It's a beautiful fall day at River Farm, the national headquarters of the American Horticultural Society — blue skies, green grass, blooming plants — and the phone is jangling in Leslie Bauman's office just inside the foyer of the historic manor on the 27.6-acre property overlooking the Potomac River.
A woman on the other end of the line just called to reserve a wedding date for June 2024.
The bucolic spot is popular for weddings, birthday parties, even memorials and rental fees help fund the mission of AHS. Bauman, events manager, loves her "dream job" and it keeps her busy all day long, whether she's on the phone, giving tours or helping at events.
In the not too distant past, the place was pretty quiet.
The property — located off the George Washington Parkway between Old Town and Mount Vernon — was put up for sale two years ago for $32.9 million. A purchase offer from NOVA Parks, Northern Virginia Conservation Trust and their partners was rejected.
A former Trump administration official hoped to purchase the property along with two other adjacent properties to create a luxury residential community, the Washington Business Journal reported.
With significant public opposition to any sale, the 10-member AHS board deadlocked and the property was taken off the market after half of its board members resigned. (One of those adjacent properties, River View, next door to River Farm, was sold to Dan Snyder, owner of The Washington Commanders, for $48 million in cash, WBJ reported.)
New board members joined AHS and now there's a renewed sense of purpose — and a palpable sense of relief — from the staff and surrounding community. AHS is under new leadership with Suzanne LaPorte at the helm as the society celebrates its 100th anniversary. LaPorte is former CEO of Friends of Compass, Inc., a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit that provides pro bono strategic consulting to other nonprofits. She was named CEO and president of AHS in March.
Below is a Q&A with LaPorte about the future of AHS and River Farm.
Q: As AHS celebrates its 100th anniversary, you've come aboard this year to help set the organization up for success for another 100 years. Can you tell our readers some specific ideas or plans you have to ensure its success?
A: Our 100th anniversary year has been a very exciting time for AHS – and for me personally as I complete my first six months as President & CEO. We just held our 100th anniversary gala at River Farm, which was a beautiful event that attracted a sold-out crowd. It was also our most successful fundraising event ever. Overall, we've been working diligently to put new plans and strategies in place to help ensure a strong and vibrant future for both AHS and River Farm.
Our current priorities include making important repairs and improvements to the property and grounds and assessing our current operations to ensure that our programs meet the needs of our members and stakeholders. We are building the internal systems and structures that help support these goals such as enhanced staff, improving financial reporting, rebranding and launching a new website, and increasing communication with the local community. Also, thanks to State Senators (David) Marsden and (Scott) Surovell, who are responsible for $2.1 million in the FY24 state budget for River Farm, we are planning the use of the funds to increase public access to River Farm.
Q: What is on the AHS "wish list" when it comes to sprucing up the property?
A: The gardens and grounds at River Farm are inherently magnificent, which is why it was so important for our Board to save the property from development and keep it open to the public. Over the past year, we have focused on general clean-up and maintenance of the gardens, as well as creating colorful seasonal plantings. Visitors will notice a much cleaner and well-kept property that will continue to improve over time. Our long-range goals include restoring the meadow, creating inspiring demonstration gardens, increasing public access to the property (including along the riverfront), and adding additional features, programs and enhancements that improve the overall visitor experience. In terms of an immediate wish list, we are planning to build a greenhouse, continue to improve the gardens and enhance and restore the buildings to support our public programs. We also hope to augment our wonderful team of volunteer gardeners over the next year.
Q: How is AHS supported? Is it mainly from rental of the River Farm property, AHS membership dues, fundraisers?
A: The American Horticultural Society is a 501(c)3 organization that is supported by several sources, including contributions from supporters and donors. Through our membership program, we raise money to support educational programs, publications, daily operations and the ongoing maintenance and preservation of River Farm. Rental revenue generated from events provides about 10 percent of our annual revenues. Going forward, we will focus on creating a plan for supporting the maintenance and operation of River Farm as the home base for our national AHS programming – including laying the groundwork for a major endowment campaign. Achieving long-term financial stability of both AHS/River Farm is a major goal of the AHS Board.
Q: Previous board members have noted that the AHS has relied heavily on River Farm rentals to sustain the organization. Can you expand on that?
A: Our current goal is to develop a comprehensive strategy and plan for maximizing the use and potential of River Farm as the place where AHS lives its mission. As we reinvigorate our programs and expand our membership base, we expect to see continued growth in both revenues and our impact locally and nationally. Rental income is and will be just one part of a balanced and strategic approach to creating a successful long-term funding model.
Q: River Farm is a beloved treasure of the region. Are there any plans afoot to put a conservation easement or endowment in place?
A: The AHS Board members who fought hard last year to save River Farm from development, and an almost certain demise of AHS as we know it, are dedicated to putting protections and guard rails in place to ensure the property will remain the headquarters of AHS and be open to the public forever. During the past year, the Board has moved swiftly to recover from the devastating effects of a prolonged 18-month battle to save the property by strengthening Board governance and laying the groundwork to evaluate options for permanent protections, including exploring a potential conservation easement and endowment. As a first step, we're working on updating our master plan for the property to identify the specific improvements (e.g., a greenhouse and enhanced public access) that will be an essential part of these discussions. The Board remains 100% committed to protecting River Farm in perpetuity and continues to work towards that goal.
Q: In an ideal world, what would you like to see happen for AHS and River Farm in the next five to 10 years?
A: Over the next few years, our work will be focused on achieving our aspirational goal of making River Farm the place where AHS lives its founding mission – to promote excellence in horticulture nationwide. To realize that vision and expand our impact and reach, we'll need all of our friends and supporters – especially our stakeholders in the local community – to engage in and support our initiatives and programs. By strengthening finances and raising an endowment, we can guarantee a stable future for both AHS and River Farm. By launching a portfolio of new programs that engage and inspire our audiences both locally and nationwide, we can substantially increase our impact in the horticultural world. By investing in making River Farm a national showcase of horticultural excellence and inspiration, we can ensure that this idyllic property will be open and preserved for public enjoyment forever. We are already working towards achieving all of these goals.
Q: What are ways that the local community can help the mission of AHS?
A: We've always had a wonderful group of loyal members, volunteers and generous donors who have supported us from the local community. What's clear from the events of the past few years is that none of us can take our priceless asset, River Farm, for granted. The saving of River Farm required a sustained, coordinated effort by the AHS Board, the local community, public officials and others who rallied together to preserve this iconic property. We hope to strengthen and build on these partnerships going forward. Our friends and neighbors can help in a number of ways: become an AHS member, participate in our programs, volunteer in the garden, make a donation. We are so appreciative of our community's support and are excited to collaborate with all of our stakeholders to guarantee a bright future for AHS and River Farm, including ensuring that the property remains open to the public forever.
