Gloeckner Foundation Research Fund Announces Research & Educational Grants for 2025

Jennifer Zurko

The Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation Research Fund of the American Floral Endowment (AFE) has announced new projects for funding. Under the new partnership announced earlier this year, the Gloeckner Foundation has joined with AFE as a named fund to continue its mission and legacy. Since its inception in 1960, the 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.

This year, the committee selected the following 10 projects totalling $134,592 to receive funding:

■ Dr. Brian Whipker, North Carolina State University; Dr. Kristin Hicks, University of Kentucky; and Dr. W. Garrett Owen, The Ohio State University—“Establishing Comprehensive Floriculture Leaf Tissue Standards” ($4,400)

■ Dr. Brian Whipker and Patrick Veazie, North Carolina State University—“Establishing Automated Diagnostic & Interpretation Tools for Floriculture Leaf Tissue Standards” ($2,300)

■ Dr. Kimberly Williams, Kansas State University—“Overwatering and Nutrient Deficiency in Spring Crops: Making Connections and Defining Parameters for Greenhouse Growers” ($15,880)

■ Dr. Chad Miller, Colorado State University—“Investigating Achimenes Propagation Protocols to Optimize and Increase Commercial Production” ($12,000)

■ Dr. Mary Wildermuth and Hang Xue, University of California-Berkeley—“Reducing Powdery Mildew Disease and its Impact on Plant Photosynthesis” ($22,000)

■ Dr. Stan Hokanson and Diana Lopez Arias, University of Minnesota—“Development of DNA Markers Linked to Rose Black Spot Resistance Locus Rdr5: Towards a More Efficient Breeding for Disease” ($18,396)

■ Dr. Paul Fisher and Dharti Thakulla, University of Florida—“Ensuring Water Treatment Technologies Are Compatible with Beneficial Microorganisms” ($16,914)

■ Dr. Brian Jackson, North Carolina State University—“Aging Wood Fiber Substrates to Alleviate Phytotoxicity” ($10,100)

■ National Floriculture Forum—Supporting Graduate Student Participation ($6,000)

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. GT