Barborinas Family Fund Grant Program

The Barborinas Family Fund awards grants for research focused on tree production, planting and transplanting techniques, and the improvement of tree varieties for urban conditions, with a specific focus on root science. Founded by Jim and Annie Barborinas, owners of Urban Forest Nursery in Washington's Skagit Valley, the fund aims to study processes of the nursery industry to research how to create root systems and above-ground tree structures that are planting-ready and require no additional root manipulation by installers. The research should focus on developing root systems and trees from seedling through final production that can be transferred to the landscape installation industry without requiring root-ball corrections. The grants may also support research to expand the diversity of tree species and cultivars, studying issues with hard-to-propagate trees or increasing industry acceptance of new species. For 2026, the fund prioritizes research to develop and improve plant root-ball production and development methods from seedling to final root-package, and to develop and improve root health, growth, and density to improve establishment success.