Garden Scholar Awards
A Garden Scholar Award package includes waived event registration and a stipend to cover hotel/travel/incidental costs for attending a regional symposium ($750) or the Annual Conference ($1,500).
Please contact our Development team to support the Garden Scholars program!
Applications Closed
Education Symposium | August 18-20, 2026
Application Deadline: September 1
Design & Planning, Historic Landscapes, and IDEA Joint Symposium | October 2026
Fellowship Opportunities
Garden Club of America Hope Goddard Iselin Fellowship Award
The 2026 Application cycle is open from September 1, 2025 to February 1, 2026.
A fellowship/grant opportunity offered in partnership with the Garden Club of America. The Garden Club of America Hope Goddard Iselin Fellowship in Public Horticulture will award up to a $5,000 grant to a student enrolled in a graduate-level university program to study public horticulture through experiential learning that takes place at a recognized public garden, botanic garden, arboretum, or other closely aligned public horticulture institution in the United States.
The 2026 Application cycle is open until February 1, 2026. Application window closed.
Garden Scholar TESTIMONIALS
Trey Ramsey
Outreach and Inclusion Manager at Ithaca Children’s Garden
“Without the Garden Scholars Program, I wouldn’t have been able to attend the APGA conference. Presenting at the conference gave me valuable public speaking experience, and attending sessions helped me develop new leadership skills. It’s really important to ensure diverse voices are part of these conversations.”
Alexandra Faidiga
Assistant Curator at Holden Forests & Gardens
“As someone early in my career, this scholarship was incredibly important because it enabled me to attend the annual conference. It gave me the opportunity to connect with professionals from across the country—connections I wouldn’t have made otherwise.”
Leslie Hockley
Lead Horticulturist at Toronto Botanical Garden
“Attending my first APGA conference was incredible. The scholarship was especially important to me because, as someone working at a small non-profit, the financial barrier to attending a weeklong conference was significant. Without this support, I wouldn’t have had the chance to learn from experts, discover new approaches to engaging volunteers, and develop strategies to enhance our collections and visitor experience. It has given me a renewed sense of direction and inspiration for my work.”
