We financially support the Pierce County Master Gardeners through innovative fundraising and sound financial management, now and for the future.
As a land grant university, WSU is restricted on the types and timing of activities it can fund. Therefore, the Master Gardener Foundation of Pierce County was created as a 501(c)(3) non-profit to provide the necessary financial support. The Foundation partners with the Master Gardeners of Pierce County to ensure that the quality education Master Gardener programs provide will continue to be available to our communities.
The Foundation raises money throughout the year via various fundraisers and donation drives. Our largest fundraiser is the Annual Plant Sale, held during the last weekend of April. At this pop-up event, the WSU Extension campus turns into a frenzy of fun, with MG grown tomatoes, small fruits, MG propagated perennials, native plants, houseplants and more. We also sell carefully selected gardening books during the Plant Sale and other events, including From the Ground and Up in June.
Donations are accepted throughout the year via our website for members of the community who wish to support their Master Gardener programs.
Foundation Membership
All Pierce County Master Gardeners are eligible to join the Foundation. Membership is optional, free and comes with no obligations. Members of the Foundation are invited to attend all Monthly Board Meetings and the Annual Membership Meeting in November, at which time Foundation Members vote for new Board Members and adopt the Annual Budget for the following year.
If you are a Pierce County Master Gardener and would like to join the Foundation or check your status as a Member, please email mgdata@wsu.edu
The State Foundation
The focus of the State Foundation is threefold:
1. First, to provide financial and logistical support to our annual Advanced Education Conference so that we can continually advance the horticultural education of Master Gardeners in Washington, and help our dedicated volunteers succeed in every county.
2. To nurture state-wide leadership, communication, and collaboration amongst our dozens of local chapters, representing 39 counties, and to promote best practices in both fundraising and foundation management across Washington State and on a national level.
3. To work in concert with WSU Extension to magnify the benefits of Master Gardener programs in all counties and regions of Washington state and across the U.S.
WSU Extension
WSU Extension administers the state-wide Master Gardener program, training volunteers in research-based best practices, and providing educational resources that Master Gardeners use for public outreach and environmental advocacy throughout Washington state. The Master Gardener program promotes community engagement through its plant clinics, demonstration gardens, educational workshops, and youth programs that require continual funding and broad-based public support. Master Gardener foundations in other local chapters of Washington also provide financial support through donations and fundraising campaigns to ensure Master Gardener programs in every county will continue to thrive.
Find a local Master Gardener program chapter in your county.
Master Gardeners in Pierce County:
Geographically, Pierce County covers more than 1,800 square miles of land and water with elevations rising from sea level to more that 14,000 feet. Known for iconic landmark Mount Rainier, Pierce County is home to nearly one million Washingtonians.
The Master Gardener Program in Pierce County is home to more than 400 volunteers who contribute their time and efforts across our Clinics, Demonstration Gardens, Youth Gardening, Speakers Bureau and much more. Our efforts are focused on a range of horticultural related topics including: Climate Change; Soil Health; Pollinators; Local Food; Plant Biodiversity; Nearby Nature and Wildfire Preparedness.