Path to Peace Campaign
The purchase of Japan Institute’s property along with the renovation and programming for the Institute is made possible by generous Garden donors and fundraising is still ongoing. For inquiries on supporting Japan Institute, please reach out to our Chief Development Officer, Jennifer Baumann at jbaumann@japanesegarden.org or (503) 595-5225. The proposal can be viewed by clicking one of these buttons:
Portland Japanese Garden Board of Trustees has committed to investing $5 million with a target goal of a $30 million investment. This total will allow us to accomplish the following objectives, listed below.
Off-site Campus, Acquisition, & Renovations: $19 Million
In April 2022, Portland Japanese Garden acquired a nearby site as a campus to serve as headquarters for the Japan Institute to accommodate expanding programs which exceed the capacity of Portland Japanese Garden’s existing 12.5-acre garden and cultural village. Already, demand for many of Japan Institute’s programs exceed capacity at Portland Japanese Garden’s current campus. This demand is expected to continue to grow.
The new campus includes teaching and program facilities, artist studio space, nursery lands, art and collections storage, and classrooms and outdoor hands-on work areas for training seminars, symposia, meetings, and workshops.
The newly acquired campus is the site of a former center for residential rehabilitation for young women, owned and operated by the Salvation Army for more than 100 years. Funding will help us make necessary renovations to its four buildings, built between 1914 and 1965. All four buildings are in significant need of repair and updates including deferred maintenance (e.g., roofing), ADA updates, sitework and utility (e.g.,electrical), core/shell (e.g., asbestos abatement), and interior updates (e.g., flooring). Additionally, a restoration and retrofitting plan to update and reappropriate highly utilized existing gardens and facilities at Portland Japanese Garden for new programs will be required to fully address needs of Japan Institute for the future.
Program Development, Implementation, Asset & Collection Acquisition: $5 Million
The establishment and development of world class programs will be critical to the success of the Japan Institute. The highest levels of faculty, curriculum and program development, cultural event implementation, technological resources, educational tools, and various collections will be required. We will use these funds to launch new global programs, partnerships and collaborations, and build on and optimize existing programs, collections, facilities, and assets. The acquisition of these additional assets and collections will include library materials and a bonsai collection, along with relevant works of art, and other cultural artifacts.
New Endowment Funds: $2 Million
To ensure ongoing financial sustainability of the Japan Institute and Portland Japanese Garden, an important component is annual income derived from endowment investments of Portland Japanese Garden Foundation. Combined with existing endowment assets, an additional $2 Million would bring total Foundation assets to approximately $8 Million which would generate some $350,000 annually to support ongoing programs & operations.
COVID-19 Related, and Other Institutional Debt Retirement: $4 Million
GOAL REACHED as of December 1, 2021
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Portland Japanese Garden has been significant. The acquisition of debt to sustain the organization safely through the COVID-19 crisis, coupled with pre-COVID debt related to capital improvements will have a hampering effect on operations and program development for the next few years if not addressed. Relief from this debt service will free up an additional $1 Million annually to support programming for Japan Institute and Portland Japanese Garden moving forward.
