The Polly Hill Arboretum has received a grant of $200,000 from the Foundation Franklinia for 2009. The grant includes $100,000 toward the arboretum’s seeds for the future capital campaign endowment and $100,000 toward operating costs in support of the living collection.

The purpose of Foundation Franklinia, the foundation of board member Philippe de Spoelberch, is to support the conservation and display of the world’s flora. As a priority, the foundation supports the objectives of institutions, botanical gardens or private collections throughout the world, or any activity whatsoever of a botanical or horticultural nature, provided that it contributes to knowledge and conservation of plants worldwide. The foundation is based in Switzerland.

The gift recognizes the arboretum’s maintenance and curation of its living collections and the use of the collections for education purposes.