WEST MICHIGAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY INC DBA FREDERIK MEIJER GARDENS Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

WEST MICHIGAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY INC DBA FREDERIK MEIJER GARDENS

EIN 38-2394044 · Environment (C420)

What they do

to PROMOTE THE ENJOYMENT, UNDERSTANDING and APPRECIATION of GARDENS, SCULPTURE, THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT and THE ARTS. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITY is to ALLOW GUESTS to EXPERIENCE HORTICULTURE and THE ARTS.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $81.70 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2023The report may be old. Ask for a newer one.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders47 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

83.06%of revenue went to mission work81.7% of expenses · Program services

4.33%of revenue went to fundraising4.3% of expenses

$87.75spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

14.33%of revenue went to management and office costs14.1% of expenses

$12.71in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

29.7%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $686,242 for DAVID HOOKER (PRESIDENT/CEO THROUGH FEB 2023). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2023

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$32,827,742

Mission workProgram services$27,265,51483.06% of revenue81.7% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$4,705,66614.33% of revenue14.1% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$1,421,8574.33% of revenue4.3% of expenses

Total expenses$33,393,037101.72% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2023CurrentExpense mix: 81.7% mission · 14.1% management · 4.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.72% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 86.4% mission · 10.0% management · 3.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 116.10% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 89.0% mission · 7.9% management · 3.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 132.67% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 83.8% mission · 12.1% management · 4.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 91.57% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 87.1% mission · 9.3% management · 3.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.08% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 85.6% mission · 11.2% management · 3.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 91.00% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 85.7% mission · 10.5% management · 3.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 90.49% of revenue

2016Expense mix: 86.5% mission · 10.6% management · 3.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 14.11% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$38,055,994

Expenses$33,393,037

Annual surplus $4,662,957 Revenue was higher than expenses for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$27,265,514 · 81.7% of expenses

Management and office costs$4,705,666 · 14.1% of expenses

Fundraising$1,421,857 · 4.3% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$38,055,994

Expenses$33,393,037

Assets$424,536,178

Income$42,905,020

Contributions$11,313,875

Mission work (program services)$27,265,514

Fundraising$1,421,857

Grants given$22,774,329

Average grant$5,693,582

Management and general$4,705,666

Stocks and bonds$30,767,276

Accounting fees$60,889

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2023

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

DAVID HOOKERPRESIDENT/CEO THROUGH FEB 2023 · 40 hrs/week $686,242Base $676,450 · Other $9,792

CHARLES BURKEPRESIDENT/CEO EFFECTIVE FEB 2023 · 40 hrs/week $486,357Base $473,077 · Other $13,280

DAWN KIBBENEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CFO · 40 hrs/week $321,471Base $300,606 · Other $20,865

STEVE LAWARRESENIOR VP OF HORTICULTURE & FACILITIES · 40 hrs/week $213,329Base $193,230 · Other $20,099

SUZANNE RAMLJAKVP OF COLLECTIONS & CURATORIAL AFFAIRS · 40 hrs/week $182,020Base $166,456 · Other $15,564

PETE CRAWFORDVP OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES & TECH · 40 hrs/week $179,303Base $159,891 · Other $19,412

STACIE NIEDZWIECKIDIRECTOR OF CULINARY ARTS · 40 hrs/week $147,904Base $136,863 · Other $11,041

SARAH ZEVALKINKSENIOR DIRECTOR OF TALENT & CULTURE · 40 hrs/week $144,008Base $137,942 · Other $6,066

JULIA VAN FLEETVICE PRESIDENT OF ADVANCEMENT · 40 hrs/week $134,277Base $127,732 · Other $6,545

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (47)

DAVID HOOKERPRESIDENT/CEO THROUGH FEB 2023

CHARLES BURKEPRESIDENT/CEO EFFECTIVE FEB 2023

DAWN KIBBENEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CFO

STEVE LAWARRESENIOR VP OF HORTICULTURE & FACILITIES

SUZANNE RAMLJAKVP OF COLLECTIONS & CURATORIAL AFFAIRS

PETE CRAWFORDVP OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES & TECH

STACIE NIEDZWIECKIDIRECTOR OF CULINARY ARTS

SARAH ZEVALKINKSENIOR DIRECTOR OF TALENT & CULTURE

JULIA VAN FLEETVICE PRESIDENT OF ADVANCEMENT

MICHAEL TOTHDIRECTOR

PETER BALDWINDIRECTOR

PAUL GOULETDIRECTOR

SHANNON WILSONDIRECTOR

MARYLN WALTONDIRECTOR THROUGH MAY 24

MARY MCLOUGHLINDIRECTOR

MARK MOSSINGDIRECTOR THROUGH MAY 24

LINDA CHAMBERLAINSECRETARY

ROBERT WOLFORDDIRECTOR THROUGH MAY 24

RYAN PODVINDIRECTOR

WILLIAM PADNOSDIRECTOR

SUSAN VOGEL-VANDERSONDIRECTOR

THOMAS MERCHANTDIRECTOR

TIM LIANGVICE CHAIRPERSON

TODD HARVEYDIRECTOR THROUGH MAY 24

TREVOR WOLFEDIRECTOR

ALISON BLAIR MASTTREASURER

GUILLERMO CISNEROSDIRECTOR

AMY ASSENMACHERDIRECTOR

BETH SNYDERDIRECTOR STARTING JULY 24

BRAD DOANDIRECTOR

CANDACE MATTHEWSCHAIRPERSON

CAROL KENDRACOO EFFECTIVE JAN 2024

CHARYN HAINDIRECTOR THROUGH MAY 24

CHUCK CHRISTMASDIRECTOR

COLIN SEEGMILLERDIRECTOR

DAN PERSINGERDIRECTOR

DUANE SHIELDS DAVISDIRECTOR

KRISTINA MARTINEZ-PRECIOUSDIRECTOR THROUGH MAY 24

HANNA TUZZOLINODIRECTOR

HANNAH NALTNERDIRECTOR THROUGH MAY 24

JACKIE DEL RASODIRECTOR

JAMES PEACOCK IIIDIRECTOR

JEFF LAMBERTTREASUER THROUGH MAY 2024

JILL WALCOTTDIRECTOR

JOANNE PERKINSDIRECTOR

JOY FOSSELDIRECTOR

KEVIN JEAKLEDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1982
Location: 1000 E BELTLINE AVE NE, GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49525-5804
County: Kent
In care of: HEATHER ZAK
Primary officer: HEATHER ZAK, CFO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailhello@meijergardens.org Phone(616) 965-7497

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2023
Tax period began: October 1, 2023
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: DOEREN MAYHEW
NTEE classification: Environment (C420)
Grant-giving organization: Yes