Opportunity:
Naples Botanical Garden is a relatively young garden that has experienced a rapid ascendance since its inception in 1993. The site and collection—featuring over 170 acres of manicured landscapes and untouched conservation land—interprets the tropical flora that exist between the 26th parallels. In 2022, Canopy Strategic Partners embarked upon a business planning venture as part of a broad team to guide the next decade of development at one the world’s most unique botanical experiences.
Image credit: Unknown Studio
Project Highlights:
Suite of Revenue Opportunities
As representatives of the organization’s financial interests throughout the process, the Canopy team evaluated a suite of opportunities to secure and improve the Garden’s long-term economic trajectory. While this was a master planning process, our analyses extended beyond the physical site and into every detail of NBG’s operations. The outcome included a suite of strategies related to admissions and membership programs, events operations, and food and retail services to grow existing revenue programs and cultivate new ones in upcoming years.
“Right-Sized” Facilities
While a purpose-built events center was always part of the plan, Canopy provided a series of financial analyses that ensured that the facility’s plan was tailored to the Garden’s site and market. By avoiding a substantial over-build, we were able to demonstrate that the organization was likely to generate significantly larger net income by constructing a slightly smaller building than was initially proposed.
A Long View on Investment
Master plans at the scale of the Garden’s are rare—this was truly a generational plan that would require investment, patience, and a long-term perspective to reach its full potential. In fact, Canopy’s financial modeling indicated that the organization was unlikely to reap the full reward of the plan for nearly a decade: a time when some board members and staff may no longer be involved with the Garden. By setting these expectations, we ensured buy-in from stakeholders across the organization and secured commitments from funders and staff as an investment in the future of the Garden and community.
Result:
The comprehensive process resulted in one of the boldest and most visionary master plans that we have ever had the pleasure of working on. By respecting the history of the site, the plan simultaneously maintains the charm of the native environment, provides new experiences to delight guests, and secures the Garden’s financial position for decades to come.
