SUPPORT

FONA MEMBERSHIP

Join Us!

It’s never been easier to become a FONA member. When you donate any amount to FONA, you will join our FONA community as a member for one year. You can also make a recurring monthly donation and become a Sustaining Member to support our work all year long. As a member-based organization, FONA’s supporters are at the heart of our organization. Please join us as a champion of FONA and the National Arboretum!

If you are interested in making a restricted donation to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at this time, you can do so online through this form. For other giving options, please contact Claire Alrich at 202-918-1868 or calrich@fona.org.

In addition to supporting our mission and work, donating to FONA means access to member benefits. All FONA members receive:

Subscription to FONA publications, including our award-winning weekly FONA Field Notes newsletter and our member newsletter with insider updates and member-only invites.

Invitation to member-only events, including live access to our virtual Digging In series, member-only hours at our annual Garden Fair & Plant Sale, and member meetups and appreciation events.

Early access and member discounts for many FONA programs and events.

20% off educational programs at the Arboretum.

Discounts on FONA merchandise, sold at many FONA events and programs.

Reciprocal discounts at 380+ gardens and arboreta across the country, through the American Horticultural Society’s Garden Network. See the list of participating sites.

Eligibility to join Congressional Federal Credit Union.

FONA members shopping for plants at the Garden Fair & Plant Sale

Bottom photo by A2Z Photography

Already a Member?

Look up your digital membership card and download it to your digital mobile wallet. You can also update your member information or add/remove household members to your account.

Questions about membership? Contact Claire Alrich at 202-918-1868 or calrich@fona.org.

Donate to Join

Donate to Renew

Gift a Membership

David Fairchild Society members taking the tour of the National Herbarium at the Arboretum

dinner under the stars attendees posing with drinks

Bottom photo by Plume Photography

DAVID FAIRCHILD SOCIETY

The David Fairchild Society is a community of supporters passionate about the National Arboretum’s gardens, plant research, education, and community engagement efforts. David Fairchild spent his life exploring the world, collecting plants, and sharing them throughout the United States and the world. He brought us many plants and foods that are staples in contemporary culture, such as ornamental cherry trees, avocados, Meyer lemons, and more. Join us as we embark on a bold and innovative future!

To join the David Fairchild Society, contribute an annual gift of at least $1,200, or a monthly sustaining gift of at least $100. Membership is available at one of the following levels.

$1,200

The Arboretum has one of the largest and oldest assemblages of cultivars of American holly (Ilex opaca) you’ll find anywhere today. Hollies are spectacularly unique, diverse, and form the bedrock of American garden design.

Just like a holly tree’s berries in winter, members of our Holly Level form the foundation of our Society and allow it to flourish year-round.

$2,500

Crapemyrtle cultivars created by the Arboretum are hardy, adaptable, mildew-resistant, and bring a spectacular array of color to gardens across America during the hottest part of the year. The Arboretum’s 31 crapemyrtle cultivars introduced over the years continue to enhance the beauty of gardens throughout the world.

Members of our Crapemyrtle Level bring vibrancy and energy to our Society.

$5,000

Magnolias designed by the Arboretum bring a dazzling diversity of bloom time, colors, and size to gardens throughout the year. As a prominent feature in the Arboretum’s work to develop new and improved landscape plants, deciduous and magnolia cultivars pique interest in American gardens in spring and summer with shades of pink, white, and purple.

Members of our Magnolia Level support the Arboretum in its quest for superior ornamental plants.

$10,000

The Arboretum’s National Boxwood Collection is one of the most complete assortments of temperate-growing boxwood worldwide. It provides key genetic materials to Arboretum scientists for disease-resistance research.

Members of our Boxwood Level are critical to conserving the Arboretum and ensuring the long-term success of its mission.

$25,000

Azaleas designed by the Arboretum create a long-lasting cacophony of color every spring across the country. Dedicated researchers spent decades breeding varieties from around the world to produce varieties that are cold hardy, have larger flower size, and vary bloom time.

Members of our Azalea Level are the pillar of our Society and are dedicated to innovating the Arboretum into the future.

$50,000+

David Fairchild spent his life exploring the world, collecting plants, and sharing them throughout America and the world. He brought us many plants and foods that are staples in American culture, such as ornamental cherry trees and Meyer lemons.

Members of our David Fairchild Level are the bold explorers committed to sharing the National Arboretum with the world.

