Beyond the Volunteer Day 

At Powell Gardens, corporate involvement often begins with a single day. 

A team arrives ready to volunteer. Gloves on. Coffee in hand. Maybe a little unsure of what to expect. By the end of the day, they’ve done something real. 

Something they can point to. Something that will still be here tomorrow, next season, and years from now. They’ve built something tangible. They’ve worked side by side together in a way that feels different from the office. They’ve contributed to living landscapes, educational spaces, and visitor experiences that continue long after the day is done. 

And more often than not, they leave asking, “How can we stay involved?” 

That is where the real partnership begins. 

Corporate Activities at Powell Gardens

More Than a Day of Service 

At Powell Gardens, businesses can engage with Kansas City’s botanical garden in ways that reflect their values, their people, and their goals. For some, that means sustainability and environmental stewardship. For others, it means employee engagement, client experiences, or community visibility. 

For teams like Hoerr Schaudt, that connection is a natural fit. As a nationally recognized landscape architecture firm, their work is rooted in understanding land, ecology, and long-term stewardship. During a recent volunteer day, their team collected forest duff from hundreds of acres of woodland, helping restore soil health in garden beds across the property. 

It was hands-on, but it also mirrored the way they approach their work every day. On this day, corporate engagement moved beyond a service project and became a shared investment in place. 

A New Chapter at Colonial Farms 

With the addition of Powell Gardens Colonial Farms in Blue Springs, MO, opportunities for businesses and other organizations are expanding in meaningful ways. This new campus creates space for even more immersive, hands-on corporate experiences.  

Wide-open fields. Working orchards. A setting that pulls teams out of their day-to-day routines and into something more grounded. 

It also opens the door to a deeper impact. Businesses are invited to support education programs, contribute to workforce development, and help shape a working farm and learning campus that will serve students, families, and visitors. 

That kind of involvement was on display during the grand opening weekend of Powell Gardens’ Colonial Farms earlier this year, where partners like Hoerr Schaudt stepped in as a sponsor, helping bring the moment to life. It is a reflection of what these partnerships can look like at their best: aligned, practical, and invested in something long-term. 

Learn More About Colonial Farms 

Partnerships That Grow Over Time 

The strongest corporate relationships do not stop with a single touchpoint. They build. 

Some companies begin with volunteer days. Others support large-scale festivals and exhibitions. Many do both, finding ways to stay involved throughout the year. These partnerships may look different on the surface, but they share a common thread. Each partnership helps turn ideas into experiences people remember. 

• Evergy’s support of the Evergy Festival of Lights has helped shape a winter tradition that welcomes tens of thousands of visitors to the Gardens each year. 

• Hawkins Design Build has stepped forward as the presenting sponsor of the 2026 summer exhibition, Dragons and Fantastic Beasts, taking a more integrated, experience-driven approach that reflects how they design and build in the real world. 

• First National Bank of Omaha is serving as presenting sponsor of Festival of Butterflies, supporting one of Powell Gardens’ signature experiences and helping connect guests of all ages to the natural world. 

Together, these partnerships show what is possible when businesses move beyond visibility and become part of the experience itself. 

Investing in People, Inside and Outside the Workplace 

More companies are recognizing that time in nature is not a luxury. It is essential. 

It strengthens teams. It creates space to reset. It brings people together in a way that carries back into the workplace. 

Through business memberships and partnership opportunities, companies can extend that experience beyond a single day. They can offer employees and clients access to the Gardens, create opportunities to gather in a setting that feels intentional, and build a lasting connection to a place that serves the entire region. 

It becomes part of your culture, not just something you schedule once a year. 

Every Business Has a Place Here 

Not every company engages in the same way, and that is exactly the point. 

Some start with a volunteer day. Others sponsor programs or events. Some bring ideas, expertise, or in-kind support. Many do a little bit of everything over time. 

Whether you are a small team looking for a meaningful way to give back or a larger organization thinking about long-term community impact, there is a place for you at Powell Gardens. 

Let’s Build Something Together 

If your organization is looking for meaningful ways to engage employees, connect with clients, and invest in the community, Powell Gardens offers opportunities that are flexible, visible, and rooted in purpose. 

Reach out to our team at development@powellgardens.org to start the conversation. 

Because the most impactful partnerships do not start with a transaction. They start with showing up. 

Learn More About Corporate Involvement at Powell Gardens