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Wildlife · Invertebrates

Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

“Protect the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats.”

12 comments to the agencies, 81 cents of every dollar to the work.

Home groundPortland, OR
Founded1971
Tax status501(c)(3)
Led byScott Hoffman Black

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The work

What they do

Pollinator and invertebrate conservation through habitat restoration, policy advocacy, and community science. Works with USFS, BLM, and FWS on habitat management.

Where the money went, FY2024

The work, and what it cost

Pollinator Conservation

$3.9M, 35% of spending

Xerces’ pollinator conservation program works across the United States to educate farmers, land managers, and the public about the importance of pollinators and other beneficial insects, and to establish habitat…

Read it as they filed it
POLLINATOR CONSERVATION: XERCES' POLLINATOR CONSERVATION PROGRAM WORKS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES TO EDUCATE FARMERS, LAND MANAGERS, AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF POLLINATORS AND OTHER BENEFICIAL INSECTS, AND TO ESTABLISH HABITAT PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT AS KEYS TO THEIR CONSERVATION. AS A LEADING VOICE IN POLLINATOR CONSERVATION, XERCES PROMOTES PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF POLLINATOR DECLINES: HABITAT LOSS, PESTICIDE USE, UNSUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES, DISEASE, AND CLIMATE CHANGE. IT DIRECTLY REACHES AGRICULTURAL PROFESSIONALS AND FARMERS AS WELL AS OTHER LAND MANAGERS THROUGH TRAININGS, WORKSHOPS, AND OTHER OUTREACH EVENTS.SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION. IN ADDITION, XERCES MANAGES THE FIRST THIRD-PARTY CERTIFIED POLLINATOR CONSERVATION PROGRAM TO HELP FARMERS PROTECT AND RESTORE HABITAT FOR POLLINATORS. AS A RESULT OF XERCES' WORK, NATIVE POLLINATORS ARE NOW A KEY PRIORITY FOR AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, AND OVER TWO MILLION ACRES OF HABITAT IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THESE VITAL INSECTS ON FARMS.

IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.

Endangered Species Conservation

$3.2M, 29% of spending

To conserve and restore the diversity of life on earth, Xerces’ endangered species conservation program engages in education, research, community science, conservation planning, and advocacy to protect at-risk species…

Including $78,172 granted onward, the largest share ($26,628) to Cal Poly Corporation.

Read it as they filed it
ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSERVATION: TO CONSERVE AND RESTORE THE DIVERSITY OF LIFE ON EARTH, XERCES' ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSERVATION PROGRAM ENGAGES IN EDUCATION, RESEARCH, COMMUNITY SCIENCE, CONSERVATION PLANNING, AND ADVOCACY TO PROTECT AT-RISK SPECIES AND THEIR HABITATS. THE PROGRAM COLLABORATES WITH SCIENTISTS AND LAND MANAGERS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF INVERTEBRATES AND TO GAIN PROTECTION FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE SPECIES BEFORE THEY DECLINE TO A LEVEL AT WHICH RECOVERY IS IMPOSSIBLE. IT ALSO WORKS WITH FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AGENCIES TO PROMOTE RESILIENT RESTORATION AND BEST PRACTICES FOR HABITAT MANAGEMENT. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION.ITS CURRENT WORK INCLUDES EFFORTS TO PROTECT BUMBLEBEES, MONARCHS AND OTHER BUTTERFLIES, FRESHWATER MUSSELS, FIREFLIES, AND OTHER INVERTEBRATES. THROUGH COMMUNITY SCIENCE PROJECTS, WHICH INCLUDE BUMBLE BEE WATCH, THE WESTERN MONARCH COUNTS, THE WESTERN MONARCH MILKWEED MAPPER, AND THE FIREFLY ATLAS, XERCES ENGAGES TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO GATHER DATA TO INFORM CONSERVATION EFFORTS.

IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.

Other Conservation

$866K, 8% of spending

Xerces undertakes a variety of other conservation activities to raise awareness and appreciation of the valuable role of invertebrates, and their role in protecting the natural world.

Including $21,000 granted onward.

