Careers & Opportunities

Join our team!

See position details below for current openings and application information. No phone calls or visits, please.

Bartram’s Garden recognizes the value of promoting a diverse workforce. All individuals, including those from historically under-represented groups, are strongly encouraged to apply. In addition, any form of personal or professional connections to Southwest Philadelphia will be considered a plus for all applicants. If desired, applicants are invited to reflect in their cover letter or other written statement on how their professional and lived experiences position them for their requested role.

Garden Ecology Youth Program Coordinator

Posted: March 8, 2024

Reports to: Director of Youth Education / Lead Gardener & Land Manager

Bartram’s Garden is seeking a full-time Garden Ecology Youth Program Coordinator. Bartram’s Garden is a 50+ acre public garden in Southwest Philadelphia, situated on Lenape territory on the banks of the lower Schuylkill River. It is a venue for art, access to the tidal river and wetlands, an outdoor classroom and a living laboratory. Bartram’s Garden attempts to hold the colonial legacy of the land with a commitment to learn and share the whole truth about the plants of Southwest Philadelphia and the people who grow them.

Since 2012 the Garden has hosted an award-winning, culturally relevant paid youth internship, employing more than 150 local high school students since the program’s inception and maintaining a 4-year high school graduation rate of 95%, in stark contrast to the local school’s 59%. Historically, the Garden has employed roughly 40 local students annually through parallel programs with the Sankofa Community Farm, Roots Tree Crew, and Denkyem River Guardians. Within these programs youth focus not only on technical skills like urban agriculture and watershed health but also on personal development in areas such as public speaking, cultural traditions, and team building.

Bartram’s Garden is looking to add to our current youth programing through the introduction of an incoming Horticulture-focused youth intern cohort. Bartram’s Garden is seeking a program coordinator to recruit and manage a youth intern cohort, as well as support the current Horticulture team in overall garden maintenance and stewardship.

 

Core Responsibilities include:

  • Participate as integral hybrid member of both Youth Education and Horticulture teams.

Horticulture

  • Working as member of Horticulture team in the year-round maintenance and overall care of the park’s natural/botanical gardens including special focus on planning, monitoring, and maintenance of the trolley and Lindbergh Entry gardens, Orchard Pavilion and Pedestrian entry gardens, Parking Loop Plantings, Sankofa Farm rain gardens, and 56th Bandstand plantings.
  • Volunteer Engagement: Participate in hosting second and fourth Saturday volunteer days; support volunteer land stewardship efforts in collaboration with Horticulture and Development teams.
  • Participate in twice-monthly horticulture department workdays and meetings.
  • Participate in snow and leaf removal activities.

Education:

  • Plan and coordinate Horticulture youth intern program including the recruitment and hiring of youth interns.
  • Develop and implement programming and curricula for youth interns in key horticulture skills including plant identification, tool competency, ecological landscaping, propagation basics, basic design, soil and water science, pruning, adaptability to outdoor work, and traditional ecological knowledge.
  • Ensure documentation and compliance with all policies and procedures, including following all state mandated guidelines for clearances.
  • Support the Education and Development teams in compiling quantitative and narrative reports of proposed and completed deliverables, including required grant reporting.
  • Participate in monthly Youth Education team meetings, and work in collaboration with other program coordinators.

 

Position Requirements:

  • Previous training in Horticulture with at least three years of relevant work experience or vocational training
  • Knowledge and fundamental understanding of natural ecosystems and restorative gardening practices.
  • Enthusiasm for connecting and working with young people of different ethnicities and backgrounds.
  • Ability to operate equipment and tools safely and efficiently. Recommended experience in safe operation of machinery, small power equipment and power tools (Utility cart, tractor, mowers, chipper, etc. )
  • Experience working in diverse communities with respect to race, ethnicity, class, gender, religion, orientation, and place of origin; Lived commitment to racial, economic, environmental, and social justice.
  • Proficiency in utilizing and integrating office technology into daily workflow (Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, Teams, Zoom)

Preferred but not required:

  • Red Cross CPR, First Aid certification;
  • Personal or professional familiarity with Southwest Philadelphia

