Portland's Leach Botanical Garden Faces Uncertain Future After Funding Loss

The nonprofit garden is laying off half its staff and cutting programs to stay open amid a loss of $350,000 in city funding.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Leach Botanical Garden, a 17-acre public garden in Southeast Portland, is laying off half of its staff and drastically cutting educational and cultural programs after the city of Portland decided not to renew a $350,000 annual subsidy. The nonprofit that manages the garden says it needs $50,000 per month to avoid further cuts, and its future remains uncertain without additional funding.

Why it matters

Leach Botanical Garden is a beloved community resource that provides free and low-cost access to nature, environmental education, and public gathering spaces in an underserved area of Portland. The potential closure of this landmark garden would deprive local residents, especially children, of these valuable services.

The details

The garden, which features 2,000 plant varieties and a free-flowing creek, has relied on the city's $350,000 annual subsidy for the past 20 years. With that funding now expired and a new agreement not yet reached, the nonprofit Leach Garden Friends is being forced to make drastic cuts. Starting February 22, 11 staff members will be laid off, the remaining staff will have their hours reduced, public programming will be cut by 90%, and the garden will only be open Thursday through Sunday.

  • The city of Portland's $350,000 annual subsidy to Leach Botanical Garden expired last year.
  • On February 22, 2026, Leach Botanical Garden will implement staff layoffs and program cuts.
  • Leach Botanical Garden hopes to reach a new funding agreement with the city by June 2026.

The players

Leach Botanical Garden

A 17-acre public garden in Southeast Portland featuring 2,000 plant varieties and a free-flowing creek.

Leach Garden Friends

The nonprofit organization that has operated and managed Leach Botanical Garden for the past 20 years.

Portland Parks & Recreation

The city department that previously provided a $350,000 annual subsidy to Leach Botanical Garden, which has now expired.

Eric Vines

The interim executive director of Leach Garden Friends.

Mark Ross

A spokesperson for Portland Parks & Recreation.

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What they’re saying

“Preserving public access to the Garden is a priority for the City, and its value to surrounding communities is not in question.”

— Mark Ross, Spokesperson, Portland Parks & Recreation (oregonlive.com)

“The board and staff worked hard at the end of last year to increase individual donations, additional visitation and new memberships, but it wasn't enough to close the gap caused by the loss of $350,000 in city funding.”

— Eric Vines, Interim Executive Director, Leach Garden Friends (oregonlive.com)

“At this point, our checking account is nearly empty, and we're forced to make painful decisions simply to stay open.”

— Eric Vines, Interim Executive Director, Leach Garden Friends (oregonlive.com)

What’s next

Leach Garden Friends hopes to reach a new funding agreement with the city of Portland that would start in June 2026 and allow the garden to restore its programming and staffing.

The takeaway

The potential closure of Leach Botanical Garden would deprive the surrounding community of a valuable public resource that provides free access to nature, environmental education, and community gathering spaces. This situation highlights the challenges faced by nonprofit organizations that rely on public funding to operate and the need for sustainable funding models to preserve important community assets.