Awards Supporting the Future of Lepidoptera Conservation
The Xerces Society offers annual awards to support students pursuing educational research in Lepidoptera conservation. We're investing in the future of our planet and our field by sponsoring the next generation of butterfly and moth conservationists through these grants. Award amounts are determined annually, but are a maximum of $10,000 each. The application period typically begins at the beginning of November each year.
One previous awardee studied how invasive fire ants could be affecting monarch butterflies' reproductive success.
Another recent awardee focused on how moths like this Virginia ctenucha (Ctenucha virginica) can benefit from strategies that provide resources for pollinators in urban areas.
The Xerces Society's roots are in butterfly conservation, before we expanded to invertebrates overall.
Lepidoptera conservation research can focus on any element of these important animals.
Award Timeline and Submission Deadlines
2025 awards were given to outstanding awardees from a competitive group of applicants.
The application period for 2026 awards will open in November 2025.
Submission Process and Requirements
The DeWind Awards are given to students who are engaged in studies and research leading to a university degree related to Lepidoptera conservation and who intend to continue to work in this field. Proposed research should have a clear connection to Lepidoptera conservation and must be completed within one year from receiving funds.
Applicants may be graduate or undergraduate students; however, please note that all but one awardee, to date, have been pursuing graduate research. Applications from countries outside the United States will be considered but must be written in English and international applicant work cannot involve work in the United States.
To apply, students are required to submit a written proposal describing their research question, intended methodologies, expected outcomes, and more. Detailed proposal instructions and requirements will be posted when an application period is open.
More Information
Joan Mosenthal DeWind was a pioneering member of the Xerces Society. A psychiatric social worker by profession, she was also an avid butterfly gardener and an accomplished amateur lepidopterist. Her contributions of time, organizational expertise, and financial support were essential to the early growth and success of the Xerces Society, and helped found a robust organization that continued to expand in the decades since and become a conservation leader. Joan also had a keen interest in young people, supporting what became the Young Entomologists’ Society. In Joan’s memory, Bill DeWind established this student research endowment fund. The Xerces Society administers two awards each year for research into Lepidoptera conservation.
