American Floral Endowment’s Lineup Empowers Florists to Learn, Grow, and Inspire in 2026
January 8, 2026 | 2 min to read
Continued education is vitally important to our industry, especially for small business owners and employees who rely on ongoing learning to stay inspired and competitive. To help make these opportunities accessible, we administer several grant programs designed to support retail florists as they travel to industry events, conferences, and workshops: places where they can build new skills, strengthen their businesses, and spark their creativity.
This year, five individuals were selected to receive support through three of our travel education grant funds: the Retail Florist’s Continued Education Grant, the Ken and Jean Royer Family Fund – Retail Florist Education Travel Grant, and the Arizona Retail Floral Travel Education Grant. These grants were each established to expand educational access for brick-and-mortar retail florists, whether by assisting first-time attendees, supporting continued learning in specific regions, or helping florists nationwide pursue hands-on training and professional development.
Congratulations to this year’s recipients: Emilie Richardson, Matha Whitney Butler AIFD, Lorna Cooper AzMF, Christina Ignatius AIFD, EMC, PFCI, AzMF, and Annette Peck, and celebrate the meaningful experiences these grants helped make possible. Read on to learn how they used their opportunities to grow and bring fresh ideas back to their businesses!
Don’t miss the next application deadline: October 1, 2026.
To learn more, please visit AFE.