Duties and Responsibilities

• General tree work: planting, pruning, watering, and basic tree maintenance, and assistance to the Tree Program Coordinator on specific directed work and projects within Southwest Philadelphia.
• Supporting logistics and operation of summer (12) and year-round (6) ROOTS Tree Crew paid high school interns.
• Collating and organizing the program data of the SW Tree Program.
• Attending community events when needed, including assisting in canvassing and tabling for program.
• Supporting ongoing Bartram’s Garden youth education programs and special events when necessary.

Full job description and application information.

Since 2012 the Garden has hosted an award-winning, culturally relevant paid youth internship, employing more than 150 local high school students since the program’s inception and maintaining a cumulative 4-year graduation rate of 95%. Historically, the Garden has employed roughly 40 local students annually through parallel programs with the Sankofa Community Farm, ROOTS Tree Crew, and Denkyem River Guardians. Within these programs youth focus not only on technical skills like urban agriculture and watershed health but also on personal development in areas such as public speaking, cultural traditions, and team-building.

Bartram’s Garden is looking to relaunch our Denkyem River Guardians youth program through the addition of a Watershed Youth Program Coordinator. The Watershed Youth Program Coordinator will recruit and manage our Denkyem River Guardians youth intern cohort. This youth cohort is responsible for providing on-going support to our existing public river programming and to create opportunities for watershed education, access, and advocacy for our neighbors in Southwest and West Philadelphia.

We encourage candidates from all backgrounds, experiences, and skill levels to apply. We value unique perspectives and are dedicated to supporting our staff’s professional development and personal career journeys. We are eager to see what you can add to the Youth Education team.

Application Deadline: December 2, 2024

Full job description and application information.

Since 2015, the River Program at Bartram’s Garden has promoted the self-determined engagement of Southwest residents with local waterways by providing necessary tools, opportunities, and safe accessible spaces. This program includes the Bartram’s Garden Community Boathouse, a water quality monitoring initiative, swim training, and free walk-up kayaking, row boating, and fishing programs. Programs focus specifically on introductory-level water recreation and are powered by high school interns and 80+ trained volunteers.

The River Program Manager develops and implements a site-wide vision for river programming at Bartram’s Garden and oversees daily Community Boathouse and River Program operations. This position manages a team of staff and volunteers and reports to the Director of Public Programs.

We will start reaching out to candidates for interviews on May 1^st, 2024. Target start date will be May 27^th, 2024.

Full job description and application information.

Since 2012 the Garden has hosted an award-winning, culturally relevant paid youth internship, employing more than 150 local high school students since the program’s inception and maintaining a 4-year high school graduation rate of 95%, in stark contrast to the local school’s 59%. Historically, the Garden has employed roughly 40 local students annually through parallel programs with the Sankofa Community Farm, Roots Tree Crew, and Denkyem River Guardians. Within these programs youth focus not only on technical skills like urban agriculture and watershed health but also on personal development in areas such as public speaking, cultural traditions, and team building.

Bartram’s Garden is looking to add to our current youth programing through the introduction of an incoming Horticulture-focused youth intern cohort. Bartram’s Garden is seeking a program coordinator to recruit and manage a youth intern cohort, as well as support the current Horticulture team in overall garden maintenance and stewardship.

Full job description and application information.

Duties and Responsibilities

• General garden work: Planting, pruning, watering, weeding, garden maintenance, mulching, leaf cleanup and assistance to garden staff on specific directed work in a variety of landscapes including botanical gardens, nursery, meadow, pond and wetlands.
• Grounds maintenance: General ground maintenance in and around the garden including mowing and small equipment use such as blowers and string trimmers.
• Volunteer and Visitor Engagement: Promote a positive visitor experience and support volunteer events as assigned.
• Nursery Work: Occasional assistance with nursery care and maintenance; watering, weeding plant pots, up-potting/transplanting, tagging, propagation assistance, and nursery area maintenance.
• Support ongoing programs, horticulture, facilities, and special events as assigned.

Full job description and application information.

This RFP contains details about our organization and the key goals for the new strategic plan as well as specifics regarding proposal submissions, timeline, and budget. We understand that the ultimate details of this project’s implementation may be subject to change upon facilitator recommendations, and we welcome your creative and thoughtful suggestions in your proposal. We recommend downloading the full PDF document in order to review the appendices before submitting your proposal.

Proposals due March 29, 2024.

Learn more.

The Alliance for Watershed Education‘s (AWE) Delaware River Watershed Fellowship is a 12-week, paid summer job opportunity designed to introduce young people from local communities to careers in environmental education. Fellows are hired at one of 23 environmental education centers across the Delaware River Watershed. Fellows participate in training sessions to help prepare them for a summer of helping people connect with nature and informing their local communities about issues affecting the Delaware River, the source of drinking water for 15 million people living in the region.

