The future of Xerces funding is uncertain, and now we are looking to you, our community, for support. The federal government is reviewing our awards to determine if we can continue to receive federal funding and, in some cases, has frozen funds. We anticipate substantial cuts ahead.
Federal funding accounts for about a third of our annual budget. Without this support, we will need to end programs that help farmers and land managers protect, restore and manage landscapes for pollinators and other invertebrates, as well as some of our vital community science efforts.
This is why I am asking for your help today. Your donation has always been important for Xerces, and we are so grateful, but now with the loss of federal funds, your support is our lifeline.
The good news is that conservation happens at all levels. Xerces programs focus on landscapes, from the wildest places in North America to backyard gardens, from farms to city parks, and from natural areas to roadsides.
Xerces offers proven, holistic solutions:
- Working with academic researchers, public agencies and private landowners, we design and implement applied research projects, because we cannot protect and manage species without first understanding where they live and what they need to survive.
- Our community science efforts, including Bumble Bee Atlas and Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper, gather vital conservation information and train community members to become advocates.
- Our outreach and education efforts change attitudes toward invertebrates and provide tools so people can make positive change for these animals. We reach tens of thousands of people each year.
- We provide the tools and knowledge needed for people to take direct action. Whether it is a farmer who wants to move away from pesticides or state agencies working to protect some of the rarest insects on the planet — we are there with a helping hand.
- We are also not afraid to advocate for invertebrates. Whether it is an Endangered Species Act petition for a pollinator on the brink of extinction or promoting policies at local, state or federal levels, Xerces is there to help make the world a better place for these vital animals.
Xerces uses credible science to push for solutions. Working with partners, we have fostered the protection, restoration and improved management of tens of millions of acres across many landscapes. Your donations have been directly responsible for this success.
But we have much more work to do, and our funding is at risk. This is a critical time for all of us to step up and give what we can to protect pollinators, aquatic invertebrates, monarch butterflies, soil-dwelling beetles, and all the other small creatures that provide the foundation of life on this planet.
Thank you,
Scott Black, Director
P.S. Our funding is under threat. Now more than ever, Xerces is looking to you to keep this essential work moving forward. Please help us keep up the momentum by making a tax-deductible donation this spring.