Clearance Requirements

  • As the position involves routine contact with minors, prior to beginning this position, the employee will be required to complete the following:
    • Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Check through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
    • Pennsylvania Criminal History Check through the Pennsylvania State Police (PATCH)
    • Pennsylvania Mandatory Reporter training
    • FBI Criminal History Check

Physical Demands

Gardening is a physically demanding job that must happen outdoors, often in difficult weather conditions including heat, cold, and rain.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will regularly be required to

  • use hands to finger, handle, or feel;
  • reach with hands and arms;
  • sit, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

The employee will frequently be required to stand and walk on uneven ground (grass, inclines, mud, etc).

The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance upon ladders.

The employee must

  • regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds,
  • frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and
  • occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

The administrative components of this position require the ability to

  • sit/stand at a desk,
  • work on a computer, and
  • use a monitor for extended periods of time.

Schedule and Compensation

This is a full-time, exempt, year-round position with an annual salary of $42,000 to $44,000.

Our site is open daily, and the Garden Ecology Youth Program Coordinator’s schedule will require flexibility to include occasional holidays, weekends, early mornings and late nights throughout the year. Additionally, this position may be asked to support annual site-wide events, which include Southwest Spring Fest, Juneteenth, Twilight in the Garden, Indigenous People’s Day, and Harvest Fest.

Benefits include healthcare and dental coverage, short and long-term disability coverage, and generous paid time-off including holidays, vacation, and sick time.

To Apply

To apply please submit your cover letter and resume to jobs@bartramsgarden.org with subject line “Garden Ecology Youth Program Coordinator.” Only those whose applications are being considered will be contacted. No phone calls or visits, please.

The John Bartram Association is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

Bartram’s Garden recognizes the value of promoting a diverse workforce. All individuals, including those from historically under-represented groups, are strongly encouraged to apply. In addition, any form of personal or professional connections to Southwest Philadelphia will be considered a plus for all applicants. If desired, applicants are invited to reflect in their cover letter or other written statement on how their professional and lived experiences position them for their requested role.

About Bartram’s Garden
The mission of the John Bartram Association is to create equitable relationships among people and nature through immersive, community-driven experiences that activate the Bartram legacy, Garden, and House, on land and on the Schuylkill River, in Southwest Philadelphia. The garden was founded in 1728 by John Bartram, whose passion for plants and the natural world inspired generations of horticulturists. Located in Southwest Philadelphia, the 45-acre public historic garden is preserved, enhanced, and maintained by the John Bartram Association as America’s oldest botanic garden in cooperation with the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Philadelphia.

Today, Bartram’s Garden offers opportunities for visitors to connect with and learn about plants, nature, history, art, and science. It encompasses the 1731 Bartram house and farm buildings, historic garden, reclamation meadow, tidal wetlands, community farm, recreational trails, and the Schuylkill River front with a public boat dock.

Bartram’s Garden has been working to build its local Southwest focused programs and activities and strengthen its local community partnerships. Continuing to broaden and deepen these relationships and build sustaining relationships with families, local institutions, churches, schools and academic institutions utilizing the Bartram legacy as inspiration for learning and environmental stewardship is at the heart of our vision for a great civic common and river garden. The garden is in the midst of transformation, with unprecedented opportunities for growth and renewal. With the construction of the Bartram’s Mile Trail and the first major house and garden restoration in nearly a century, the profile and visitation at Bartram’s Garden has increased immensely. Capitalizing on this momentum, we are about to embark on planning for a riverfront restoration, freshwater mussel hatchery, and a kayak dock expansion among numerous other projects. These opportunities are focused on building our capacity to serve as the outdoor classroom and living room of Southwest Philadelphia, expanding our role as an anchor community open space and cultural asset.

Part-Time Seasonal River Program Assistant: Apply by March 24!

Apply by March 24!

Posted: March 8, 2024

Reports to: River Program Manager

The Part-Time Seasonal River Program Assistant supports Bartram’s Garden to position this 50-acre Southwest Philadelphia asset as a dynamic civic commons and river garden.

