Marin Art and Garden Center is a special gathering place that celebrates learning, growth, and the beauty of nature; a place that welcomes us all to be inspired, educated and entertained—or to just be.
Our vision is to create a sense of pride and connection among all the people of Marin—and beyond—in this thriving, inclusive gathering place of inspiration, growth and celebration.
This
Historical Site
Careful stewardship is required to conserve and maintain this historic grouping of significant architecture, this showcase of renowned local architects, as well as the rich history of our horticultural gem itself. Marin Art and Garden Center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural and landscape design significance and for the Center’s pivotal role in the women’s garden club movement that started in the 1940s.
The
Gardens
The natural beauty that thrives in our 11-acre certified green campus reflects our remarkable transition from a 19th century estate garden to a diverse, welcoming community resource. Our gardens are an evolving survey of native and introduced species—and home to myriad flora and fauna. The gardens require our time and attention to preserve and conserve them, so that we can maintain a sustainable community resource as our climate changes.
Art and
the Arts
We are a source of inspiration, a celebration of creativity and learning, a place where many mediums find a home, including painting, sculpture, photography, art and garden shows, fountains, streams, and the natural world, concerts, theater, dance, and so much more.
The
Community
People gather here in many ways—to celebrate milestone events, attend art and garden shows, learn to conserve our landscaped and natural worlds and hear music from around the world. They come to be inspired, educated, entertained, picnic with friends and family, or to take a contemplative walk through the gardens.
Education
Marin Art and Garden Center is a welcoming place for the entire community to learn—about ourselves, about each other, about our world, and much, much more. Our educational programs are for everyone, from our youngest to our oldest, and about most everything related to our mission, from art instruction to wildfire resilience. Together, we celebrate the joy of learning and exploration.
Stewardship
Our founders understood the importance of inspiring the next generation. We will education and encourage young people to celebrate learning and growth while we learn from them. Our world needs these future stewards of our planet.
Marin Art and Garden Center is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that relies on support from Friends of the Garden for its continued operation.
The Center receives no government- sponsored funding.
Marin Art and Garden Center sits within the unceded ancestral homeland of the Coast Miwok people. We respect and honor past, present, and future generations of Miwok and their continued connection to this land. We are grateful for the opportunity to gather in this place, and we give respect to its first inhabitants.
Address: 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross, CA 94957
(Note there is another 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd in San Anselmo that is NOT Marin Art and Garden Center.)
Mailing Address: Box 437, Ross, CA 94957
Phone: (415) 455-5260
Email: info@maringarden.org
Enjoy your visit!
My favorite place in the Garden is the magical Magnolia Grove.
My favorite place in the Garden is the Edible Garden.
My favorite place in the Garden is the Fountain Pond.
My favorite place in the Garden is the Butterfly Cottage
My favorite place in in the Garden is the stone bench under the Japanese maples near the Octagon House.
My favorite place in in the Garden is the Rose Garden.
My favorite place in the Garden is the Garden School.
My favorite place in the Garden is the Garden School & Pixie Park.
My favorite place in the Garden is the English Oak.
My favorite place in in the Garden is the area by the English Oak and Habitat Garden.
My favorite place in the Garden is the Basketry Garden.
My favorite place in the Garden is the pebble play pit at the Garden School.
My favorite place in the Garden is the Fountain Pond.
My favorite place in the Garden is the Fountain Pond.
My favorite place in the Garden is the Edible Garden.
My favorite place in the Garden is Pixie Park.
Tom has served on the Board of Trustees of the Marin Art and Garden Center since 2017 and as Board President since 2021. He joined the Board after retiring as co-owner for 38 years of Sunnyside Nursery in San Anselmo. He has had many connections to the Center over the years, from presenting numerous historical and horticultural talks to the many milestone occasions his family has celebrated on the grounds. In fact, his first job around1967 was to help set up for the Northgate Group's weekly fashion shows at the Center. The estate gardens and historical buildings have always held particular importance to Tom, as his great-grandparents George and Annie Worn were the first post-native settlers to build a home on the grounds in 1866, living in the Octagon House during construction. They named their estate "Sunnyside" in the valley named after her father, James Ross. Marin Art and Garden Center has long played an important part of Tom’s life, as it has served as the cultural heart of our community.
Motivated by the Marin Art and Garden Center’s importance to his family for generations, Tom Perry’s encouragement, and his strong belief in the Center as a public asset that should be preserved, Ned joined the Board of Trustees in June 2019. With 20 years of experience as a marketing communications professional, and 15 years teaching high school English, journalism, and broadcasting, Ned continues to volunteer as a tutor for Marin City high school students. His favorite spot at Marin Art and Garden Center is the view of Bald Hill from the Memory Garden.
