Industry Research, Grants and Scholarships
New England Nursery Association, Inc.

Recognizing the need for systematic growth and development of the nursery industry, the New England Nursery Association, searches out opportunities to make strategic long-term investments in the nursery industry.

New England Environmental Horticulture Economic Impact Study
Our region's nurseries, garden centers, landscape businesses, lawn and tree care professionals, greenhouses and florists employ thousands of people, pay millions of dollars in taxes each year, and offer the brightest future of any sector of agriculture in New England. But exactly how big is this industry?

NENA set out to answer that question for the entire region, as well as individual New England states. With support from the six state nursery associations, the New England Grows educational fund and the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), NENA recently completed a survey of New England's environmental horticulture industry. Dr. Leonard Perry of the University of Vermont and Dr. Lois Berg Stack of the University of Maine conducted the
survey.

For the 2006 results, please visit http://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/nesurvey/index.htm

To review the findings from 2000, please visit http://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/nesurvey/index99.htm

The Horticultural Research Institute has four scholarships available to students studying horticulture, landscaping and other related nursery industry studies.  Each year we offer awards from $1,000 to $2,500 or more.   Their scholarship website is: http://www.anla.org/research/scholarships/index.htm.

NENA Research Grant - Horticultural Research Institute
In 1993, NENA initiated contact with the Horticultural Research Institute (the research arm of the American Nursery and Landscape Association) to investigate endowment of a research grant that would directly benefit its membership and support the regional nursery industry. The result is the New England Nursery Association Research Grant at HRI.

Funded at an initial pledge of twenty thousand dollars, the endowment has now grown to the $100,000 level. The endowment has been earmarked to:
    1. Stimulate and fund research into plant materials, problems, and opportunities specific to the New England region.
    2. Publish and promote the results of plant, marketing and management research.
    3. Assist members in the practical application of research results.
For more information about HRI contact HRI, at (202) 789-2900 or www.anla.org

Bigelow Scholarship
A scholarship to help support qualified college students is offered through the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI). The Timothy Bigelow Scholarship awards $2,500.00 annual scholarships to full time horticulture students who are residents of New England and are enrolled in a horticulture or related program.

The Bigelow Scholarship was created by family members as a memorial to the late Palmer “Bill” Bigelow and Timothy Bigelow. The family noted when they announced the establishment of the HRI scholarship fund that student
scholarship is, "the most important commitment the horticulture industry can make" to ensure the growth and development of the nursery industry.” 14. Change the contact info for the Bigelow Scholarship to say “For more information and an application form, contact HRI at (202) 789-2900 or www.anla.org
For more information, and an application form, contact Abby Ruden, Director of HRI, at (202) 789-2900.

New England Consumer Gardening Survey
 NENA awarded Dr. Mark Brand of the University of Connecticut a large grant to develop, implement and analyze a survey that would give our industry an idea of current and future consumer needs in the nursery and landscape industry.

The survey was mailed to 2900 households in the six New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont). Sent out in the spring of 1997, the results were compiled in January of 1998. The NENA consumer gardening survey is the first of its kind every done in New England.

788 responses were received, for a 27% return rate. Of those respondents, 72% resided in Southern New England (Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts). 73% of the respondents owned homes with a median value of $151,000.

The NENA board of directors worked with a public relations consultant to develop a synopsis of the survey results that members can use to improve the way they operate and market their businesses.

The survey report contains valuable information gleaned from the results of the consumer survey along with industry interviews, publications and internet research. Topics covered in the report include:

    • Survey Review and Analysis
    • Consumer Shopping Trends
    • Plant Selection & Display
    • Consumer Information Sources/Signage
    • Merchandising Techniques
    • Advertising
    • Sales Techniques
The New England Consumer Gardening Survey Report was published in August 1998 and is available exclusively to the members of NENA.
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