To advance the floriculture industry by funding innovative research, scholarships, internships, and educational grants that serve all industry sectors.
American Floral Endowment centers its grantmaking on floriculture advancement, with a mix of research support, scholarships, internships, and educational grants that serve the industry’s production, training, and technical needs. A major part of that work is project-based research funding: recent awards include $208,186 to North Carolina State University for research grants and $198,865 to Clemson University for continuing research, research projects, education grants, and work on thrips and botrytis. The foundation also supports the pipeline into the field through paid internships and scholarship programs for students in floriculture and horticulture. Another part of its portfolio reaches organizations and institutions running educational programs, floral design programs, and professional development efforts. The recent grant record shows support for university-based research, student aid, and industry education rather than individual grants. Its active programs also include a research fund, scholarship offerings, and internship scholarships tied to commercial greenhouse and nursery training.
In applied floriculture research, the foundation supported North Carolina State University with $208,186 for research grants and Louisiana State University with $53,670 for a research grant. Pest and disease work is visible in Clemson University’s $198,865 award, which covered continuing research, research projects, education grants, and thrips and botrytis, as well as a $37,500 grant to the University of Florida for continuing research and education grants. The endowment also backs sustainability-oriented work: North Carolina State University received $185,268 for continuing research, research projects, education grants, and a sustainability initiative expense. On the education side, Mississippi State University received $13,000 for education grants and scholarship grants, showing that the foundation supports both technical research and training pathways.
Typical grant size sits at $22,000 at the 25th percentile, $47,086 at the median, and $89,027 at the 75th percentile. The recent record includes repeat awards to several universities across multiple years, including North Carolina State University, Clemson University, Ohio State University, University of Vermont, University of Florida, and Mississippi State University, which points to continuing support as well as new project funding. The foundation is a grantmaking endowment rather than an operating charity that funds individuals directly, and its active programs include annual scholarships, internships, and research funds. Several programs accept unsolicited applications, including the Gus Poesch Research Fund and scholarship and internship offerings.
$676K
$25.3M
$1.7M
$2M
Most grants fall between $22K and $89K, with a median of $47K.
25th Percentile
$22K
Median
$47K
75th Percentile
$89K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in FL.
DEBRA CHEDESTER
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Grant activity is national, with all recent grants in the United States. The top state by grant count is Mississippi, while Virginia accounts for 0% of grants. Recent awards landed in a wide set of research and education hubs, including Raleigh, Clemson, Columbus, Athens, Baton Rouge, Burlington, Davis, Gainesville, Newark, Arlington, and Mississippi State. The pattern is concentrated in university and college recipients rather than local community groups.
Its funding centers on floriculture research, pest and disease management, sustainable production practices, scholarships, paid internships, and educational grants. Recent awards include research support for universities, education grants for organizations and institutions, and scholarship funding for students pursuing floriculture or horticulture careers.
The typical grant size is $22,000 at the 25th percentile, $47,086 at the median, and $89,027 at the 75th percentile. The recent grant list also includes smaller scholarship and internship awards through active programs that range from $500 to $6,000.
Yes. The recent grant record includes repeated awards to North Carolina State University, Clemson University, Ohio State University, University of Vermont, University of Florida, and Mississippi State University across 2023 and 2025, showing continued support for some recipients and research lines.