Since 2015, the River Program at Bartram’s Garden has promoted the self-determined engagement of Southwest residents with local waterways by providing necessary tools, opportunities, and safe, accessible spaces. This program includes the Bartram’s Garden Community Boathouse, a water quality monitoring initiative, swim training, and free walk-up kayaking, row boating, and fishing programs. Programs focus specifically on introductory level water recreation and are powered by 80+ trained volunteers.

The Part-Time Seasonal River Program Assistant supports the operation of free boating and fishing programs and community water quality monitoring, to ensure that nature and the environment are accessible and inviting to everyone. The position reports to the River Program Manager.

 

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Complete all required training
  • Assist with free boating and fishing programs as part of a team, including
    • Setup and breakdown
    • Greet, orient and give instruction to program participants of all ages
    • Facilitate walk-up program registration
    • Act as a dockhand, including as the lead rowboat supervisor alongside volunteers at public boating programs
    • Ensure safety and operating protocols are followed
  • Assist with Boathouse season open and close
  • Regularly maintain equipment used in programs
  • Conduct weekly water quality monitoring with other staff
  • Perform weekly administrative tasks related to onsite bicycling programs, including managing online registration forms, monitoring weather forecasts, and updating partners and program registrants via email and telephone
  • Process paperwork such as waivers and perform data entry
  • Attend weekly staff meetings

Required Certifications, Licenses, and Training (to be provided upon employment)

  • Certification in Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED
  • Pennsylvania fishing license
  • Kayak safety and rescue training
  • Boating license

Clearance Requirements

  • As the position involves routine contact with minors, prior to beginning this position, the Part-Time Seasonal River Program Assistant will be required to provide the following:
    • Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Check through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
    • Pennsylvania Criminal History Check through the Pennsylvania State Police (PATCH)
    • FBI Criminal History Check

Preferred Qualifications

  • Ability to work well both independently and as part of a team
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to effectively communicate with the general public.
  • Prior boating and fishing experience is not required; however, an enthusiasm to learn these skills and share them with others is key
  • Openness to getting dirty, engaging with thousands of visitors, and working outdoors in the heat
  • Ability to adopt and master computer technology for communication, registration management, and recording data
  • Personal or professional familiarity with Southwest Philadelphia is preferred

 

Schedule and Compensation

Running from early April 2024 through October 2024, this is a non-exempt, seasonal, part-time position at approximately 30 hours/week with an total hourly rate of $19.*

The Part-Time Seasonal River Program Assistant will mainly be scheduled to work between Tuesday and Saturday, including some evenings. Weekly schedule will vary, but beginning with the program season in May, availability is required Wednesdays, 4–9pm; Fridays, 9am–1pm; and Saturdays, 9am–4pm. Days off are Sunday and Monday.

Additionally, this position may be asked to support annual site-wide events, which include Southwest Spring Fest, Juneteenth, Twilight in the Garden, Indigenous People’s Day, and Harvest Fest.

* Note: This position is funded primarily by Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. An additional honorarium provided by Bartram’s Garden will be paid out at the end of the season in order to raise the total rate of compensation to an average of $19/hr.

Physical Demands

The Seasonal River Program Assistant is a physically demanding position that is conducted outdoors, often in difficult weather conditions, on the water, and in an office setting.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will regularly be required to

  • move and operate boating and fishing equipment;
  • stand and/or walk for extended periods of time;
  • work in immediate proximity to the general public in a safe and friendly manner.

The employee must

  • regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds,
  • frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and
  • occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

The administrative components of this position require the ability to

  • sit/stand at a desk,
  • work on a computer, and
  • use a monitor for extended periods of time.

Application Information
To apply, please send your resume along with a brief note describing your interest in the position to jobs@bartramsgarden.org with subject line “Seasonal River Program Assistant” by March 24, 2024. Only those whose applications are being considered will be contacted. No phone calls or visits, please.

The John Bartram Association is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

Bartram’s Garden recognizes the value of promoting a diverse workforce. All individuals, including those from historically under-represented groups, are strongly encouraged to apply. In addition, any form of personal or professional connections to Southwest Philadelphia will be considered a plus for all applicants. If desired, applicants are invited to reflect in their cover letter or other written statement on how their professional and lived experiences position them for their requested role.

