AIFD Foundation

The AIFD Foundation awarded over $83,000 in Grants and Scholarships in 2026! Are you looking to add to your Lifetime of Learning in 2027? Applications are open, leading to countless opportunities! Let us help YOU strengthen your pathway to continued success! aifdfoundation.org/scholarship-applications

With 28 students representing 6 schools in the 2025 SAIFD Competition, Sofia Patnode was named Designer of the Year and the Overall SAIFD Competition Winner in Palm Springs, California, during the Reflection Symposium.

The AIFD Foundation annually awards the PFDE Scholarship, up to $3,000, to the SAIFD Competition Overall Winner. The recipient has 3 years to enroll in PFDE with help to offset travel expenses. Congratulations to the Allen Shackelford AIFD Endowed Fund Recipient, Sofia Patnode! A California Polytechnic State University student, Patnode will bring her best to PFDE in Orlando in 2026. Sofia, we wish you all the best and continued success!

Exceptional talent, innovative style and a passion for flowers have established Deborah De La Flor AIFD, CFD, PFCI as a world-renowned floral designer. For over thirty years, De La Flor has traveled the globe sharing her love of the floral industry and top-tier experience through countless design presentations, seminars, competitions and floral commentary. Her ability to anticipate and influence floral trends has led her to consult for some of the biggest names in the floral industry. Her vast knowledge, down-to-earth approach to design and enthusiastic spirit make her a sought-after presenter.

Her career in floristry began forty-six years ago. In 1986, her first shop opened, leading the way to a career that has been glorious! De La Flor is a past President of the Florida State Florists’ Association. She and her husband, Gus, are the founders of Gateway to the America’s Cup. In 2022, the American Institute of Floral Designers presented De La Flor the Award of Distinguished Service to the Floral Industry.

The AIFD Foundation Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that the Deborah De La Flor AIFD Fund has been established within the AIFD Foundation, in recognition of her tireless dedication to the floral industry. We invite you to contribute to endow this fund at aifdfoundation.org/DonateOnline

The American Institute of Floral Designers Foundation was established in 1979 as an independent, non-profit, 501c3 organization with endowed funds providing scholarships to floral design students and aspiring floral designers. Education that impacts the future of floral design is supported through grants from the AIFD Foundation. The funds, established within the AIFD Foundation, are permanently restricted to ensure that those honored will forever be remembered.

Michael Merritt AIFD was one of the most influential designers of his time. His artistic combinations of flowers were oftentimes styled with fruit, branches and selected foliages, transforming the simplest of botanicals into exquisite works of art. His designs were featured in Flowers& magazine. His design presentations were revered for not only his distinctive style but also for the inspiration each revealed. Retail ownership began in Modesto and later led to Carmel and a shop called Twigery where his floral art continued to inspire each and everyone who strolled past the front window to experience the beauty of his displayed creations. To contribute aifdfoundation.org/DonateOnline.