC EXHIBITIONS ARE OFFERED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. CONFERENCE AND BANQUET FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL.
    Expenses $15,995,796 · revenue $19,570,342

What it must file and when

IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

Tax yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025December 31, 2025May 15, 2026Not on file
2024December 31, 2024May 15, 2025990 on file
2023December 31, 2023May 15, 2024990 on file

IRS record

EIN
36-1505770
Tax-exempt status
501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
Foundation status
Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
Donations deductible (Pub 78)
Public charity, 50% deduction limit
Exempt since
1925
Accounting year ends
December
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Category (NTEE)
Environment (C410)
Assets (IRS master file)
$367,601,821
Income (IRS master file)
$164,624,205

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990December 2024$57,793,716$58,286,620$367,601,821XML
990-TDecember 2024–––IRS
990December 2023$45,149,282$52,201,196$354,910,949XML
990-TDecember 2023–––IRS
990December 2022$53,650,331$47,787,763$339,322,232IRS
990-TDecember 2022–––IRS
990December 2021–––IRS
990-TDecember 2021–––IRS
990December 2020–––IRS
990-TDecember 2020–––IRS
990December 2018–––IRS

990-N: the IRS publishes only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years appear here as 990.tax collects the monthly files. 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS.

Questions about MORTON ARBORETUM

What is the EIN of MORTON ARBORETUM?
The employer identification number (EIN) of MORTON ARBORETUM is 36-1505770.
Is MORTON ARBORETUM tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1925.
Are donations to MORTON ARBORETUM tax-deductible?
Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
Which annual return does MORTON ARBORETUM file?
Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
When is the next return of MORTON ARBORETUM due?
The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending December 31, 2025) is due May 15, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
When did MORTON ARBORETUM last file with the IRS?
The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2024.
Who is the principal officer of MORTON ARBORETUM?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 names MICHAEL M REESE.
Who are the officers and directors of MORTON ARBORETUM?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 lists 42 people; 18 received compensation from the organization, the highest $565,997 (KOSKI JILL, PRESIDENT AND CEO).
How much revenue does MORTON ARBORETUM have?
On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 it reported revenue of $57,793,716, expenses of $58,286,620 and total assets of $367,601,821 at year end.

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