 

About Bartram’s Garden
The mission of the John Bartram Association is to create equitable relationships among people and nature through immersive, community-driven experiences that activate the Bartram legacy, Garden, and House, on land and on the Schuylkill River, in Southwest Philadelphia. The garden was founded in 1728 by John Bartram, whose passion for plants and the natural world inspired generations of horticulturists. Located in Southwest Philadelphia, the 45-acre public historic garden is preserved, enhanced, and maintained by the John Bartram Association as America’s oldest botanic garden in cooperation with the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Philadelphia.

Today, Bartram’s Garden offers opportunities for visitors to connect with and learn about plants, nature, history, art, and science. It encompasses the 1731 Bartram house and farm buildings, historic garden, reclamation meadow, tidal wetlands, community farm, recreational trails, and the Schuylkill River front with a public boat dock.

Bartram’s Garden has been working to build its local Southwest focused programs and activities and strengthen its local community partnerships. Continuing to broaden and deepen these relationships and build sustaining relationships with families, local institutions, churches, schools and academic institutions utilizing the Bartram legacy as inspiration for learning and environmental stewardship is at the heart of our vision for a great civic common and river garden. The garden is in the midst of transformation, with unprecedented opportunities for growth and renewal. With the construction of the Bartram’s Mile Trail and the first major house and garden restoration in nearly a century, the profile and visitation at Bartram’s Garden has increased immensely. Capitalizing on this momentum, we are about to embark on planning for a riverfront restoration, freshwater mussel hatchery, and a kayak dock expansion among numerous other projects. These opportunities are focused on building our capacity to serve as the outdoor classroom and living room of Southwest Philadelphia, expanding our role as an anchor community open space and cultural asset.

Summer River Program Assistant: Apply by April 1!

Apply by April 1!

Posted: February 23, 2024
Start date: June 3–12, 2024
End date: August 16–23, 2024

This 12-week summer position will assist with our boating, fishing and water quality monitoring programs  and help connect with local community members around protecting the waterways. Applicants must be over 18 by the start date.

The Alliance for Watershed Education‘s (AWE) Delaware River Watershed Fellowship is a 12-week, paid summer job opportunity designed to introduce young people from local communities to careers in environmental education. Fellows are hired at one of 23 environmental education centers across the Delaware River Watershed. Fellows participate in training sessions to help prepare them for a summer of helping people connect with nature and informing their local communities about issues affecting the Delaware River, the source of drinking water for 15 million people living in the region.

Duties

  • Fellows will participate in a 3-day watershed education training at the Pocono Environmental Education Center from June 12–14. Meals, transportation, and accommodations provided.
  • Fellows will help their host Center lead programs and activities, whether in-person or virtually, for community members and visitors to their site.
  • Fellows will attend in-person meetings with Fellows from other AWE Centers.
  • With guidance from their supervisor and mentors, Fellows will focus their efforts on a specific Capstone Project and present their work at the end-of-program Summit event (August 16).
  • Fellows will document their progress by completing a short log report every week.

The Bartram’s Garden Fellow will specifically:

  • Assist with free public boating and fishing programs as part of a team, including
    • Setup and breakdown
    • Greet, orient and give instruction to program participants of all ages
    • Ensure safety and operating protocols are followed
    • Conduct weekly water quality monitoring with other staff
    • Regularly maintain equipment used in programs
    • Process paperwork such as waivers and perform data entry
    • Attend weekly staff meetings

Qualifications and Experience

  • Age 18+ by June 3, 2024, start date.
  • A background in environmental education is not required.
  • A positive attitude and enthusiasm for the mission: connecting with local community members around protecting the Delaware River and its waterways.
  • Ability to work well independently as well as part of a team
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to effectively communicate with the general public.
  • Prior boating and fishing experience is not required, however an enthusiasm to learn these skills and share them with others is key
  • Openness to getting dirty, engaging with thousands of visitors, working outdoors in the heat, learning new skills and having new experiences
  • Ability to adopt and master computer technology for communication and recording data
  • Personal or professional familiarity with Southwest Philadelphia is preferred

Physical Demands
The River Program Assistant is a physically demanding position that is conducted outdoors, often in difficult weather conditions, on the water, and in an office setting.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will regularly be required to

  • move and operate boating and fishing equipment;
  • stand and/or walk for extended periods of time;
  • work in immediate proximity to the general public in a safe and friendly manner.