Apply by April 1, 2024.

Full job description and application information.

Since 2015, the River Program at Bartram’s Garden has promoted the self-determined engagement of Southwest residents with local waterways by providing necessary tools, opportunities, and safe, accessible spaces. This program includes the Bartram’s Garden Community Boathouse, a water quality monitoring initiative, swim training, and free walk-up kayaking, row boating, and fishing programs. Programs focus specifically on introductory level water recreation and are powered by 80+ trained volunteers.

The Part-Time Seasonal River Program Assistant supports the operation of free boating and fishing programs and community water quality monitoring, to ensure that nature and the environment are accessible and inviting to everyone. The position reports to the River Program Manager.

Apply by March 24, 2024.

Full job description and application information.

In partnership with PHS (Pennsylvania Horticultural Society), Bartram’s Garden is continuing to foster our youth programming to support a healthy, diverse, and resilient tree canopy in Southwest Philadelphia. Bartram’s Garden is seeking a Tree Program Coordinator to recruit and manage a youth cohort charged with recruiting community tree tenders, educating the community on tree care, as well as tree planting and stewardship.

Core Responsibilities include:

• Recruit and manage cohort of youth interns, and community tree leaders.
• Develop programming and curricula for youth tree crew and collaborate with Youth Education Team to meet additional departmental goals.
• Collaborate with PHS Trees Team, and other community stakeholders to develop a Southwest Philadelphia outreach plan.
• Host and facilitate scheduled volunteer and community outreach events as needed.
• Support the PHS Tree Tender partnership by attending all Tree Program meetings.
• Ensure documentation and compliance with all policies and procedures, including following state mandatory reporter guidelines.
• Support the PHS Trees Team and Bartram’s Development team in compiling quantitative and narrative reports of proposed and completed deliverables, including required grant reporting.

Application deadline: January 22, 2024

Full job description and application information.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Facilitate a dynamic site usage calendar by leading the Visitor Services team as they support events, complete routine custodial duties, operate the Welcome Center, and patrol the site. Direct reports include:
  • Custodial and Event Support Assistant (fulltime, year-round)
  • Safety Coordinator (fulltime, year-round)
  • Welcome Center Coordinator (fulltime, year-round)
• Support the Custodial and Event Support Assistant in oversight of all event set-up, teardown and support functions as well as a daily schedule of sitewide janitorial services.
• Support the Safety Coordinator in oversight of the patrol of the 50-acre park and the maintenance of a safe and welcoming environment for all staff and visitors.
• Support the Welcome Center Coordinator on oversight of the delivery of high-quality reliable visitor services, cultivation of mutually beneficial vendor relationships via the commercial space, and effective communication of up to the minute information to staff and the public from the Welcome Center space.
• Ensure appropriate staffing during all open hours (including evenings, weekends and holidays) establishing and identify and plan for onsite staff support across the Garden
• Communicate staffing schedules to Visitor Services Team in a consistent, transparent, and equitable manner to foster an environment of collaboration, mutual support, and opportunity for work-life balance.
• Share relevant information with the Visitor Services Team and serve as an organizational advocate for the evolving needs of staff in public-facing roles.
• Provide training and support to ensure that all Visitor Services staff are in alignment with organization protocols.
• Support the implementation and execution of events and public programs including all annual site-wide events including Southwest Spring Fest; Juneteenth; Honey Fest; Twilight; Indigenous People’s Day; Harvest Fest; and Handmade Holidays
• Coordinate the rotation of staff assigned to lead onsite daily operations via the Point Person role.
• Schedule outside contractors for parking support as needed.
• Work with the Director of Public Programs to execute effective communication and collaboration across teams, partners, and guests to address all event support needs and to ensure the protection of living collection, facilities, and historic landmark throughout event execution.
• Coordinate with the Director of Horticulture and Facilities and the Director of Public Programs to support emergency and extreme weather responses.
• Communicate with vendors, partners, and employees for onsite logistics; serve as point person for organizational partners as assigned including the Greater Philadelphia Bicycle Coalition.
• Manage the acquisition, organization and inventory of cross-program and event supplies such as temporary lighting, signage, props, seating, furnishings, etc. for all events.
• Serve as an active steward of the Garden at public events, maintaining high standards in protecting sensitive historic buildings and gardens.
• Other duties and projects as necessary, including picking up trash whenever seen and reporting and addressing problems of maintenance, vandalism or inappropriate behaviors.

Full job description and application information.

Bartram’s Garden has a successful history connecting young people to the natural world. Tens of thousands of students during the school day visit, explore and connected to the history, land and water on field trips, immersive home school experiences, and library and classroom lessons. Hundreds of Southwest Philadelphia teens have engaged in paid internship programs, through Denkyem River Crew, Roots Tree Crew, and the Crew at Sankofa Farm at Bartram’s Garden. These high school programs support youth in their professional and personal growth as well as supporting their academic and career goals.

