Primary logo | American Floral Endowment (AFE)
As the year wraps up, the American Floral Endowment (AFE) is celebrating its industry accomplishments. Thanks to donors, AFE has made great strides in strengthening the floral community.
American Floral Endowment 2024 Highlights:
- More than $923,000 in funding designated for floriculture research, internships, scholarships, education, and resources.
- 46 students awarded scholarships to help build the next generation of floriculture and horticulture professionals.
- 22 university research projects funded to address industry challenges. This year, the Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation joined with AFE to amplify floriculture research advancements.
- 10 interns placed at floral businesses nationwide through the Vic & Margaret Ball and Mosmiller Internship programs.
- The Sustainabloom program launched through a new website providing education with guides, industry spotlights, news, and resources on sustainability within the floral industry.
- 19 organizations awarded educational grants supporting continued education and new programs for the industry.
- 15 free educational and training webinars, presented by expert industry leaders and researchers, to provide growers with innovative solutions and retailers with consumer marketing insights.
- 25 new members joined AFE’s Young Professionals Council (YPC), fostering networking and professional growth for emerging leaders.
2024 highlights graphic | American Floral Endowment (AFE)
These accomplishments also highlight the growing demand for the American Floral Endowment’s support. Each year, dozens of deserving students — the next generation of floral industry leaders — are left without the financial assistance they need. At the same time, critical research and educational grants addressing important industry challenges go unfunded. As the overall cost of conducting research and the cost of education continues to rise, it’s critical that the resources needed to meet these growing demands and support the future of the industry are made available.