The employee must

  • regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds,
  • frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and
  • occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

The administrative components of this position require the ability to

  • sit/stand at a desk,
  • work on a computer, and
  • use a monitor for extended periods of time.

Required Certifications and Licenses

The following may be obtained upon employment:

  • Certification in First Aid/CPR/AED
  • Pennsylvania fishing license
  • Kayak safety and rescue training

Clearance Requirements
As position involves routine contact with minors, prior to beginning this position, the River Program Assistant will be required to provide the following:

  • Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Check through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
  • Pennsylvania Criminal History Check through the Pennsylvania State Police (PATCH)
  • FBI Criminal History Check

Position Location
Bartram’s Garden, 5400 Lindbergh Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19143

Schedule and Compensation
Fellows are paid $16.25 per hour and will work 35–40 hours per week for 12 weeks

Availability is required Wednesdays, 4–9pm, and Saturdays, 9am–4pm. Days off are Sunday and Monday.

Essential Dates
Between June 3 and June 12: Fellow start date at Bartram’s Garden
June 12–14: Fellowship Orientation (overnight) at Pocono Environmental Education Center. Meals, transportation, and accommodations provided.
August 16: Watershed Fellowship Summit (location to be announced).
Between August 16 and August 23: Last day of Fellowship

How to Apply: Apply by April 1!
To apply, please send your resume along with a brief note describing your interest in the position and your experience with swimming, fishing, and/ or boating (if any) to jobs@bartramsgarden.org. Include “River Program Assistant” in the email subject line. Only those whose applications are being considered will be contacted. No phone calls or visits, please. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until April 1.

Bartram’s Garden recognizes the value of promoting a diverse workforce. All individuals, including those from historically under-represented groups, are strongly encouraged to apply. In addition, any form of personal or professional connections to Southwest Philadelphia will be considered a plus for all applicants. If desired, applicants are invited to reflect in their cover letter or other written statement on how their professional and lived experiences position them for their requested role.

About the Alliance for Watershed Education
Organized in 2016, the Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River is a regional initiative of twenty-three partnering environmental education centers, funded and supported by the William Penn Foundation. Each of these centers is located along the Circuit Trail or a major connecting trail, and on waterways throughout the Delaware River Watershed in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. This position is made possible through the support of the William Penn Foundation.

Request for Proposals: Strategic Planning – Due March 29

Proposals due March 29!

Posted February 28, 2024

Full RFP, including appendices, available for download here.

The John Bartram Association (JBA) invites proposals from qualified facilitators to guide our process to formulate a new 5-year strategic plan for 2025–2030, during which we are eager to strengthen and institutionalize already-successful initiatives as well as complete key capital priorities identified within our campus masterplan. We see the coming years as a chance to elevate our current work and existing priorities, bringing the organization from good to great, and to build sustainability and resilience.

 

This RFP contains details about our organization and the key goals for the new strategic plan as well as specifics regarding proposal submissions, timeline, and budget. We understand that the ultimate details of this project’s implementation may be subject to change upon facilitator recommendations, and we welcome your creative and thoughtful suggestions in your proposal. We recommend downloading the full PDF document in order to review the appendices before submitting your proposal.

Contents:

  1. About Bartram’s Garden
  2. Projected Long-Term Priorities
  3. Existing Organizational Evaluation & Ideals
  4. Strategic Plan Process Outline, Budget & Timeline
  5. Proposal Submission

Appendix:

  • Organizational Mission, Vision & Values
  • Equity Action Plan Goals
  1. ABOUT BARTRAM’S GARDEN

Located on 50 acres on the Tidal Schuylkill River in Southwest Philadelphia, on land known by the indigenous Lenape as Lenapehoking, Bartram’s Garden is a free public park and National Historic Landmark welcoming more than 100,000 visitors annually. The site is named for John Bartram (1699–1777); he founded his family farm here in 1728, and his 15-acre specimen garden is the country’s oldest surviving botanic garden. Since 1893, the site has been cared for by the non-profit John Bartram Association in partnership with the City of Philadelphia Department of Parks & Recreation.

