Welcome to AFE’s Online Educational Grants Platform!

Please take a moment to review the information below before completing your application.

Note: You may work on your application as often as needed by saving your work, but do not hit the final submit button until you’ve completed your application in its entirety and uploaded all requested documents.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

The American Floral Endowment (AFE) educational grant practices have been established in accordance with the organization’s mission statement. The American Floral Endowment is a nonprofit corporation that raises and prudently invests its funds to support research, education, scholarships, and internship programs to benefit the floriculture industry.

This program does make loans and does not normally provide grants for: any religious purpose or for capital facilities, equipment, motion pictures, or television and radio programs, unless they are an integral phase of a project being funded.

The Endowment encourages any submission for grant funding of well-developed educational project. Preference is given to programs benefitting a broad geographical area or far-reaching programs. Multi-year projects are encouraged.

WHO CAN APPLY

Any community-based organization with a program targeting the floriculture industry within the United States may apply. Preference is given to floriculture programs that are national in scope and identify or improve educational opportunities for young people.

AMOUNT OF GRANTS

Grants are reviewed on an annual basis, and funding is dependent on the amount of funds available. The Endowment directs its support to activities that are within its current interests and those that are likely to have a wide-reaching effect. Support is not normally given for routine operating costs. Grants normally range from $500-$10,000. AFE's Educational Grants are intended to supplement new and existing programs and events that support education for a broad audience of industry members. It is expected that programs also have other revenue sources beyond the grant to fully cover the costs of the program/event.

APPLICATION AND REVIEW PROCESS

The American Floral Endowment’s Education Committee will review all proposals annually and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees. The Application for Educational Funding must be fully completed, signed, and submitted by June 1 each year.

• Any project funded by the Endowment will require the organization to submit a final report or article at the conclusion of the program. The report/article should include: a summary of the program, a summary of the results/outcomes, a summary of how the Endowment’s funds were utilized, and any future plans to continue the program.
• Applicants will be notified of the Endowment’s decision no later than September 1. Funds will be disbursed 60-90 days prior to the project date, unless otherwise arranged.
• All multi-year projects are reviewed annually and are subject to the availability of funds.

CURRENT AREAS OF INTEREST – EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

Since its inception, the American Floral Endowment has funded over $3 million in educational
programs. On an annual and ongoing basis, the Endowment supports programs that promote
education throughout the floriculture industry. The majority of these programs are national in scope,
focused on attracting young people to the industry or educational endeavors to identify and solve
industry wide needs and/or challenges. See examples below:

• Seed your Future, National Floriculture Forum, FFA, Great Lakes Floral Expo, etc.
• Industry Conferences and Event Programs
• Training programs for Students, Faculty, or Industry

MEINDERS RETAIL FLORIST EDUCATION GRANT FUND

The Meinders Retail Florist Education Grant Fund was established in 2021 to provide
financial support for retail florist education. Established through generous contributions from longtime industry members and AFE supporters, Herman and LaDonna Meinders, this new fund supports reduced or free registration fees to floral industry events for retail florists by providing grants or scholarships to nonprofit floral industry organizations for this purpose. Grant applications focused on retail floral education will qualify for a grant under this new fund.

REQUESTS ARE REVIEWED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, WITH FUNDING DEPENDENT ON THE NUMBER OF FUNDS AVAILABLE. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE JUNE 1 OF EACH YEAR.