Membership
American Public Gardens Association (APGA) connects our members with a community of 600 garden institutions and corporate members representing over 10,000 garden professionals.
Why Join the Association?
APGA connects and empowers our members by fostering a professional community providing networking and comprehensive professional development resources to keep our members informed about industry trends.
The association champions our individual, institutional, and corporate members by protecting public horticulture’s future through pioneering stewardship programs that safeguard plant collections, respond to threats posed by invasive species, and address the challenges of climate change and natural resource sustainability. Through our members, we create a unified voice to advance the role of public gardens.
Our vision is a world where public gardens are indispensable. Your garden – every garden – is an essential part of that vision. Joining the Association shows your commitment to strengthening the field of public horticulture and the community that our sector collectively represents.
Our mission is to Connect, Protect, and Champion public gardens, just like yours.
Professional Development for the entire staff and board through in-person and virtual programming
In-person and virtual networking opportunities to connect with peers, including unlimited access to 20+ discipline-focused Professional Communities
Signature programs that address crucial needs of members and their plant collections including Plant Collections Network, Tree Gene Conservation Partnership, Plant Heroes, Disaster Readiness Initiative, and Public Garden
Opportunity to participate in Collective Impact and Benchmarking surveys
Free job postings on APGA’s Career Center
Subscription to Public Garden magazine – up to 25 copies per issue
Subscription to the monthly e-newsletter
Member pricing for staff to the Annual Conference and Professional Development programs
Opportunities to present at conferences, symposia, webinars, or other programs
Unlimited access to the online Member Directory, Resource Library and Media Center
Free publicity from Go Public Gardens media campaign
Listing on the Association’s Garden Map
Affinity Program benefits avaliable as listed on the APGA Website
Dues Structure:
• Dues are calculated on the Total Annual Operating Budget (AOB) of the institution (excluding special one-time expenses or capital projects)
➢ AOB x .0011 = Annual Dues Amount
• Institutions with an AOB of $175,000 or less = $175 Annual Dues
• Max Dues Amount = $13,000 Annual Dues
For more information about becoming a member of the American Public Gardens Association, please contact Katie Brickner, Member Development Manager
Connect your staff with over 11,000 garden professionals across the country – online and in person – and join hundreds of your peer gardens on the Go Public Gardens Map.
Protect your garden through the Disaster Readiness Initiative, the Sentinel Plant Network, resources in the Library and Media Center, and more.
Champion your garden through Public Garden magazine, our Annual Awards, advocacy resources, the Plant Collections Network, and more.
APGA also provides public garden funding opportunities through applications to the Urban Agriculture Resilience Program, Tree Gene Conservation Partnership, graduate student fellowships, Garden Scholar awards, and more
Corporate membership with the American Public Gardens Association is a year-round acknowledgment of your company’s commitment to advancing both the public garden profession and the public garden industry. There are three ways to join the American Public Gardens Association as a corporate member:
Corporate Gold Membership: $2000 per year
This membership level supports all company staff members.
As a Corporate Gold Member, you receive:
❖ Free Member Email List, including main contacts at our 500+ member gardens (one- time use for email)
❖ Unlimited free job postings in the Association Career Center
❖ Exhibitor discount and priority location for the Annual Conference
❖ Your company listing and link on our website provider directory
❖ Subscription to the Association’s e-newsletters
❖ Your company featured in the Association’s e-newsletters (at least annually)
❖ Network & share ideas via 20+ Professional Communities
❖ Unlimited access to the online Member Directory
❖ Benchmarking Study results summary
❖ 20% off ads in Public Garden Magazine
❖ Subscription to Public Garden Magazine
❖ Member pricing for the Annual Conference and Professional Development programs
❖ Face-to-face time with members at events
❖ Unique opportunities to sponsor Professional Development programs or events
Corporate Plus Membership: $800 per year
This membership level provides member benefits for three members of your staff.
As a Corporate Plus Member, you will have the opportunity to market your business to member gardens through a variety of marketing opportunities created especially for Corporate Plus Members. By supporting the Association, you further your corporate commitment to public horticulture and the visitors that they serve. It’s easier than ever before to network and stay in touch with key decision-makers within the public garden community.
Corporate Plus Membership Details
As a Corporate Plus Member, you receive:
❖ Three complimentary job postings in the Association Career Center
❖ Your company listing and link on our website provider directory
❖ Subscription to the Association’s monthly e-newsletters
❖ Your company featured in the Association’s monthly e-newsletters (at least annually)
❖ Network & share ideas via Professional Communities
❖ Unlimited access to the online Member Directory
❖ Benchmarking Study results summary
❖ 15% off ads in Public Garden Magazine
❖ Subscription to Public Garden Magazine
❖ Member pricing for the Annual Conference and Professional Development programs
❖ Face-to-face time with members at events
❖ Unique opportunities to sponsor Professional Development programs or events
Corporate Associate Membership: $400 per year
This membership level is for a single individual.