 

The Garden is in a period of tremendous organizational growth and maturation, thanks both to significant internal investment and expansion as well as increased external development planned for our nearby Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood. In the last decade, our visibility and public renown have increased significantly as we have refined our vision and organizational priorities, thus nearly tripling our annual budget, annual visitation, and staff size.

 

With a reclaimed meadow, community farm, ecologically significant natural tidal wetlands, and the neighborhood’s only safe river access, we offer year-round free and low-cost programming focused on building equitable relationships among people and nature. As a free public park, we particularly seek to welcome, serve, and champion our nearest neighbors in Southwest Philadelphia, where more than 80% of residents identify as Black or African American. This commitment is a relatively recent change for our historic institution: for many years, our Board was composed entirely of Bartram family descendants, and staff and neighbors alike recall that until the early 2010s, the Garden was a mostly-white space perceived as a private estate. A visitation study conducted in 2022–2023 revealed that our visitors’ racial and ethnic demographics echo those of Philadelphia as a whole, with roughly two-thirds of visitors identifying as people of color.

 

With the 2018 launch of the Southwest Philadelphia Community Leadership Team (SWLT), a stipended group of about 20 neighborhood leaders, the Garden began intentionally including local residents in large-scale organizational decision-making, beginning with a facilitated 18-month planning process that led to the development of our campus masterplan, finalized in 2020. In addition to their role in this planning process, we continue to partner with members of the SWLT on program priorities and site investments, and several members of the SWLT have subsequently joined the Garden’s Board of Directors.

 

Beyond our partnership with the SWLT, the Garden regularly uses an array of trusted and successful methods for direct stakeholder outreach and input, including focus groups, visioning sessions, in-person engagement at community festivals welcoming 1,500 neighbors per event, an opt-in neighborhood text message group, a twice-yearly partnership with a local newspaper reaching roughly 25,000 households, flyer distribution to local schools and libraries, USPS Every Door Direct Mail postcards, and more traditional communications via email newsletters and social media.

 

  1. PROJECTED LONG-TERM PRIORITIES

The Garden’s current strategic plan was approved in 2017 and will expire in 2025. It identifies the following strategic priorities: horticultural excellence; historic interpretation and preservation; community engagement and education; agriculture and food sovereignty; and enduring sustainability through expanded organizational capacity and partnerships.

 

Though progress continues on all those goals, the adoption in 2020 of the campus masterplan marked a new phase in our understanding of this 50-acre site and its impact. The campus masterplan centers upon four major capital projects totaling roughly $50 million in long-term site investment within or adjacent to the park’s physical campus. These efforts—including both continued fundraising and partnership development as well as eventual groundbreakings and construction—will be a key priority in the new strategic plan, with the first phase of construction projected to begin in Summer 2024 and subsequent work expected to continue throughout the duration of the new strategic plan. More details about the respective projects and associated partnerships are available online at Our Plans & Partners.

 

The importance of these new facilities is highlighted by recent and planned programmatic growth, as the park’s outreach and activation will fuel expanded engagement throughout the campus, within these new capital investments, and—perhaps most importantly—beyond the borders of this public park. During the period of the current strategic plan, and particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Garden has stewarded tremendous programmatic and partnership growth in key areas:

  • Climate resilience and community greening through neighborhood tree planting, support for community food sovereignty, water quality monitoring, and initial planning efforts to ensure the long-term resilience and ecosystems health not only of the park but of our wider Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood amidst a changing climate.
  • Paid youth workforce development with high school students and young adults, primarily from our Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood, focused on skill-building in fields like urban agriculture, watershed management, arboriculture, and ecosystems management as well as on readiness for college and careers.
  • Neighborhood culture and wellness through a range of year-round, free, community-driven activities inviting local residents to connect to nature and each other with everything from herbalism workshops to family movie nights, learn-to-bike classes to river recreation.
  • Inclusive storytelling and historic interpretation reflecting a broader understanding of the history of this land, beyond the focus on the colonial-era Bartram family that shaped much of our previous work (including the 2017 strategic plan), and with a particular emphasis on learning and sharing the Black and indigenous histories of the site.