While you can donate online to join DFS, there are also many tax-smart giving options. These include donations of appreciated securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds), donor-advised fund grants, and qualified charitable distributions. If you would prefer to make a cash or check gift, you can mail it to FONA’s address: 3501 New York Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002

Questions about the David Fairchild Society or tax-smart ways to support FONA? Contact Claire Alrich at 202-918-1868 or calrich@fona.org.

Join DFS

TRIBUTE BENCHES

Honor loved ones or special occasions by donating a teak bench at the National Arboretum. Each tribute bench will have a plaque engraved with your message and will remain for 15 years.

Past benches have been placed all over the Arboretum. Many are nestled in quiet nooks along streams, stand sentinel in the meadow with the Capitol Columns, and watch flowers bloom all across the Arboretum.

This memorial not only provides a beautiful spot for respite and relaxation for visitors to the National Arboretum, but also supports the Arboretum’s public gardens and scientific work. Your donation of a tribute bench is tax deductible.

commemorative bench nestled behind the gazebo in the asian collections

Tribute Bench FAQs

Dinner Under the Stars attendees in the ellipse meadow

Photo by Plume Photography

PLANNED GIVING

Make your legacy part of the future of the U.S. National Arboretum! Making a planned gift is a wonderful way to show your support and appreciation for Friends of the National Arboretum and its mission while accommodating your own personal, financial, estate-planning, and philanthropic goals.

While we encourage you to check with your financial advisor, there are multiple ways to make a legacy gift, including making FONA a beneficiary of a retirement account, life insurance policy, will, or living trust.

Heritage Society

When you include FONA as a beneficiary of your will, you become a member of FONA’s Heritage Society, a group of like-minded individuals invested in the future of the Arboretum. Heritage Society members are recognized for their forward-thinking generosity and included in a number of special events throughout the year.

Have you already included a gift in your will or trust? Please email us at donations@fona.org to let us know! We would love to thank you for your generosity and include you in our Heritage Society.

Report a Gift in Your Will or Trust

FUNDRAISING EVENTS

The Spring Soirée will be held on Friday, May 29, 2026 in the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. Connect with friends and neighbors while supporting the science, beauty, and community impact of the National Arboretum. This open-air event is hosted by FONA’s Board of Directors and will feature a cocktail buffet and delicious drinks in the Museum.

Dinner Under the Stars will be held on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 against the backdrop of the Capitol Columns. Join leaders across agriculture, conservation, and policy sectors for an unforgettable evening of connection and impact at the U.S. National Arboretum. This open-air event features cocktails, a tented dinner, and opportunities to engage with key figures from industry, Capitol Hill, and the Administration.

Cocktail tables set up in front of the Chinese Pavilion in the National Bonsai & Pening Museum

Photo by Lissa Ryan Photography

Dr. Richard T. Olsen, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Alexander Vaden, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Representative Glenn Thompson (R-PA), Martha Van Dale, and Craven Rand at FONA's Dinner Under the Stars

Photo by Josh Peterson

Dinner Under the Stars attendees stand in front of the capitol columns

Photo by Josh Peterson

About the Spring Soirée

About Dinner Under the Stars

CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS

FONA offers many corporate sponsorship opportunities throughout the year at our community events, visitor programs, and annual Dinner Under the Stars. These events connect thousands of people from the D.C. region and beyond to nature, science, and plant stewardship at the National Arboretum. Corporate sponsors gain digital and in-person visibility leading up to and at these events. FONA has over 16,000 engaged followers across Instagram and Facebook and reaches 17,000+ subscribers through FONA Field Notes, our weekly e-newsletter.

Sponsorships are available for a variety of events of different sizes and audiences. They include but are not limited to the Garden Fair & Plant Sale (April), 5K races (March and November), Summer Evening Hours (June through August), Dinner Under the Stars (September), Garlic Planting Party & Bulb Sale (October), and Winter Festival & Christmas Tree Sale (December). Email donations@fona.org to learn more about becoming a corporate sponsor.

Dinner Under the Stars attendee grabs a drink from a bar during cocktail hour, with a sponsor sign in the background

Photo by Josh Peterson

VOLUNTEER

Volunteers provide critical event and program support throughout the year by donating their time and knowledge. FONA welcomes volunteer support in the Washington Youth Garden with tasks such as weeding, planting, mulching, and pest control. Volunteers can also support FONA’s events and programs throughout the year, such as the annual Garden Fair & Plant Sale, summer concerts, 5K races, and more.

The National Arboretum also welcomes volunteer support in the Arboretum’s archives and living collections.