Bill joined the Board of Trustees in mid-2022. He was inspired by his fond memories of living in Kentfield and his family’s long connection to the Marin Art and Garden Center, where his kids frequently played at Pixie Park and the family held a celebration of life for his mother in 1998. With a background in banking and commercial finance, Bill was encouraged to join by close friends who were former or current Board members. He enjoys the Summer Concert Series at the Center and loves watching his grandchildren explore the Edible Garden.
A Marin native and UC Davis graduate, Rebecca rejoined the Board in 2024, having previously served from 1998 to 2001. Her children’s time at Pixie Park and the life-long friendships she formed through volunteering with Pixie sparked her passion for preserving and supporting the Center’s history and evolution, both human and botanical. With a background in marketing and video production, she co-developed the Center’s Garden Education Program that ran in the 2000’s. She returns to the Board eager to support the Center’s growing number of community events and educational programs as it continues to evolve with the needs and interests of the greater Bay Area.
Kendra joined the Board of Trustees in 2024 and is Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee. The Center has long been a gathering place for her family, and she is enthusiastic about ensuring its long-term sustainability. She is a doctoral scientist, operational strategist, and writer. Her favorite area of the Center is the Picnic Grove on a warm summer evening.
Amie Boswell-Kennett was born and raised around farmers, gardeners and barrel makers, and she is passionate about nature and the environment. Her career has focused on marketing and sales, and she holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri. She remains active in civic, philanthropic, and industry organizations and enjoys exploring public gardens around the globe, time in the mountains, playing tennis, beekeeping, and time with family and friends. Serving on the Marin Art and Garden Center’s board since 2024, Amie is fond of the Center’s nearly 170-year-old English Oak tree, as it reminds her that great things come from small beginnings. The Marin Art and Garden Center has brought Amie true joy knowing the historical gardens are a gift for others and brings our community together.
Michelle has been cooking and baking in Marin and Sonoma Counties as owner/operator of school lunch programs, bakery owner, cafe owner, and as owner/operator of a food manufacturing business. Michelle is a small business consultant in the culinary space. As one of the Garden Coordinators for the Sausalito School District, Michelle is responsible for teaching nutrition and healing of the body and soul through gardening. Growing and cooking food on school campuses has provided her the opportunity to illustrate to school age children how to take care of themselves and the environment. She joined the Board in 2024.
Michael joined the Board in January 2021 after having served on the Finance Committee for a period. Michael is Portfolio Manager and Director of Research at Jennison Associates in New York where he has worked for over 50 years. He and his wife Dudley have lived in Marin for 6 years, having purchased a house here to be closer to their 2 sons and 3 young granddaughters.
Michael is a Past President of the Bloomingdale House of Music in New York and is currently on the Board of the 115 Central Park West Corporation. Michael is an avid biker and sailor. Dudley and he love gardening and thus their mutual interest in Marin Art and Garden Center. They especially like the Fountain Pond for the peace and tranquility it brings to the area.
Andy joined the Board of Trustees in 2014 and has served on the finance, development, executive, and nominating committees. With his family having enjoyed the Marin Art and Garden Center for 45 years, Andy was inspired to help preserve this important community asset for future generations. His professional background includes involvement in investments and development across real estate, agriculture, and wineries. Andy has fond memories of the Amphitheater and particularly enjoys the Fountain Pond area as well as the Memory Garden.
Bob joined the Board in 2020. He was inspired to join the Center's Board as a life-long resident of Marin who had been able to enjoy the beauty and events of the Center since he was a little boy. This long-lived relationship includes his being married to his wife, Robin, there in 1979. Bob was involved in software development and publishing for over 40 years, serving as the President and CEO of IMSI/Design and Encore Software. For the past two years, Bob has been a member of the Marin County Civil Grand Jury. For over 20 years, Bob was active as a volunteer at San Quentin State Rehabilitation Center, coaching and coordinating the softball program there. At the Center, Bob loves relaxing and picnicking on the Lawn while listening to different bands during the Summer Concert Series.
Stacy Nelson joined the Board in spring 2023, leveraging her experience in executive director search. This is her second term with the Center, inspired by her involvement on the Pixie Park board. Now, as the Center launches a new campaign, Stacy has embraced various onsite classes like painting and cooking, and has attended the Edible Garden events for two years. A former Master Gardener student, she is passionate about learning and dedicated to strengthening community connections through the Center.
