Your support for the Friends of the Rutgers Gardens fund helps preserve and maintain the gardens in ecologically sound ways and benefits the Horticulture and Landscape Management student internships.
Support
Rutgers Gardens welcomes contributions to support our work planting trees, shrubs, and perennials with ecological benefits; maintaining our cultivated gardens and natural areas; supporting campus and community food security; and providing educational opportunities to Rutgers students through the Summer Internship Program.
Become a Member
Rutgers Gardens members form a special community of supporters who are passionate about the plant collections, display gardens, natural areas, and unique features found within these 180 acres.
Giving Opportunities
We invite you to explore our gift funds so you can choose the impact you wish to make with your donation to Rutgers Gardens.
Gifts to the Rutgers Gardens Student Farm fund provide experiential learning opportunities for student interns participating in the full seed-to-market experience in small-scale organic farming.
When you donate to the Helyar Woods and Natural Areas Support Fund, you’re supporting conservation and management of the natural areas at Rutgers Gardens, including Helyar Woods, a key experiential learning site for Rutgers students
Other Ways to Make an Impact
Gifts of all sizes play a critical role in supporting Rutgers Gardens. You can make an impact through current cash gifts, deferred or planned gifts, gifts of stock or securities, and noncash gifts. The Rutgers University Foundation is a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organization. Gifts made to support Rutgers Gardens are deductible for federal income, gift, and estate tax purposes. For more information, contact Senior Director of Development Gabrielle Peterson at g.peterson@rutgers.edu.
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Many companies and foundations sponsor matching gift programs for their employees’ philanthropic interests. These companies may be willing to double or even triple the value of charitable gifts made by employees or their spouses. In these instances, you will be recognized for the full amount of your gift, plus any employer match.
To find out if your company has a matching gift policy, please search the Foundation's matching gifts database.
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Rutgers employees can make charitable contributions to the university by payroll deduction. For more information and to access the Rutgers Payroll Deduction form, please visit the Rutgers Foundation webpage.
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Sponsor a Tree
Sponsor an existing tree to honor a loved one or commemorate a special occasion and help support the continued care of these ecologically and educationally vital plants with your gift. Select a specimen from a list of established trees already thriving at Rutgers Gardens by inquiring with Moira Keihm at moira.keihm@rutgers.edu.
Trees may be sponsored by one donor at a time for a period of five (5) years. Sponsorship opportunities begin at $500, with higher contributions requested for larger and more mature trees in the collection.
Each sponsorship includes a staked commemorative plaque installed at the base of the tree by a Rutgers Gardens staff member. The plaque will feature the common and scientific names of the tree, the tribute's name, and can include up to four additional lines of text, with space constraints in mind. You may visit the tree any time during our seasonal operating hours.
Donors can opt to have their sponsored tree and a short tribute to their loved one featured in our monthly e-newsletter, Friends of Rutgers Gardens.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can a new tree be planted with my donation?
- Due to limited space and maintenance considerations, Rutgers Gardens cannot accommodate new memorial or tribute tree plantings. Please consider sponsoring one of the many unique and beautiful plants that are already part of the landscape at Rutgers Gardens.
- If a tree is sponsored, can a dedication ceremony be arranged?
- You are welcome to visit a sponsored tree during our seasonal operating hours, but Rutgers Gardens is unable to host group ceremonies at the tree. If you would like to host a gathering or ceremony at Rutgers Gardens, please visit our Event Venue Rentals page to explore options to rent the Log Cabin or Alumni Pavilion at Rutgers Gardens.
- What happens if the tree declines in health during the sponsorship period?
- Trees have natural life cycles and can be affected by things like weather events, invasive species, pests, and diseases beyond the horticulture team's control. Should a sponsored tree become sick or reach its end-of-life stage during a five-year sponsorship period, Rutgers Gardens staff will work with you to identify a replacement tree.
Special Tributes
We welcome your thoughts for other ways you'd like to establish a special tribute at Rutgers Gardens. Please contact Moira Keihm with your request at moira.keihm@rutgers.edu.
- Can a new tree be planted with my donation?