PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Leach Botanical Garden in Southeast Portland is cutting half of its staff and a chunk of operational hours as it faces a $450,000 budget shortfall.
The cuts follow Portland Parks & Recreation’s decision to not renew its agreement with Leach Garden Friends, the nonprofit which operates the historic garden. That decision resulted in a loss of $350,000, roughly 27% of the garden’s annual revenue, according to the nonprofit.
Portland Parks & Recreation spokesperson Mark Ross said the agreement, established in 2022 between the city of Portland, Portland Parks & Recreation, and Leach Garden Friends, aimed to establish a long-term operating model for the garden and phase out funding.
“Under this framework, LGF assumed responsibility for day-to-day operations and was authorized to generate and retain earned revenue, while the City provided defined, time-limited transition support approved by Council,” Ross said. “The Agreement was designed to gradually shift the Garden toward financial independence and away from ongoing City operating passthroughs, consistent with Council direction and the structure of the license.”
Leach Botanical Garden in Southeast Portland faces a $450,000 shortfall, forcing it to cut staff and hours. (Jennifer Singh/KATU)
According to Leach Garden Friends Interim Executive Director Eric Vines, they were aware funding was going to be phased out but were hoping for a new contract with some continued funding.
Garden staff and board members tried to make up for lost income with new incentives and events, but Vines said it was not enough to make up for the loss.
“Plus, our expenses went up,” Vines said. “Some of the utilities that the city had previously paid for, we took on salaries and wages. Those costs have been going up for everybody everywhere, and so the increases that we made in our own revenues basically broke even in terms of all the increased expenses with inflation.”
He added that Portland City Council granted Leach Garden Friends a one-time $100,000 grant, which helped the garden get through January’s payroll, “but we’re still facing a cash crunch because we used up most of our reserves in the fall trying to get through this.”
The garden now needs to raise $50,000 a month for the next five months to remain operational on top of the layoffs and other cutbacks, according to Vines.
“I think layoffs are pretty inevitable at this point,” Vines said. “We would have to raise $450,000 before the end of the year to not have layoffs, and that’s an awfully big lift for this small community to do that quickly.”
According to Leach Garden Friends, it is expecting to lay off 11 staff members and reduce hours for remaining staff beginning Feb. 22 and will reduce garden hours to Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., starting Feb. 26.
Additionally, public programming will be reduced by 90% and horticulture services will be cut back to basic maintenance only.
Vines said the hope is to work with the city to restore funding, telling KATU the garden is a strong investment for the city.
“We feel like it’s a significant amount of money that we’re asking for, but it also is a pretty good deal in the sense that Leach Garden Friends is raising between $800,000 to $900,000 a year investing into this space, and the city has been contributing $350,000,” Vines said. “That’s a 2 to 1, 2.5 to 1 match that we’re basically bringing as an investment, and you know, if we weren’t doing that, then that would be lost.”
He also said the garden is a positive investment for local community members.
“[Leach Garden Friends] is a group that’s really worked hard to try and make it a true botanical experience for people,” Vines said. “There are over 2,000 plants, there’s Douglas fir trees that are growing that are, you know, quite old, and it feels like a refuge in the city.”
“We are committed to working collaboratively with City Council and Leach Garden Friends to explore viable, policy-aligned solutions that preserve the Garden and its benefits for the community, consistent with Council direction and available resources,” Ross told KATU.
Currently, the nonprofit is ramping up the use of volunteers to help and supplement the reduced work and other community groups are also stepping up to help, according to Vines.
The garden is accepting donations through its website.
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