Please call (415) 455-5260 if you have questions regarding any of these financial documents.
Come be part of the team at Marin Art and Garden Center, an 11-acre site in the heart of beautiful Marin County, welcoming thousands of visitors every year.
The Center was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2022, in recognition of the significant mid-century architecture and landscape design that has made this a unique space for more than 75 years. Local conservationist Caroline Sealy Livermore led a group of visionary women who established the Center as “a living memorial” just after WWII. Now open to the public every day of the year from sunrise to sunset, the Center is a special gathering place that celebrates learning, growth, and the beauty of nature; a place that welcomes us all to be inspired, educated, and entertained—or to just be.
You’ll join a small staff of dedicated non-profit professionals, who have made the Center a community resource and destination. In addition to the gardens, which serve as an inspiration to dedicated gardeners and casual visitors alike, we provide an outstanding venue for hundreds of milestone events year-round, from weddings to memorials to corporate retreats. We are home to a sought-after preschool where children become the leaders of their own learning, nurtured by caring and highly qualified teachers. We develop public programs that include the beloved Summer Concerts in the Garden, exhibitions of art in our gallery space, workshops, author events and more.
Bring your skills and experience to our team, working to grow and sustain the Center and serve a broader community. We are motivated by a vision to create a sense of pride and connection among all the people of Marin—and beyond—in this thriving, inclusive gathering place.
Marin Art and Garden Center is an equal opportunity employer, committed to recruiting, hiring and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, mental or physical disability, and genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.
To read more about the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility policies of the Marin Art and Garden Center, please follow this link.
Preschool Teacher
Part-time, non-exempt (at least 16.5 per week)
Salary: $26–$29 per hour
Status: Non-Exempt, part time
Reports to: Garden School Director
Salary range: $26–$29/hour
Date updated: 12/16/2024
Marin Art and Garden Center is a special gathering place that celebrates learning, growth and the beauty of nature; a place to be inspired, educated and entertained—or to just be. Our vision is to create a sense of pride and connection among the people of Marin—and beyond—in this thriving gathering place of inspiration, growth and celebration.
The Center operates the Garden School, which won the Marin Independent Journal’s Readers’ Choice Award for Best Preschool in 2019. The Center is seeking an experienced education professional to be a Primary Teacher for the program. The Garden School preschool serves children 2-5 years old in a multi age, shared classroom setting. The school fosters independence in children by teachers who strongly believe in being observers first. All teachers in the Garden School work together to create a classroom that is set up for child success and to create a program that evolves with the children. Teachers who enjoy collaboration and creating meaningful relationships with children will thrive at the Garden School!
Reporting to the Garden School Director, the Primary Teacher provides daily care and planned curriculum activities for the children in their primary group. While the Primary Teacher is responsible for their own age group, each teacher is also expected to interact and form relationships with all children enrolled at the school. The Primary Teachers also work to take full advantage of the Center’s beautiful 11-acre grounds of the Marin Art and Garden Center!
RESPONSIBILITIES:
REQUIREMENTS:
To apply for this position, please send a resume with a cover letter to info@maringarden.org. Please no phone calls or walk-ins.
Programs and Development Associate
Full time, non-exempt
Salary range: $25-28/hour with an annual range of $52,000 to $58,000.
Position Summary—
The Programs and Development Associate reports to both the Director of Events and Programs and the Director of Development and serves as an important partner to both.
This role is key in managing arts and cultural programs at the Center and implementing a comprehensive fundraising plan to support the operating budget and capital campaign for Marin Art and Garden Center.
Programs Responsibilities:
Development Responsibilities:
Qualifications and Ideal Candidate—
The Benefits of the Role—
Additional information—
Contact information—
Please apply online through Indeed. Only applications that include both a resume and a cover letter will be considered.
