HTA and the British Ornamentals Association (BOA) are working together to operate a grant scheme for projects that benefit UK environmental horticulture production. The scheme administers £334k of funding which the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is releasing between now and March 2029. These funds come from former levy payments made by growers to the AHDB and which have been held by AHDB as reserves.
The scheme aims to release funding for projects or activities that contribute to the collective benefit of UK ornamentals growers. Under the scheme rules, funding is released through a bid process. Organisations wishing to propose the use of funds for a project or activity need to submit a proposal to the HTA and BOA for evaluation. Should either of the associations be willing to sponsor the proposal, the bid will be submitted to the AHDB for approval. Projects need to be ‘sponsored’ by one of the associations who assume liability for ensuring the bids are delivered to the time, cost, and specification set out in the bids. However, bids are not restricted to HTA or BOA members.
Funds allocated through the scheme must be used for work that provides a collective benefit to UK production rather than a benefit to one grower, organisation or a ‘closed group’ of bidders. Projects and activities which can be funded through the scheme must benefit growers in the ornamentals sector collectively, and be for any of:
- Research
- Innovation
- Development
- Dissemination (including knowledge transfer)
- Grower or stakeholder events
- Communications
- Market development (domestic or export)
Given the different needs and priorities of different types of producer in the environmental horticulture sector, BOA and HTA have agreed to ‘ring-fence’ funds for projects that benefit the different sectors of ornamentals. These splits have been determined taking into account a range of factors, including historical levy payments, current and future required contribution levels to other cross-sector schemes from these sectors, and the relative scale of the sectors. BOA and HTA encourage bids which have cross-sector applications and benefits.
| Sector of environmental horticulture production | Allocation |
| Live ornamentals plant production | £247,533 (74%) |
| Bulb production | £53,521 (16%) |
| Cut flower production | £33,450 (10%) |
| Total funds available | £334,504 |