It funds annual scholarships and paid internships in floriculture and horticulture. Active programs include the Vic & Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program, which places students in commercial greenhouses or nurseries for 3, 4, or 6 months, and scholarship programs that award between $500 and $5,000.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY | RALEIGH, NC | $208,186 | 2025 | research grants |
| MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY | EAST LANDING, MI | $119,199 | 2025 | research grants |
| Ohio State University | Columbus, OH | $89,027 | 2025 | PPR New Research, research projects, education grants |
| Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge, LA | $53,670 | 2025 | research grant |
| UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT | BURLINGTON, VT | $52,177 | 2025 | research grants |
| UC Davis | Davis, CA | $47,086 | 2025 | research grant |
| CLEMSON UNIVERSITY | CLEMSON, SC | $46,665 | 2025 | PPR Continuing Research, research projects, education grants, and Thrips and Botyrtis |
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | GAINSVILLE, FL | $37,500 | 2025 | PPR continuing research and education grants |
| Mississippi State University | Mississippi State, MS | $15,490 | 2025 | research grants |
| KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE | MALTA, IL | $6,750 | 2025 | research grants, education grants |
| CLEMSON UNIVERSITY | CLEMSON, SC | $198,865 | 2023 | PPR CONTINUING RESEARCH, RESEARCH PROJECTS, EDUCATION GRANTS, AND THRIPS AND BOTRYTIS |
| NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY | RALEIGH, NC | $185,268 | 2023 | PPR CONTINUING RESEARCH, JOSEPH H. HILL FOUNDATION, AND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE EXPENSE |
| OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY | COLUMBUS, OH | $103,700 | 2023 | PPR NEW RESEARCH, GUS POESCH GRANT, RESEARCH PROJECTS, AND EDUCATION GRANTS |
| UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA | ATHENS, GA | $70,475 | 2023 | PPR NEW RESEARCH AND PPR CONTINUING RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT | BURLINGTON, VT | $53,123 | 2023 | RESEARCH PROJECTS |
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | GAINESVILLE, FL | $37,500 | 2023 | PPR CONTINUING RESEARCH AND EDUCATION GRANTS |
| UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE | NEWARK, DE | $33,812 | 2023 | PPR CONTINUING RESEARCH |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON | ARLINGTON, TX | $22,000 | 2023 | PPR NEW RESEARCH |
| MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY | MISSISSIPPI STATE, MS | $13,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION GRANTS AND PHILLIP SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS |
| TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | COLLEGE STATION, TX | $7,000 | 2023 | PHILLIP SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS |
| KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE | MALTA, IL | $7,000 | 2023 | PHILLIP SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS |
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
$208,186research grants
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
$119,199research grants
Ohio State University
$89,027PPR New Research, research projects, education grants
Louisiana State University
$53,670research grant
UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT
$52,177research grants
UC Davis
$47,086research grant
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
$46,665PPR Continuing Research, research projects, education grants, and Thrips and Botyrtis
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
$37,500PPR continuing research and education grants
Mississippi State University
$15,490research grants
KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE
$6,750research grants, education grants
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
$198,865PPR CONTINUING RESEARCH, RESEARCH PROJECTS, EDUCATION GRANTS, AND THRIPS AND BOTRYTIS
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
$185,268PPR CONTINUING RESEARCH, JOSEPH H. HILL FOUNDATION, AND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE EXPENSE
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
$103,700PPR NEW RESEARCH, GUS POESCH GRANT, RESEARCH PROJECTS, AND EDUCATION GRANTS
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
$70,475PPR NEW RESEARCH AND PPR CONTINUING RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT
$53,123RESEARCH PROJECTS
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
$37,500PPR CONTINUING RESEARCH AND EDUCATION GRANTS
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
$33,812PPR CONTINUING RESEARCH
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON
$22,000PPR NEW RESEARCH
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY
$13,000EDUCATION GRANTS AND PHILLIP SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
$7,000PHILLIP SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS
KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE
$7,000PHILLIP SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS
Current and upcoming funding from American Floral Endowment that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: University researchers and other qualified research applicants focused on floriculture; proposals are evaluated for industry relevance and potential benefit. No indirect or overhead costs are allowed.
Deadline: August 1 annually
Who can apply: Research projects should align with the fund's purpose and AFE's research priorities.
Deadline: Applications are due no later than August 1 of each year.
Who can apply: Recipients selected from submitted AFE research proposals based on topic and relevance; no separate application.
Deadline: Aligned with AFE research deadline: August 1 annually
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