Dear Tom-- Try contacting Descanso Gardens in La Canada, California, and the LA County Arboretum. Both are County owned/administered gardens "going private." Each is at a different stage in the process, and both have interesting experiences to share. Good luck. >Dear Friends, > >We are seeking information on and contacts with museums, history centers, >zoos, botanical gardens, historical sites and others that have made the >transition from publicly owned and operated to privately (501,(c),(3) >nonprofit) so. > >We are looking for people to contact who can provide information about the >plusses and minuses, the traps and pitfalls, the successes and failures, the >processes gone through and the time it took (or is taking) to make the >transition. All words of wisdom are welcome, too. > >Please e-mail directly to us at - [log in to unmask] > >Thanks in advance for all you help. > >Tom Bacchetti >Bacchetti & Associates, Inc. >Atlanta, GA Richard Chute ([log in to unmask]) Dir. of Corp. & Fndtn. Rel. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden 1500 North College Ave. Claremont, CA 91711 Phone: (909) 625-8767, ext. 222 FAX: (909) 626-7670