There’s a Need
Part of what makes the science of floriculture so unique is its wonderful and beautifully ornate results – well nurtured, quality floral products adding to carefully planned landscapes and designs. As the science evolves and studies and research direct scientists towards improved floricultural practices, everyone on the planet reaps the rewards. Growers, wholesalers, retailers, allied trade organizations and the avid gardener all benefit, and so do you. To keep the floriculture industry growing strong, research and education must evolve to meet the changing demands of the industry.
The American Floral Endowment funds critical research in the field and encourages education through scholarship programs, all of which work in tandem to keep the floricultural industry thriving. The complex and diverse structure of the industry makes it difficult for a single entity or individual to support highly comprehensive research and programs.
Through the American Floral Endowment, individuals and industry representatives are able to contribute towards funding research that will ultimately help maintain a strong, vibrant floriculture industry for the future.
“Thanks to AFE funded research on post-production handling, we have the longest lasting products available and my customers know it.”
Rod Saline, AAF
Engwall Florist & Greenhouses, Inc.
Duluth, MN
There’s a Purpose
The purpose of the American Floral Endowment is to further the advancement of education and science in the field of floriculture through funding research and studies and financing scholarships to attract talented, young students interested in floriculture. When you give a gift to the American Floral Endowment, your contribution has a purpose. The AFE funds production and post-harvest scientific research projects that provide essential knowledge for a growing and dynamic floricultural industry. This knowledge is shared among the floricultural community by helping growers cultivate better quality products, and by assisting wholesalers and retailers to improve their bottom line, thus allowing them to offer improved products to their customers at a better price. Your gift also assists the American Floral Endowment in financing scholarships to help attract and retain talented and informed professionals in the field. The health of the industry depends on its ability to maintain a quality labor pool of dedicated floriculturists.
There’s a Future
The floriculture industry is estimated at $19 billion annually and growing. It is third in the wholesale agricultural value only to corn and soybeans. Aside from the many jobs supported by the industry, it offers aesthetic products that improve quality of life and the condition and appearance of our planet. But the industry cannot be supported without the talent and education of a skilled floricultural labor force. Escalating tuition costs have encouraged the American Floral Endowment to finance scholarships for students, knowing that scholarships can make the difference in the curriculum path a student follows. The American Floral Endowment finances nearly 20 scholarship programs each year, including Vic and Margaret Ball Internship and Scholarship Fund, the Mosmiller Scholarship Fund and many other scholarships. With your gift, AFE can continue its efforts to attract and retain the best and the brightest in hopes that they will enjoy a long, satisfying career in floriculture and help sustain its future for years to come.
The Opportunity
Since its inception in 1961, the American Floral Endowment has directed millions of dollars received from gifts into research and scholarship programs. These programs have helped make significant contributions to the industry. This is your opportunity to give a gift in support of the American Floral Endowment’s efforts to encourage growth and development in the floriculture industry, a gift that will pay personal dividends for you, your family and all others who benefit from floriculture and the many beautiful things it brings to life. Fortunately, there are many ways to give and many tax and financial incentives available for each option.
You are encouraged to read further about how you can help, now and in the future.
As a not-for-profit, 501 (c)(3), the American Floral Endowment relies almost totally on the generosity of individuals. We are in a position where operational costs encompass only two percent of our overall budget, allowing us to direct nearly all of the funds we receive to research and education.
Support AFE 
