Education Partners

AIFD®’s Education Partner Membership category of membership was created to enhance AIFD’s strong commitment to education by specifically including private sector educators.

Benefits of Education Partner Membership

Benefits of Education Partner Membership:

1. The opportunity to award students AIFD®’s Nationally recognized Certified Floral Designer (CFD®) designation.
2. The use of the “AIFD® Education Partner” designation and the “AIFD® Education Partner Logo” in advertising, promotion and school certificates.
3. A listing in the AIFD® membership directory with a brief description (25 words maximum) of the school’s educational opportunities (classes offered, etc.). 
4. A listing on AIFD®’s online website directory including a link to the school web page (same description as in the membership directory). 
5. The opportunity to participate in the AIFD® National Symposium Industry Partner Showcase, providing you an opportunity to speak with AIFD® National Symposium participants about your school, and to display school information. Registration for this space and time will be available at a discounted rate. 
6.  The opportunity to award five (5) CEUs to any AIFD® member in good standing completing a training program at an Education Partner school. The training program would be a minimum of eight (8) hours classroom instruction. CEUs awarded would be limited to ten (10) in any three (3) year period.
7. Opportunity to purchase “The AIFD Guide to Floral Design : Terms, Techniques, and Traditions” at 45% bulk discount. Discount applies to minimum purchase of 6 books, and comes with free shipping within the lower 48 states. Contact Joe at Schiffer Publishing to place your order: joe@schifferbooks.com
8. AIFD National Symposium Discounts: 
9. Attendance at AIFD® National Symposium at AIFD® member rate for one Education Partner instructor who is NOT an AIFD® member.
10. Attendance at AIFD® National Symposium at discounted rate for Education Partner students who have completed at least one (1) course at the partner school in the previous or current year. Email info@aifd.org to find current discount information and how to apply.
11. The opportunity to offer individuals who achieve CFD® certification through their program a one-time $250 discount toward the PFDE, to be used in pursuit of AIFD® Accreditation. This discount must be used within three (3) years of attaining CFD® certification.To be eligible, the Education Partner through which the CFD® certification was earned must be in good standing with AIFD® at the time the discount is requested.To inquire about eligibility, please email info@aifd.org and include the year the CFD® certification was obtained and the name of the Education Partner through which it was earned.  

How To Become an AIFD Education Partner

Complete the application form.

• If a question or piece of information does not pertain to your school, respond with “not applicable”.
  Incomplete applications will not be processed.
• AIFD®’s Education Committee reviews all Education Partner membership applications and determines eligibility for membership. You will be contacted once the Education Committee has made their recommendation.

Education Partners agree to: 

• Pay the annual Education Partners membership fee.
• Offer quality floral design education and use The AIFD® Guide to Floral Design as one of your teaching tools.
• Provide the name of at least one AIFD® Certified Floral Evaluator/Judge serving in an advisory role with the program to support the evaluation of the hands-on final exam.
• Uphold AIFD®’s PFDE® Objectives provided upon approval of your application.
• Understand that the Education Partner membership category is not an endorsement or accreditation from AIFD®.

If you have questions or need more information, please contact AIFD® Headquarters at info@aifd.org.

Deadlines to Apply:
January 31 of the current year
June 30 of the current year.

List of AIFD Education Partners

View a list of all current AIFD Education Partners here.

CFD Pins: All education partners will distribute CFD pins to distribute to students upon successful completion of the exam. If you have run out of pins, please let the office know, and we can send you more.

Submission Process: The AIFD National Executive Board has replaced rolling admissions with two set application windows. Education partners must submit candidate lists to info@AIFD.org using the required spreadsheet.

The first application window will be from August 1st through December 1st. Applicants will have until December 31st to register and pay the exam fee and through January 15th to take the test. There will be a shorter spring window from March 1st through March 31st. Applicants will have until April 30th to register and pay the exam fee and through May 15th to take the test. 

Submissions received after the application window will be held until the next application window. Staff will notify any partners who submit lists after the deadline of this policy. When the next application window opens, any candidates that have been sent in since the last application window will receive the email inviting them to register for the CFD exam.