Read it as they filed it
OTHER CONSERVATION: XERCES UNDERTAKES A VARIETY OF OTHER CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES TO RAISE AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF THE VALUABLE ROLE OF INVERTEBRATES, AND THEIR ROLE IN PROTECTING THE NATURAL WORLD. THESE INCLUDE THE PUBLICATION OF ITS MAGAZINE WINGS: ESSAYS ON INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION, WHICH FEATURES THE WORK OF RENOWNED WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHERS, SCIENTISTS, AND CONSERVATIONISTS. XERCES ALSO PROVIDES HUNDREDS OF PUBLICATIONS FOR FREE DOWNLOAD THROUGH ITS WEBSITE, INCLUDING GUIDELINES TO HELP FARMERS AND GARDENERS CONSERVE POLLINATORS, GUIDES TO IDENTIFYING ENDANGERED BUMBLE BEES, OTHER BENEFICIAL INSECTS AND SOIL INVERTEBRATES AND MANY MORE. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION.ANOTHER ASPECT OF THIS PROGRAM IS THE JOAN M. DEWIND AWARD, WHICH IS OPEN TO GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS. EACH YEAR, CHOSEN APPLICANTS RECEIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM XERCES FOR LEPIDOPTERA RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION PROJECTS.

IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.

Pesticide Reduction

$586K, 5% of spending

Xerces’ pesticide reduction program reduces reliance on pesticides by supporting the diverse natural systems that reduce pest problems.

Including $3,000 granted onward.

Read it as they filed it
PESTICIDE REDUCTION: XERCES' PESTICIDE REDUCTION PROGRAM REDUCES RELIANCE ON PESTICIDES BY SUPPORTING THE DIVERSE NATURAL SYSTEMS THAT REDUCE PEST PROBLEMS. IT PROVIDES SCIENTIFIC RESOURCES FOR FARMERS, RANGELAND MANAGERS, BACKYARD GARDENERS, NURSERY MANAGERS, URBAN FORESTERS AND PARK MANAGERS, FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL AGENCY STAFF, AND POLICY MAKERS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT PESTICIDE USE AND REGULATION. BY PROVIDING ON-THE-GROUND TECHNICAL SUPPORT, XERCES INCREASES THE ADOPTION OF ECOLOGICALLY SOUND PEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES EVERYWHERE. XERCES PESTICIDE REDUCTION PROGRAMS HAVE ELIMINATED AND LOWERED PESTICIDE USE ACROSS MILLIONS OF ACRES OF RANGELAND, FARMLAND AND TOWNS AND CITIES.

IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.

Follow the dollar

81 cents of every dollar goes to the work

81¢
81¢ the work8¢ keeping the lights on11¢ raising the next dollar

A good sign, not a scorecard: what matters is the extremes, and this is nowhere near one.

$9,044,006 programs, $941,981 management, $1,219,287 fundraising. Form 990, FY2024.

The people

Who does the work

104paid staff
3,288volunteers last year
7board members
Scott Hoffman BlackExecutive DirectorComp $245,031, FY2024
David VaughanPollinator & Agr. Biodiversity DirectorComp $155,621, FY2024
Sarina JepsenEndangered Species Program DirectorComp $133,760, FY2024

Honesty note: leadership comes from each year’s federal filing, so it can run a year behind. If it’s out of date, tell us. Work at Xerces? Claim this page.

Those 3,288 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If Xerces is fighting for your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.

Find your way in

The filings

14 years of filings

Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at or tap the line for any year.

$5M$10M$11.8M FY2420112024
Total revenue by fiscal year
YearRevenue
2011$1,673,579
2012$2,000,869
2013$2,491,596
2014$3,112,125
2015$3,790,699
2016$4,260,019
2017$5,255,688
2018$5,291,523
2019$6,311,044
2020$6,129,412
2021$9,633,952
2022$8,752,833
2023$10,021,676
2024$11,813,598

From $1.7M in 2011 to $11.8M in FY24, with no missed filing in 14 years. FY24 is the highest year on file.

The record

On the record with the agencies

12 comments on federal decisions since 2023, each filed under the group’s own name on regulations.gov, none yet on a decision we track. Read them on regulations.gov.

Year by year

The record, in order

  1. 1971Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is formed.the directory; the return’s own formation year is 1975
  2. 20241 comment to the Fish and Wildlife Service, under the group’s own name.regulations.gov
  3. 202510 comments, most to the Fish and Wildlife Service, under the group’s own name.regulations.gov
  4. 20261 comment to the Fish and Wildlife Service, under the group’s own name.regulations.gov

Hollow, a filing. Every row is a record we hold: 12 comments filed under its own name. Nothing here is written from memory.

Stand with Xerces

The mission is theirs. The backing is yours.

Sources and methodFinancials, headcounts, and program text: IRS Form 990, FY2024 and 13 prior filings via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, EIN 51-0175253. Leadership and compensation: Form 990 Part VII and the return’s signature block, FY2024 filing. Grantees: Schedule I, same filing. Agency comments: regulations.gov comments whose submitter organization is the group’s own name, each row linked to the comment itself. Org-reported figures are always labeled. Data verified as of 2026-09-23. Nothing on this page is pay-to-play.