As a Corporate Associate Member, you will have access to more than 500 public garden organizations and over 10,000 individual members who represent botanical gardens, arboreta, nature centers, display gardens, museums, zoos, and colleges & universities.
As a Corporate Associate Member, you receive:
❖ Your company listing and link on our website provider directory
❖ Network & share ideas via 20+ Professional Communities
❖ Unlimited access to the online Member Directory
❖ Benchmarking Study results summary
❖ 10% off ads in Public Garden Magazine
❖ Subscription to Public Garden Magazine
❖ Member pricing for the Annual Conference and Professional Development programs
❖ Subscription to the Association’s monthly e-newsletters
❖ Face-to-face time with members at events
❖ Unique opportunities to sponsor Professional Development programs or events
Connect and network through online Community forums allowing your company to directly engage with APGA members and introduce them to your company’s unique services. APGA features 21 discipline-focused professional communities, including arts and exhibitions, development and membership, and design and planning.
Garden-Friendly Providers is a great way to inform our members that APGA endorses your company and its services to public gardens and is included in your corporate membership.
Conference Registration and Discounts APGA’s Annual Conference is one of the premier annual events for public garden professionals and leaders. Participation provides opportunities for learning, networking, sales, and so much more. Members receive discounts on both conference registrations and exhibit booths.
For more information about becoming a member of the American Public Gardens Association, please contact Katie Brickner, Member Development Manager.
The Allied Membership Program welcomes non-garden, non-profit organizations to join the Association. APGA encourages nonprofit organizations that champion or work with public gardens to join to enhance the work of their organizations and staff members
Who Qualifies: Organizations must hold an IRS 501 (c)3 non-profit determination or equivalent non-US designation.
Organizations defined as public gardens, botanical gardens, arboretums, or parks do not qualify for this membership.
For more information about becoming a member of the American Public Gardens Association, please contact Katie Brickner, Member Development Manager.
• Professional Development for the entire staff that is included on the company’s roster through in-person and virtual programming.
• In-person and virtual networking opportunities to connect with peers, including unlimited access to 20+ discipline-focused Professional Communities
• Signature programs that address crucial needs of members and their plant collections, including Plant Collections Network, Tree Gene Conservation Partnership, Plant Heroes, Disaster Readiness
• Free job postings on APGA’s Career Center
• Subscription to Public Garden Magazine
• Subscription to the monthly e-newsletters
• Member registration pricing for the Annual Conference and Professional Development programs
• Opportunities to present at conferences, symposia, webinars, or other programs.
• Unlimited access to the online Member Directory, Resource Library and Media Center
Dues Structure:
Tiered Membership Dues Structure: (Based on Annual Operating Budget)
Annual Operating Budget Level – Dues Rate
$499,999 or less – $250
$500,000 to $999,999 – $500
$1 million to $4,999,999 – $1000
$5 million or more – $1,500
Individual membership with the American Public Gardens Association (APGA) allows people currently not affiliated with a member garden to engage in the public garden professional industry.
We offer three individual membership options.
Non-Affiliated Individual Membership: $50
To qualify for a Student Membership Current enrollment as a full- or part-time student in a compulsory or higher education system.
• Network with 10,000+ public garden professionals at nearly 600 gardens
• Digital Subscription to Public Garden
• Subscription to the monthly e-newsletter
• Member registration pricing for the Annual Conference and Professional Development programs
• Opportunities to attend and present at professional symposia, webinars, or programs.
• Unlimited access to 20+ discipline-focused Professional Communities
• Unlimited access to the online Member Directory
• Access to thousands of resources in the Library & Media Center
• Access to APGA’s Mentor/Mentee Forum
- Garden Benchmarking Study results in summary form
- Network with 10,000+ public garden professionals at more than 600 gardens
- Subscription to Public Garden magazine (Student receives only digital version)
- Subscription to the Association’s e-newsletters
- Member pricing for the Annual Conference and Professional Development programs
- Opportunities to present at Professional Development symposia, webinars, or programs
- Unlimited access to 21 discipline-focused Professional Communities
- Unlimited access to the online Member Directory
- Access to thousands of resources in the Library & Media Center
Please note: If you work at an organization that is an Institutional Member, you can access all included member benefits once you are added to your organization’s staff roster.
- If you work at a non-member garden, please encourage your garden to join as an Institutional Member.
- If you are selling products or services, you should join as a Corporate Member.
For more information about becoming a member of the American Public Gardens Association, please contact Katie Brickner, Member Development Manager.
