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National Foliage Foundation, Administered by the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association

Posted by Southern Botanical, Inc. in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX on Oct 27, 2009

Southern Botanical is a member of the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA). FNGLA administers the National Foliage Foundation, one of the leading non-profit funding sources for foliage research and educational programs in the United States.

The National Foliage Foundation, administered by the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association, provides financial support for the foliage-nursery industry through scholarships for careers in horticulture or agricultural and research grants for marketing, production, pest management, distribution/transportation and enhancement of foliage plants solutions.

Created in 1987, the National Foliage Foundation (NFF) is a nonprofit corporation organized exclusively for charitable, educational and research purposes. NFF is headquartered at the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association’s (FNGLA) office in Orlando, FL. With the strong management support of FNGLA, NFF has been able to dedicate more time and resources to the mission of supporting research and education for the entire foliage industry.

The goal of NFF is to organize concentrated programs that address specific problems affecting the foliage industry. With sufficient funding from a large base of contributors, the board’s efforts will attract the most skilled researchers, dedicated educators and promising students. National Foliage strives to enhance the foliage industry.

Research
One of the primary objectives of the National Foliage Foundation (NFF) is to fund research projects that have potential for enhancing development of the foliage industry and increasing enjoyment of plants used indoors. The use of funds set aside for this purpose is the responsibility of the Board of Directors. All research proposals pertaining to foliage plant production or utilization will be considered for funding. The Foundation desires to fund research projects in areas of production, distribution, marketing and utilization of foliage plants.

Production focuses on methods to improve plant quality and longevity, as well as development of greater diversity of products Distribution focuses on the development of better shipping and storage methods that will preserve plant quality and longevity. Marketing focuses on the better understanding of purchasing motivation of consumers and methods of increasing demand for foliage products. Utilization includes finding new ways to improve plant longevity indoors, maintain quality and provide care that’s not in conflict with environmental standards.

Industry Support
Since its inception in 1987, with the support of dedicated industry members, NFF has continued to grow and provide answers to questions through research and education. With a conservative approach taken by the NFF Board of Directors, the portfolio value of $1.7 million fund has weathered an ever-fluctuating financial market and changing market influences. Due to careful planning, foliage members are reaping the rewards of the board’s stewardship. Continue industry support is the key to the foundation’s success.

Scholarship Program
The NFF scholarship arm of the foundation focuses on training future leaders of the industry. NFF supports educational programs that will attract young people to the nursery and landscape industry so that they will become a part of the solution to future industry challenges. This generous gift launched an effort to provide career paths for qualified students who were in financial need. Since then other contributors have seen the same need for providing scholarships. A general scholarship fund has been created to allow graduate students, out-of-state and non-traditional students the opportunity to apply for a scholarship.