Director of Development
Full time, non-exempt
POSITION OVERVIEW
Marin Art and Garden Center seeks an experienced Director of Development to create and execute an inspiring fundraising program and advance a capital campaign that will help bring the Center’s recently adopted Master Plan to fruition. The Director will build on the organization’s existing development practices to produce a successful fundraising strategy aimed at increasing contributions from a variety of sources and establishing a robust major gifts program. The Director will partner closely with the Executive Director and Board of Trustees to support outreach efforts and create a meaningful donor experience and facilitate a culture of philanthropy.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director will have the opportunity to advance the organization’s fundraising efforts and advance its early-stage capital campaign in concert with campaign council. S/he will implement fundraising best practices across the organization, oversee day-to-day development operations and serve as a vital member of the Center’s leadership team.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Major Giving + Individual Giving
• Build and execute a strong major gifts strategy for current donors and prospects, including management of a major gift pipeline, including your own portfolio of donors
• Develop a comprehensive annual fundraising plan to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors, prospects, foundations, and corporate sponsors, including a detailed pipeline of donors and prospects for annual campaign
• Achieve monthly goals for prospect and donor visits/stewardship and prepare visit reports and follow up correspondence
• Work with the Executive Director and Development Committee chair to prepare materials for committee meetings and board presentations
• Work with the Executive Director and Development Committee chair to train, educate, elevate, and support board member participation in fundraising
• Engage and partner with the Executive Director in support of her major gift and campaign portfolio, be a thought partner in developing engagement strategies and provide support of other fundraising efforts as needed.
Cultivation + Sponsorships
• Work with the Executive Director, Director of Events & Programs, Preschool Director, and other department managers to identify and cultivate prospects amongst program participants, rental clients, and others within our community
• Identify and execute opportunities for grants and underwriting/sponsorships/in-kind donations for events
• Plan and execute a multipronged plan for legacy/planned giving.
Capital Campaign
• Advance a $7.5M capital campaign plan with a comprehensive timeline and actionable steps, in concert with the Campaign Council and consultant
• Track capital campaign progress and achieve campaign goals in close partnership with the Board, Executive Director, and Center leadership.
Communications + Events
• Produce the Center’s donor communications and gather editorial input from the Executive Director
• Oversee Leadership Lunch for donors and identify other donor cultivation events
• Collaborate with Executive Director and Director of Events & Programs to execute aspects of special events related to donor cultivation and/or fundraising including, but not limited, to invitations, input on seating plans, day-of event co-oversight, solicitation of in-kind gifts, corporate sponsor benefit fulfillment, and event follow-up as it relates to fundraising
• Represent the Center at events hosted by the Center
• Engage with the senior staff team to foster a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization.
Overall Fundraising Management
• Research and recommend possible next steps for implementing a membership program and a formalized planned giving program
• Oversee gift processing and oversee database recording to ensure accurate gift entry and timely acknowledgements and to support data-based development strategies
• Engage in regular database use and management to record moves management, activities, and donor information for current and prospective donors
• Generate new ideas that increase revenue and donor longevity.
QUALIFICATIONS
• 5+ years of progressive responsibility in nonprofit development roles
• Proven success in all aspects of a capital campaign
• Ability to successfully engage, cultivate, and steward long-term partnerships that will ensure philanthropic success
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and a collaborative work style
• Strong organizational skills and technological savvy
• Superior communication skills and attention to detail
• A high level of professionalism, including discretion and the ability to maintain confidentiality
• Flexibility and willingness to take on and manage multiple tasks and responsibilities simultaneously
• Passionate about the mission of Marin Art and Garden Center
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
OPPORTUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
• Salary Range: $120,000-$130,000
• Benefits include three weeks PTO (increases to four after five years of service), 10 paid holidays, health insurance subsidy, and 403(b) retirement with employer match up to 4%.
• Opportunity to raise support for an inclusive learning space that celebrates the beauty of nature and facilitates community connection.
Please note that applications must include BOTH a resume AND a cover letter to be considered.
Director of Events and Programs
Full time, non-exempt
The Director of Events and Programs contributes to the success of the Marin Art and Garden Center by overseeing the execution of all events taking place throughout the campus, including private rental events, large-scale public events, fundraisers, programs and classes, group visits, and hospitality for Center meetings and art receptions.
This position serves as a key member of the leadership team and a strategic partner for the growth and development of the Center, overseeing the communications team to help create and direct marketing, advertising, and PR. The Director of Events and Programs is a key participant in the planning/vision/Capital Campaign for the Center. This position reports to the Executive Director.
Supervisory Responsibilities
The Director of Events and Programs supervises an Events Coordinator, several House Managers, a Program Associate, a Marketing Coordinator, and is the primary contact for contracted services including event set-up and clean-up.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Private Rentals
Large-Scale Events and Fundraisers
The Director of Events and Programs directs and oversees “signature” large-scale public events including Summer Concerts in the Garden, Spring Plant Sale/Public Garden Tours, and Winter Wonderland, with goals of community outreach and revenue. The position provides planning and logistics for fundraising events.
Programs
Marketing
Overall Events Management
OPPORTUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
Salary Range: $95,000 – $105,000
Benefits include: Three weeks PTO (increases to four after five years of service), 10 paid holidays, health insurance subsidy, and 403(b) retirement with employer match up to 4%.
