SUPPORT

When you donate to Friends of the National Arboretum, you support work that preserves and enhances the U.S. National Arboretum for all to enjoy. FONA enhances public access to the grounds and facilitates meaningful programs that foster a love of plants and the outdoors. We also promote the research and educational mission of the Arboretum.

When you donate to FONA, you also join our community as a FONA member for one year. Members are the heart of our organization, and champion both FONA and the National Arboretum. Donate to join or renew!

Online

Give a one-time or monthly gift.

Donate to Join

Donate to Renew

By Mail

Mail a check to:

Friends of the National Arboretum
3501 New York Avenue NE
Washington, DC 20002

With Securities, Wire Transfers, and ACH Transfers

Send stock donations, wire transfers, and ACH transfers directly to FONA’s accounts. Email donations@fona.org for instructions.

Through DAF

Give directly and securely through your donor-advised fund.

FONA MEMBERSHIP

It’s never been easier to become a FONA member. Make a donation of any amount to become a FONA member. Or donate monthly to become a Sustaining Member and support our work all year long!

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
Reciprocal discounts at 360+ gardens and arboreta across the country, through the American Horticultural Society’s Reciprocal Admissions Program (with a donation of $35 or more). See the list of participating sites
Eligibility to join Congressional Federal Credit Union

Questions about membership? Contact Leandra Nichola at 202-544-8733 x303 or lnichola@fona.org.

FONA member with plants at the Garden Fair & Plant Sale

flowering 5k racers run through the holly magnolia collections

Photo by Beth Haubach

Donate to Join

Donate to Renew

dinner under the stars attendees posing with drinks

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 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. Join us as we embark on a bold and innovative future!

Contribute an annual gift of at least $1,200, or a recurring gift of at least $100 per month, to join the David Fairchild Society for a year. 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.

Questions about the David Fairchild Society? Contact Claire Alrich at 202-918-1868 or calrich@fona.org.

Join DFS

COMMEMORATIVE BENCHES

Honor loved ones or special occasions by donating a teak bench at the National Arboretum. Each commemorative 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 commemorative bench is tax deductible.

commemorative bench nestled behind the gazebo in the asian collections

Commemorative Bench FAQs

visitors eating a picnic in front of the capitol columns

Dinner Under the Stars attendees in the ellipse meadow

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.

If you need help getting started on your plans and legacy, FreeWill is a free online tool that guides you through the process of creating a legally valid will or trust. It’s easy to use, accessible online, and can be completed in 20 minutes. You can use this resource on its own or use it to document your wishes before finalizing your plans with an attorney. FreeWill is a free tool for you to use, regardless of whether you include FONA in your will or not. And if you do include a gift to FONA, please email us at donations@fona.org to let us know.

Report a Gift in Your Will or Trust

JOBS & VOLUNTEERING

Volunteers provide crucial support throughout the year to FONA’s events and programs. We have many different opportunities, from gardening in Washington Youth Garden, to helping with our annual Garden Fair & Plant Sale, to supporting other public community events.