These areas of growth reflect a deeper understanding of our organizational commitments and principles, building off new mission and vision statements, which were developed by a collaborative team of Board and staff in 2020. Staff subsequently developed a set of values statements, meant to guide our internal work, in 2021. These documents guide much of our day-to-day work and decision-making, and these ideals also drove the development of the Garden’s first Equity Action Plan in 2022.

 

  1. EXISTING ORGANIZATIONAL EVALUATION & IDEALS

In both process and the final document, we expect that the new strategic plan will build off and benefit from a range of recent evaluation, planning, and training efforts, including the following:

  • SWOT analysis by staff (2024)
  • SWOT analysis by Board of Directors, led by Illustrating Progress (2023)
  • Employee compensation study by Brighter Strategies (2023–2024)
  • Visitation study, neighborhood/program participant focus groups, and neighborhood surveys led by Dr. Andrew J. Mowen of Penn State University (2017, 2022–2023)
  • Equity Action Plan by staff, with support from Just Strategies (2022)
  • Naming policy approved by Board (2022)
  • Organizational equity audit by Just Strategies (2021)
  • Website redesign study, focus groups, and surveys led by Masters Group Design and Concentric Strategy (2021)
  • New values statements by staff (2021)
  • New mission and vision statements by Board and staff, with support from Fairmount Ventures (2020)
  • Campus masterplan by Board and staff (2020)
  • Capital campaign feasibility study by Fairmount Ventures (2020)
  • Gift acceptance policy approved by Board (2019)
  • Campus visioning with local residents, led by the SWLT and DIGSAU (2018–2019)

 

As of this writing in Winter 2024, the Garden is also actively engaged in assessment of and planning for a range of programmatic and site-specific needs including campus safety and emergency response, historic interpretation and storytelling, archival management, ecosystems resilience, staff trainings and professional development, and design of the new facilities identified in the campus masterplan.

 

Both the Mission, Vision, and Values and the goals of the Equity Action Plan should be considered foundational documents for both the process and final document of the new strategic plan. We invite prospective facilitators to reference these documents (see Appendix) in developing your proposal and trust that you will work with us to ensure our shared adherence to these values throughout the process. Further, although these values and the work they underpin are powerful and deeply felt, these efforts are still relatively new within the lifetime of the Garden, and our next strategic plan should include opportunities to strengthen and sustain these vital commitments within our organizational identity.

 

  1. PROCESS OUTLINE, BUDGET & TIMELINE

The selected facilitator for this project will work closely with a collaborative team of Board, staff, and SWLT members to guide prioritization of key themes and goals, ensure appropriate input and review from diverse stakeholders, create a shared framework for evaluating progress, and write and review the final, written plan.

 

Depending on facilitator availability, the planning process will begin between May–July 2024, with a full written draft of the new strategic plan available for review by February 15, 2025. The final written plan, including all revisions, should be complete by March 15, 2025.  

 

Bartram’s Garden requests a proposal for a planning process that fulfills the goals above and includes the following activities conducted in partnership with the collaborative team:

  • Efficiently reviewing existing documentation and evaluation, such as key selections from the list in Section 3;
  • Identifying necessary additional stakeholder feedback and leading appropriate outreach to up to 200 key constituents, including but not limited to staff, Board, the Southwest Philadelphia Community Leadership Team, community partners, neighborhood residents and leaders, park visitors, and representatives from municipal agencies. Prospective facilitators are invited to consider using any communications strategy identified in Section 1, for which staff can provide support, or to propose alternate methods for outreach;
  • Developing aspirational, achievable, and measurable strategic goals for 2025–2030, including high-level action steps and implementation plans, based on gathered input and the Garden’s identified plans for this period;
  • Outlining metrics and key benchmarks to chart progress towards fulfilling the strategic goals, as well as a process for modifying the plan over its lifecycle if needed.

