North Carolina is fortunate to have one of the nations best University based turfgrass programs at North Carolina State University (NCSU). NCSU researchers are able to address the needs of the turfgrass industry in a state that has diverse climate and soils from the mountains to the coast. There are two principle funding sources for turfgrass research in our state.

The North Carolina Turfgrass Research & Education Foundation (NCTF) is housed within the NC Agricultural Foundation, Inc. NCTF accepts both general and directed donations from associations, companies and individuals who desire to enhance educational and research programs in the turfgrass sciences. Through the Turfgrass Council, NCTF seeks annually to gather and interpret research and education priorities from all industry sectors and to encourage the focusing of donor resources on those priorities. NCTF is an endowed foundation which generates income each year that can be applied to projects.

TCNC maintains a Research Committee composed of broad industry representation. The NCTF Research Symposium, an open and interactive industry-faculty forum sponsored by TCNC, precedes the Research Committee meeting where an annual funding plan is developed.

The second turfgrass research funding source is the Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research and Education (CENTERE) at NCSU. Base funding for the CENTERE comes from a state appropriation. Researchers hope to find out more about how water quality is affected by pesticides, fertilizers and other materials used to make lawns, golf-courses, athletic fields and other turfgrass areas healthy. Scientists also plan to develop new programs to manage insects, weeds and diseases in ways that enhance the environment. NCSU maintains an industry Advisory Board to help establish research priorities for the CENTERE.

These two independent funding sources complement each other to address the critical turfgrass research needs of North Carolina.