National Tropical Botanical Garden Awarded $900,000 Challenge Grant from the Kresge Foundation

Kalaheo, Kaua'i, HI USA (February 5, 2007) - The National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) today announced it has been awarded a $900,000 challenge grant from The Kresge Foundation in support of its $21-million capital campaign. The campaign includes the construction of a new Botanical Research Center, building endowment fund and general operating expenses.

"The National Tropical Botanical Garden is so pleased and honored to receive this incredible grant from The Kresge Foundation," said Charles "Chipper" Wichman, CEO and director of NTBG. "The challenge grant will allow us, as a non-profit organization, to attract and build long-term relationships with other donors and volunteer leaders, ensuring our capital campaign is a huge success."

The Kresge Foundation awards its grants on a challenge basis. In order to receive payment of the $900,000 challenge grant, NTBG must raise $9 million to reach its $21 million goal by February 1, 2008. "With the aid of this challenge grant, we hope that NTBG's capital campaign can become an even more strategic opportunity to connect with stakeholders and reach out to new donors, volunteers, participants and the general community," said Rip Rapson, president and CEO of The Kresge Foundation. "The Garden's compelling plan to sustain higher levels of giving after the campaign concludes will help strengthen the organization well into the future."

"As with all of our campaign gifts, The Kresge Foundation challenge grant will provide a lasting legacy for future generations. It will allow us to better fulfill our mission to preserve tropical plant diversity through plant exploration, propagation, habitat restoration, scientific research and education," added Wichman.

Federally chartered by Congress in 1964 as a not-for-profit institution, NTBG is comprised of a network of gardens and preserves, including McBryde Garden, Allerton Garden, and Limahuli Garden and Preserve on the island of Kaua'i; Kahanu Garden on Maui; The Kampong in Florida; and three preserves on the Big Island of Hawai'i. With nearly 1,800 acres encompassing various tropical ecosystems, extensive living collections of endangered or at-risk species, and precious cultural and historical features, NTBG plays an important role in the complex web of life.

Once completed, the 20,000-square-foot Botanical Research Center will house the Garden's extraordinary Loy McCandless Marks Botanical Library, its unique and ever-growing herbarium collections, a room for processing and drying new plant collections, research office spaces, work counters, computer lab, seminar space and dedicated space for storage of institutional items.

A national foundation with $3 billion in assets, The Kresge Foundation seeks to strengthen non-profit organizations by catalyzing their growth, connecting them to stakeholders, and challenging greater support through grants. Its core program focuses on opportunities to build leadership, volunteer and funding capacity through challenge grants for capital projects. Projects supported include the construction and renovation of facilities, acquisition of property and purchase of equipment.

NTBG's living collections include the largest assemblages of native Hawaiian plant species and of breadfruit cultivars in existence, many of which are threatened and endangered or have already disappeared from their native habitats. NTBG also serves as living laboratories for staff scientists and visiting researchers from all over the world and living classrooms for people of all ages and interests. To contribute to NTBG's capital campaign or to become a member, please visit http://ourgardenourworld.com/ or call (808) 332-7324 x246.

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