The american public gardens association will create an online program to provide customized professional development opportunities for the public gardens sector

The American Public Gardens Association received a $690,819 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the 21st Century Museum Professional Program (CFDA 45.032), awarded October 1, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2028. The award funds the development and delivery of the Public Garden Management Training Program, an online, self-paced professional development platform designed to support public garden staff across multiple career stages. The program provides customized, evidence-based training modules addressing key competency areas including leadership, administration, programming, and living collections management.

The project creates a structured career pathway for public garden professionals by offering accessible training resources that directly address current workforce development needs and prepare practitioners for the sector's complex operational and leadership challenges. By leveraging digital delivery methods, the program expands accessibility for geographically dispersed professionals while building a skilled, engaged workforce capable of advancing organizational sustainability and excellence across the public gardens sector.

The public garden management training program is an online, self-paced, training program that will directly support public garden staff by addressing leadership, administration, programming, and living collections skill sets. This project will provide accessible evidence-based training that directly supports public garden professionals at various career stages. The project creates a pathway emphasizing sustainable methods to develop skilled, engaged professionals prepared for the sector's complex challenges and leadership demands.