House Manager, Events
Part time, Non-exempt
Salary range $20–$22/hour
The Center’s tranquil 11-acre grounds include several indoor and outdoor venues that host dozens of events every year, including workshops, lectures, fundraisers, weddings, memorials, business meetings, and board retreats. Our events staff strives to make all of our guests’ events special.
We are seeking energetic and effective House Managers to manage the execution and “day-of” oversight for our private and public events, including staffing The Studio, our gallery space. Most of the House Manager’s work will be on weekends and evenings.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
REQUIREMENTS:
To apply for this position, please send your resume and salary requirements to info@maringarden.org with “House Manager” in the subject line. Please no phone calls or walk-ins.
Director of Finance & Accounting
Full time, exempt
The Director of Finance & Accounting contributes to the success of Marin Art and Garden Center by providing direction and management of all finance and accounting functions. This position serves as a key member of the leadership team and a strategic advisor to the Executive Director on the growth and development of the Center.
Responsibilities
Financial Management
Accounting Management
Ensure accurate and timely:
Financial Operations Management
Miscellaneous Operations
Qualifications
Job-Related Knowledge
Job-Related Skills & Abilities
Experience
Education
Compensation & benefits
To apply for this position, please send your resume and cover letter to info@maringarden.org. No calls or walk-ins, please.
Lead Gardener
Full time, Non-exempt
The Center’s tranquil 11-acre grounds include many trees, gardens, and specialty gardens. In addition to attracting garden enthusiasts, the grounds host thousands of visitors every year to indoor and outdoor events, including art exhibits, workshops, lectures, fundraisers, weddings, memorials, business meetings, and board retreats.
The garden staff are often our first point of contact with the public. Our gardeners must not only have experience and skills in gardening but also the ability to answer questions with knowledge and friendliness so that every visitor, volunteer, and tenant has a positive experience.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
REQUIREMENTS:
To apply for this position, please send your resume and salary requirements to info@maringarden.org. Please no phone calls or walk-ins.
Gardener
Part time (16-24 hours per week)
Non-exempt
The Center’s tranquil 11-acre grounds include many trees, gardens, and specialty gardens. In addition to attracting garden enthusiasts, the grounds host thousands of visitors every year to indoor and outdoor events, including art exhibits, workshops, lectures, fundraisers, weddings, memorials, business meetings, and board retreats.
The garden staff are often our first point of contact with the public. Our gardeners must not only have experience and skills in gardening but also the ability to answer questions with knowledge and friendliness so that every visitor, volunteer, and tenant has a positive experience.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
REQUIREMENTS:
To apply for this position, please send your resume and salary requirements to info@maringarden.org with “Gardener” in the subject line. Please no phone calls or walk-ins.
Preschool Teacher
Part-time, non-exempt (25-30 hours per week)
Salary: $26–$29 per hour
The Center operates the Garden School, which won the Marin Independent Journal’s Readers’ Choice Award for Best Preschool in 2019. The Center is seeking an experienced education professional to be a Primary Teacher for the program. The Garden School preschool serves children 2-5 years old in a multi age, shared classroom setting. The school fosters independence in children by teachers who strongly believe in being observers first. All teachers in the Garden School work together to create a classroom that is set up for child success and to create a program that evolves with the children. Teachers who enjoy collaboration and creating meaningful relationships with children will thrive at the Garden School!
Reporting to the Garden School Director, the Primary Teacher provides daily care and planned curriculum activities for the children in their primary group. While the Primary Teacher is responsible for their own age group, each teacher is also expected to interact and form relationships with all children enrolled at the school. The Primary Teachers also work to take full advantage of the Center’s beautiful 11-acre grounds of the Marin Art and Garden Center!
RESPONSIBILITIES:
REQUIREMENTS:
To apply for this position, please send a resume with a cover letter to info@maringarden.org. Please no phone calls or walk-ins.
30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd | PO Box 437 | Ross, CA 94957
415.455.5260
IRS Guidelines for Gifts from Donor Advised Funds to Support MAGC Events
Thank you for your interest in giving to the Marin Art & Garden Center events from your Donor Advised Fund (DAF) or Family Foundation.
We sincerely appreciate your generosity and support!
To ensure your gift follows the current IRS guidelines for DAF/Family Foundation support of an event, we would like to share the below guidelines with you.
Please email Tod Thorpe, Director of Development at tod.thorpe@maringarden.org to discuss your gift to Marin Art and Garden Center