 

We expect the facilitator to also:

  • Provide strong, inclusive facilitation to guide thoughtful but goal-oriented decision-making and to support a shared approach for determining priorities, including potentially deciding not to pursue or sustain opportunities;
  • Lead the writing and editing of drafts and the final strategic plan document, including an Executive Summary appropriate for external dissemination; and
  • Ensure integration of the Garden’s values and an equity-oriented approach in all aspects of the work.

 

We expect that these activities will include both on-site work at Bartram’s Garden as well as video meetings via platforms like Zoom or Teams.

 

BUDGET

The current budget for the deliverables outlined above is $40,000.

 

TIMELINE

RFP Release Date: February 28, 2024

Response Deadline: March 29, 2024

Proposal Review: April 1–5, 2024

Finalists Notified: April 9, 2024

Finalist Presentations via Zoom: April 16, 2024, between 1–4 PM

Contract Award Date: April 22, 2024

Project Timeline: Spring/Summer 2024–March 2025

 

  1. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Please submit proposals to Caroline Winschel at cwinschel@bartramsgarden.org by March 29, 2024, using subject line “Strategic Planning.” No phone calls or visits, please.

 

All proposals should include the following:

  1. A description of the applicant’s general approach to strategic planning facilitation, including methodology, perspective, or philosophy that guides your work with organizations in this undertaking;
  2. A description of the plan for accomplishing the deliverables listed above;
  3. Professional resume for individual consultant(s) or background information on the applicant team, including any relevant additional expertise or experience that the applicant might bring to this particular project;
  4. A work plan and timetable for the deliverables identified above;
  5. A budget and outlined fee structure associated with the scope of work, including hourly rate(s) if applicable. If there are elements of the identified deliverables that you believe exceed the proposed budget, please indicate fees for those items so that we may consider adjusting either our scope or our available funds;
  6. Example(s) of 2–3 representative projects demonstrating the applicant’s ability to successfully complete projects of a similar scope and nature; and
  7. Names and contact information for people who might serve as a reference for the applicant’s skill in strategic planning.

 

Proposals will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status. People of color and LGBTQ+ people are encouraged to apply. Personal or professional connections to Southwest Philadelphia are a plus.

Artist Vending Opportunities

Interested in selling your handmade items at Bartram’s Garden? We have opportunities for vending at various events and festivals throughout the year, as well as the possibility of vending wholesale through our Welcome Center. As a neighborhood park, our mission is to prioritize connections in Southwest Philadelphia.

Please fill out the Vending Interest Form. We’ll be in touch if it feels like a good fit.

If you have any questions about this form, please contact Tahnisha Burke Thomas at tthomas@bartramsgarden.org. Thanks!

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Vending Interest Form

I'm interested in:

Biking & Walking

Birds

Boating & Fishing

Flowers, Plants & Trees

Gardening

History

Kids' Activities

Sankofa Community Farm

Southwest Philadelphia

Water Quality

Workshops, Wellness & Culture

Youth Internships

I'm interested in:

Biking & Walking

Birds

Look up! More than 100 species of birds rely on this ecosystem.

Boating & Fishing

Enjoy all that the Tidal Schuylkill River has to offer.

Flowers, Plants & Trees

See what’s blooming, find a favorite tree, and stroll the gardens and natural lands.

Gardening

Bring the Garden home! Shop for plants or grow food, trees, and more.

History

Uncover the interconnected stories of this historic site.

Kids' Activities

Join us year-round to learn, make, share, and wonder.

Sankofa Community Farm

“Go back and get it!” Growing food sovereignty with an African Diaspora focus.

Southwest Philadelphia

Resources and opportunities especially for neighbors in Southwest Philly.

Water Quality

Find our latest data on the river’s bacteria levels and recent rainfall.

Workshops, Wellness & Culture

Enjoy upcoming workshops, self-care, and events. Are you a Southwest artist? Let’s partner!

Youth Internships

Calling Southwest students: paid internships available with the river, the farm, and the trees.