In this newly created role, the Youth Education Director would both support and strengthen the existing successful programs while helping grow youth initiatives that are integrated in all stewardship and management aspects of the 50-acre ecosystem. Leading a team of educators and social workers, the Education Director will give support and strengthen site-wide youth programming that spans all age groups from pre-kindergarten toddlers to post-secondary adults and focuses on youth development and learnings connected to nature, the environment, and climate resilience.

Full job description and application information.

This is a full-time position with benefits and core responsibilities include:
• Serve as an ambassador in Southwest Philadelphia; helping to build awareness and extend a warm invitation to the Garden and its programs.
• Work to build and serve the relationships with our core organizational partners in Southwest; and to advance a shared vision of an equitable, inclusive, and collaborative riverfront
• Bring to bear the resources of Bartram’s Garden to support community leadership, and to develop new relationships that will strengthen community use and ownership of Bartram’s Garden and the riverfront
• Work closely with Bartram’s Garden program managers to help develop and promote programming that will advance our partnerships and better serve Southwest audiences

Successful candidate will show the following:
• Professional experience in community organizing/outreach work
• Developed skills in relationship building and partnership work
• Passion for Bartram’s Garden’s mission of diversity and equity in public space
• Ability to navigate a wide range of cultural and socioeconomic contexts
• Ability to work in an open team context to navigate complex and challenging issues
• Patience, determination, and humility to work with issues of gentrification, race, and integration in public space
• Open and clear communication style
• Ability to effectively manage support staff
• Excellent listening skills
• Personal or professional familiarity with Southwest Philadelphia preferred

About Bartram’s Garden
The John Bartram Association’s mission is to enhance and protect the landmark Bartram’s Garden and House, advance the Bartram legacy of discovery, gardening and art, and inspire audiences of all ages to care for the natural world. The garden was founded in 1728 by John Bartram, whose passion for plants and the natural world inspired generations of horticulturists. Located in Southwest Philadelphia, the 45 acre public historic garden is preserved, enhanced, and maintained by the John Bartram Association as America’s oldest botanic garden in cooperation with the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Philadelphia.Today, Bartram’s Garden offers opportunities for visitors to connect with and learn about plants, nature, history, art, and science. It encompasses the 1731 Bartram
house and farm buildings, historic garden, reclamation meadow, tidal wetlands, community farm, recreational trails, and the Schuylkill river front with a public boat dock.

Bartram’s Garden has been working to build its local Southwest focused programs and activities and strengthen its local community partnerships. Continuing to broaden and deepen these relationships and build sustaining relationships with families, local institutions, churches, schools and academic institutions utilizing the Bartram legacy as inspiration for learning and environmental stewardship is at the heart of our vision for a great civic common and river garden. The garden is in the midst of transformation, with unprecedented opportunities for growth and renewal. With the construction of the Bartram’s Mile Trail and first major house and garden restoration in nearly a century, the profile and visitation at Bartram’s Garden has increased immensely. Capitalizing on this momentum, we are about to embark on planning for a riverfront restoration, freshwater mussel hatchery, and a kayak dock expansion among numerous other projects. These opportunities are focused on building our capacity to serve as the outdoor classroom and living room of Southwest Philadelphia, expanding our role as an anchor community open space and cultural asset.

Application Information
To apply please submit your cover letter, resume, and salary requirements to jobs@bartramsgarden.org. Only those whose applications are being considered will be contacted. No phone calls please. The John Bartram Association is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

The evening will feature live music, cooking and growing demonstrations, a silent auction, and more. All proceeds support the Farm’s youth development and student intern program.

Click here to buy tickets now.

https://2005.blackbaudhosting.com/2005/Distrito-Farm-Fundraiser

Since 2011, the Farm at Bartram’s Garden has been a hub for fresh, organic produce; food sovereignty; and community building in Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood. Located on the banks of the Schuylkill River, the Farm brings new life to the agricultural heritage of Bartram’s Garden. Last season, powered by 22 paid local high school interns, the Farm produced over 12,000 pounds of food, worked alongside 45 Southwest families in the community garden, provided hands-on education for more than 9,000 schoolchildren through Bartram’s Garden programming, distributed over 80,000 vegetable transplants through the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) City Harvest program for more than 130 farms and gardens around Philadelphia, hosted over 1,500 volunteers

Distrito is located at:
3945 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 222-1657

Celebrate the challenges of the past year, and help us ensure that the tremendous work of the Farm at Bartram’s Garden continues to flourish in community of Southwest Philadelphia for many years to come!

https://2005.blackbaudhosting.com/2005/Distrito-Farm-Fundraiser