El Fondo de la Familia Ken y Jean Royer \u2013 Subsidio de Viaje para Educaci\u00f3n de Floristas Minoristas<\/strong><\/a> is designed to facilitate ongoing education and networking at industry events, particularly for individuals who might face financial barriers to participation. Applicants must be owners, managers, or employees of traditional retail florists with a brick-and-mortar storefront and must be requesting the grant as a first-time attendee of a regional, state, or national conference or event. Founded in 2024 with a bequest from the estate of Ken and Jean Royer, the fund promotes education in the floral industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Applications are currently open for this grant, along with the Arizona Retail Florist Education Travel Grant, Bill Doran Company Wholesale Education Travel Grant, Oklahoma Florists\u2019 Education Fund, and Retail Florist\u2019s Continued Education Grant. All five have an October 1 deadline<\/strong> (more details below!).<\/p>\n\n\n For Martha Whitney Butler, AIFD, the Royer Family Grant provided the opportunity to attend the National Garden Club Flower Show School \u2013 Course 1, held March 23\u201326 in Fort Payne, Alabama. As a retail florist committed to continued education, Martha saw the course as a way to strengthen both her design knowledge and her understanding of the standards behind horticulture and floral design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The coursework covered plant identification, grooming, staging, and the elements and principles of design. Martha also participated in hands-on study and mock judging as she works toward becoming an accredited Flower Show Judge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The experience directly connects to her work at The French Potager, where she regularly gives programs for garden clubs and helps flower show exhibitors who come into her shop looking for guidance. Martha shared that becoming an accredited judge will strengthen her knowledge and allow her to provide more informed presentations and support to her customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since attending the course, the experience has already led to additional opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt really was such a great experience, and it has opened up so many doors for me. I even attended the NGC Mississippi state conference last week and exhibited my work, met lots of floral enthusiasts, and was selected to assist with the table designs for next year\u2019s state conference. This has been absolutely amazing, and I can\u2019t thank AFE enough for opening this door for me.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For Martha, the value of the grant went beyond the coursework itself. As a small business owner, stepping away from her shop requires planning, and the support allowed her to fully commit to the experience. As she shared in her report, \u201cThe impact extends far beyond the classroom. It shows up in my work, in my teaching, and in the relationships I build within my community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n Lorna Cooper of Bradys Floral used her Royer Family Travel Grant to attend the 2026 SAF Next Gen Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, an experience she described as incredibly valuable to her professional growth within the floral industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the conference, Lorna participated in educational sessions focused on professional communication and effective collaboration with coworkers, leadership, and clients. She came away with practical tools she plans to incorporate into her daily work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her involvement extended beyond the educational sessions. As part of the SAF Next Gen committee, Lorna helped begin planning for next year\u2019s conference and joined discussions about encouraging more young people to become involved in the floral industry and supporting their development as professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Throughout the conference, she also connected with growers, wholesalers, farm representatives, and fellow retail florists, gaining insight into different parts of the floral supply chain and how other shops approach their daily operations. A tour of North Carolina State University and its floriculture research facilities was another highlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cReceiving this grant allowed me the opportunity to attend the conference, expand my professional network, and continue investing in my education within the floral industry,\u201d<\/strong> Lorna shared.<\/p>\n\n\n These experiences are just two examples of how continued education can introduce florists to new ideas, connections, and opportunities. Applications are currently open for five AFE travel and continued education grants for retail and wholesale floral professionals<\/strong>, all with an October 1 deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n El Beca de Viaje para la Educaci\u00f3n de Floristas Minoristas de Arizona<\/strong><\/a> was developed for retail florists in Arizona to pursue floral industry educational or design events. The grant supports owners, managers, and employees of traditional brick-and-mortar retail florists in Arizona and helps offset the cost of attending out-of-state industry educational opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n El Beca de Viaje para Educaci\u00f3n Mayorista de Bill Doran Company<\/strong><\/a> supports continued education and professional development within the wholesale floral community. Created in 2025, the grant helps owners, managers, and employees of traditional wholesale florists, as well as professionals involved in the marketing and promotion of floral products, attend approved state, regional, national, or international industry events. One recipient is selected annually, with the grant covering half of the eligible conference registration and travel costs up to $2,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n El Fondo de la Familia Ken y Jean Royer \u2013 Subsidio de Viaje para Educaci\u00f3n de Floristas Minoristas<\/strong><\/a> supports ongoing education and networking at industry events. Applicants must be owners, managers, or employees of traditional brick-and-mortar retail florists and first-time attendees of the regional, state, or national conference or event they plan to attend. The fund was established in 2024 through a bequest from the estate of Ken and Jean Royer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/endowment.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2026-09-17-at-10.52.54-AM-799x1024.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMartha Whitney Butler, AIFD \u2013 The French Potager, LLC<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/endowment.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2026-09-17-at-10.55.16-AM-764x1024.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nLorna Cooper \u2013 Bradys Floral<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Apply by October 1<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n