The Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation Research Fund of the American Floral Endowment has announced new projects for funding.
Under the new partnership announced earlier this year, the Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation has joined with the American Floral Endowment (AFE) as a named fund to continue the mission and legacy of the Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation. Since its inception in 1960, the Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation contributed over $7.4 million to support floriculture research initiatives.
The new Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation Research Fund (FCGFRF) committee, formed from the Foundation Board members, will continue this legacy through AFE, awarding grants for research and educational projects in floriculture and related fields at universities, colleges, and Federal research institutions in the United States. Grants are awarded to projects that demonstrate substantial industry importance, strong scientific merit, and significant outreach with results made available to the interested public.
Additionally, the FCGFRF Committee designates projects to receive New York Florists’ Club Grants. Founded in 1887, the New York Florists’ Club served the interests of floriculture through the leadership and dedication of many respected industry and academic individuals. The New York Florists’ Club Grants are a continuing tribute those who gave so generously of their time and resources to improve and enhance the future of our industry.
This year, the Committee selected the following 10 projects totaling $134.592 to receive funding:
- North Carolina State University, Dr. Brian Whipker, North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture, Dr. Kristin Hicks, and Consumer Services, University of Kentucky, Dr. W. Garrett Owen. Establishing Comprehensive Floriculture Leaf Tissue Standards. $4,400
- North Carolina State University, Dr. Brian Whipker and Patrick Veazie. Establishing Automated Diagnostic & Interpretation Tools for Floriculture Leaf Tissue Standards. $2,300
- Kansas State University, Dr. Kimberly Williams. Overwatering and Nutrient Deficiency in Spring Crops: Making Connections and Defining Parameters for Greenhouse Growers. $15,880
- Colorado State University, Dr. Chad Miller. Investigating Achimenes Propagation Protocols to Optimize and Increase Commercial Production. $12,000
- University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Mary Wildermuth and Hang Xue. Reducing Powdery Mildew Disease and its Impact on Plant Photosynthesis. $22,000
- University of Minnesota Dr. Stan Hokanson and Diana Lopez Arias. Development of DNA Markers Linked to Rose Black Spot Resistance Locus Rdr5: Towards a More Efficient Breeding for Disease. $18,396
- University of Florida, Dr. Paul Fisher and Dharti Thakulla. Ensuring Water Treatment Technologies Are Compatible with Beneficial Microorganisms. $16,914
- North Carolina State University, Dr. Brian Jackson. Aging Wood Fiber Substrates to Alleviate Phytotoxicity. $10,100
- National Floriculture Forum. Supporting Graduate Student Participation. $6,000.
New York Florists’ Club Grants
- Cornell University, Dr. Mark Bridgen. Using In Vitro Techniques to Generate Double-Flowered Impatiens Plants that Are Resistant to Impatiens Downy Mildew. $11,602
- University of Tennessee, Dr. Kelly Walters. Ethylene Pre-Germination Treatments: A New Technique To Improve Plug Quality and Stress Tolerance. $15,000
To learn more about the Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation Research Fund of the American Floral Endowment, visit endowment.org/gloeckner. Applications for 2025 FCGFRF funding are due on April 1, 2025.
About the American Floral Endowment:
The American Floral Endowment (AFE) is the trusted source and catalyst for floriculture advancement through funding innovative research, scholarships, internships, and educational grants that best serve the dynamic needs and demographics of all industry sectors.