Opportunity:
In 2023, Canopy led the strategic planning process for Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, one of the mid-Atlantic region’s best-regarded gardens. Following the pandemic and leadership changes, the Garden sought to reinvigorate its community engagement and align its existing master plan with a new strategic plan. Through the process, Canopy identified areas of commitment that directly address and amplify the Garden’s long-standing dedication to serving diverse communities, social responsibility, organizational sustainability, and environmental resiliency. Canopy delivered a final plan that honored the Garden’s history while positioning it to grow and evolve strategically over the next five years.
Project Highlights:
Blue Ribbon Panels
Canopy arranged two Blue Ribbon Panels with local and national subject matter experts. One panel, comprised of local experts in conservation science, parks and recreation, and community leadership, was hosted on-site and allowed panelists and participants to deeply engage on topics specific to the Richmond region. The other panel, comprised of national experts in organizational leadership and environmental education, gave participants new perspectives on the inner workings of highly functional and influential organizations.
Community Engagement
Canopy and the Garden welcomed a high level of internal and external community engagement throughout the process. Canopy hosted listening sessions with staff, volunteers, the Board of Directors, the Board of Associates, and Garden members. We jointly hosted a community engagement session attended by community leaders who routinely advise the Garden. Staff, volunteers, and the Board were routinely solicited for input and feedback. With over 500 touchpoints throughout the process, the Garden felt that the process was truly collaborative and honored the needs and aspirations of the community.
Result:
Canopy facilitated a highly participatory and collaborative planning process, inviting all staff, volunteers, Board members, and select Garden members to provide input and feedback at regular intervals. The final plan — Bold, Brave, Beautiful — was unanimously adopted by the Board in the summer of 2023, and the Garden staff immediately implemented it as part of the 2024 annual planning and budget process. Read the full strategic plan here.
“The many diverse voices were united in one goal: to share this Garden with everyone and to be accessible to our community. I am excited to share the remarkable work done by so many in this Strategic Plan. It is a living, breathing document that reaffirms many of the Garden’s long-held values and guides us to a future as a Virginia garden of international significance leading in horticultural and education excellence.”
— Brian Trader, President & CEO
