Ohio Association of Garden Clubs - The OAGC Foundation

The mission of the OAGC Foundation, Inc. is to promote the appreciation of nature and the environment in the State of Ohio by providing scholarships to horticulture students and grants supporting nature education, conservation and beautification.

The OAGC Foundation

The OAGC Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)3 public charity that was established in 1984 to help carry out educational and charitable activities of The Ohio Association of Garden Clubs, Inc. (OAGC). Click HERE to see a PowerPoint presentation of what the OAGC Foundation does. Contributors to the Foundation may designate the Fund they wish to support.

Scholarship Fund

The OAGC Foundation annually awards scholarships of an amount not less than $1000. The recipient must choose an accredited Ohio college or technical school beyond the high school level which offers courses leading to a career in the fields of horticulture, conservation, nature and beautification, landscape design, landscape contracting, commercial florist or floral arts. The applicant does not need to be a resident of the state of Ohio. The eligibility is determined solely by the scholastic ability and serious career intent of the applicant without regard to race, gender, age, creed and/or economic status. The deadline to submit the scholarship application form and all supporting documentation is March 15. The Scholarship Application Form and Instructions can be downloaded HERE.

2023 Scholarship Award Recipients

A list of previous year scholarship award recipients came be viewed HERE.

The Foundation also provides funding through grants to support educational outreach through the Educational Resource Fund. The funds through the ERF must be used for educational efforts that are no cost to the recipients. Click HERE for a Grant Application.

Monies are raised by donations from clubs, members and non-members, deferred gifts, memorial gifts, incremental gifts, special gifts, fundraisers or becoming an OAGC Foundation Patron (through a contribution of $500). Donations over $25 are tax deductible. Donations may be sent to the OAGC Foundation Treasurer and the donor may designate what Foundation Fund they wish to support. OAGC Foundation Patrons automatically become Life Members of OAGC, are recognized at annual OAGC convention, recognized in the OAGC quarterly publication, The Garden Path, and receive a subscription to The Garden Path for life. Additionally, the OAGC Foundation accepts donations to temporarily restricted funds as needs arise.

General Fund

The OAGC Foundation’s General Fund supports state awards and the OAGC Foundation’s operating expenses. The Ohio Association of Garden Clubs, Inc. bestows special awards for worthy individuals or clubs at the annual convention. A donation of $2500 or more to the OAGC Foundation allows the donor to create a named award. The OAGC Foundation also provides for 20% of the cost of printing The Garden Path.

Nature And Conservation Fund

The Nature and Conservation Fund supports projects dedicated to the environment and all its natural resources. Grants for beautification projects, as well as, projects to promote native plants, vegetable gardens in food deserts, and pollinator gardens fall under this Fund. You may apply using the Grant application.

Wahkeena State Nature Preserve Fund

Wahkeena Nature Preserve is located six miles south of Lancaster, Ohio in Fairfield County and is owned by the Ohio Historical Connection and managed by the Fairfield County Historical Parks. In 1930, Dr. Frank Warner bought a rundown hill farm and presented it to his new bride Carmen Hambleton Warner, who turned it into an oasis of beauty and named it Wahkeena. Carmen, an OAGC member, was actively interested in nature and conservation and established OAGC’s annual Nature Study Camp (renamed Nature Study Retreat). An agreement was drawn up between the Ohio Historical Society (OHS) as per Mrs. Warner’s will and OAGC. This agreement with OHS allowed for donations collected for Wahkeena by OAGC to be given to OHS. OHS would invest and administer the OAGC Wahkeena Fund for use for educational purposes.

Recently, a new agreement was arranged for site management between the Ohio History Connection (formerly known as OHS), the Fairfield County Historical Parks and the OAGC Foundation. The preserve is open to the general public. An on-site curator is available to answer questions and give tours.

The Sarah Budnick Memorial Transportation Fund (also known as Sarah's Kids) was created following the passing of OAGC state past president Sarah Budnick to help fund school field trips to Wahkeena. Additionally, contributions can be made to the Wahkeena Bird and Animal Feed Fund, used for wild birds, and resident reptiles and educational birds.

The Nature Study Retreat Junior Camper Scholarships

This fund was established in 2009. Any junior (under the age of 18) attending Nature Study Retreat for the first time may apply for scholarship assistance by contacting the state OAGC Nature Study Retreat chair who will forward the request to the OAGC Foundation Development Director.

Student Flower Show Judge Grant

This grant was established in 2018. Any individual completing the training provided by The Ohio Association of Garden Clubs, Inc. (OAGC) to become an OAGC accredited flower show judge may apply for this grant. After successfully passing all schools and their student judging, the new judge may submit the grant application to be reimbursed for the registration fee for up to six of the schools. The application must be submitted to the OAGC Foundation Development Director within 6 months of receiving the OAGC Flower Show Judge Accreditation. The grant application form can be found HERE.

Foundation Patrons

Marge Aldridge

Joy Baumgard

Louise Bennett

Mary Ellen Birch

Janet Bolin

Carl Budnick

Sarah Budnick

Mrs. Dorsey Bumgarner

Anna Cardenas

Peggy Case

Brenda Covert

Shelia Curtis

Mrs. Thomas Dallas

Sherrill Day

Mrs. J. B. Didrick

Patricia Drummond

Joni Duncan

Mrs. Cameron Dungan

Mr. & Mrs. Charles Earhart

Nadine Elder

Hazel Engeman

Marilyn Fies

Lucy Fogg

Dr. Clara May Frederick

Joyce Fuerst

Irmalee Gamp

Jo Ann Graham

Pauline Graham

Doris Hager

Jan Harmon

Janice Hartman

Aury Holt

Paula Huffman

Josephine Hune

Tia Huston

Jane Klein

Emma Krinke

Katherine Krinke

Faye Collins-McGinnis

Nancy Marthey

Mary Lee Minor

Grace Ray Moon

Paula Mowrey

Maxine Munn

Margaret Murrey

Beverly Norman

Frances Ohrman

Michele Oliver

Kate Pond

Mrs. Albert C. Pool

Vicky Puster

Mrs. W. Paul Reed

Anita Roller

Babs Sabick

Dorothy Sayre

Doris Schuster

Mrs. Frank Sheffer

Mary Jane Shedenhelm

Tom Shisler

Pat Tavenner

Mrs. Kenneth Thomas

Susan Thomas

Charlene Thornhill

Barbara Treaster

Ruth Waller

Jean Walton

Sharon Ware

Barbara Warner

Patricia Wilson

Sonia Wolfe

Rosa Wollenhaupt

Maureen Wooten

Diana Yanick

Board Of Trustees

The OAGC Foundation Board of Trustees is composed of the Executive Officers of The Ohio Association of Garden Clubs, Inc. and up to six past state OAGC board members. In addition to the OAGC Executive Officers, other OAGC Foundation Trustees are: