Your generosity helps the Entomological Society of America (ESA) advance the science of entomology, support members, and inspire the next generation of scientists. With your gift, you can make a difference in education, research, advocacy, and community-building across the field. ESA offers a variety of funds that allow you to dedicate your financial contributions to specific program areas. Additional resources are available for those interested in planned giving or lasting legacy contributions.
ESA is proud to have earned the Silver Seal of Transparency from Candid, demonstrating our commitment to transparency and accountability in the use of your donations.
Below are the many ways you can invest in entomology’s future:
- General Contribution to ESA
- Certification ACE/BCE Program
- Chrysalis Fund
- ESA-Ramaswamy Science Advocacy Policy Fund
- McPherson Student Biodiversity Award Endowment
- Members Support Fund
- SysEB Student Research Endowment
ESA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 52-0622480). All donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Please retain your donation receipt for tax purposes.
General Fund
Your contribution to the General Fund strengthens ESA’s core mission by supporting activities and programs such as our annual meeting, publications, science communication, and awards. These gifts support ESA’s daily operations, helping to ensure ESA continues to serve the entomological community.
Your Potential Impact:
- Support an award. With a gift of at least $25, you can help us to recognize a promising early career professional’s distinguished contributions to entomology, through the Awards and Honors programs.
- Keep American Entomologist in print. A gift of at least $50 can support the production and distribution of our member magazine, American Entomologist, putting meaning into our strategic principle of sharing insect science.
- Sharing science. A gift of at least $100 can help bring an invited speaker to the Annual Meeting by offsetting a portion of their travel and participation costs.
Additional Funds
Certification ACE/BCE Program
Your donation to the Certification Fund supports the professional certification of entomologists through the Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) and Board Certified Entomologist (BCE) programs. This fund offsets operational costs in the credentialing of the ACE & BCE certification programs and helps raise professional standards in the field.
Your Potential Impact:
- Workforce development. A gift of at least $25 can help launch a student’s career by subsidizing their application costs for the BCE Intern Program.
- IPM training for PMPs. A gift of at least $50 may fund materials and administration for ACE certification, helping a pest management professional (PMP) demonstrate their expertise.
- Online training. A gift of at least $100 allows us to fund the infrastructure for ACE and BCE certification online training, giving an entomologist better visibility, opportunities, and jobs.
Chrysalis Fund
The Chrysalis Fund supports insect education efforts in classrooms, thereby helping to expand the public appreciation of insects and fostering the next generation of entomologists. Distributions from the fund are managed by ESA's Education and Outreach Committee, which chooses the grant winners each year. Teachers and educators with impactful and creative ideas for insect-themed programs or projects are encouraged to apply for funding. Please consider contributing to inspire young minds and the future generation of entomologists.
Your Potential Impact:
- Collecting nets for kids. A gift of at least $25 can spark a student’s curiosity by supporting a grant to provide essential insect science materials, such as butterfly nets, inspiring the next generation of entomologists in the classroom.
- Teach students about disease vectors. A gift of at least $50 can support grants for interactive education, such as a mosquito control card game for middle schoolers developed by the Jacksonville Mosquito Control Division, a 2025 Chrysalis Fund beneficiary.
- Microscopes in classrooms. A gift of at least $100 can support grants for purchasing specimens and other advanced supplies for students who have never explored insects up close, such as “Insects, Spiders, and other Friends” at the Columbia Gorge Museum, a 2025 Chrysalis Fund beneficiary.
ESA-Ramaswamy Science Advocacy Policy Fund
The ESA-Ramaswamy Science Advocacy Program Fund supports and grows ESA's efforts to connect entomologists with policymakers in Washington, DC. The fund was launched in 2023 by ESA Fellow (2005) and Honorary Member (2019) Sonny Ramaswamy and his wife Gita. Help amplify the voice of science in policy making and ensure that decisions affecting ESA and its members are guided by evidence and expertise.
Your Potential Impact:
- Briefing papers for lawmakers. A gift of at least $25 can help fund briefing materials and policy guides that prepare a Science Policy Fellow for meetings with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
- Get entomologists to D.C. A gift of at least $50 helps cover part of the travel costs for a Science Policy Fellow to visit Washington, D.C. and engage directly with federal policymakers.
- Teach Congress about IPM. A gift of at least $100 can help offset the costs of organizing topical briefings or members of Congress and their staff on the importance of entomological science, research, and funding.
McPherson Student Biodiversity Award Endowment
This fund supports the J. E. and Jean M. McPherson Entomology Undergraduate and Graduate Student Biodiversity Awards, which supports research in a multitude of biodiversity fields, particularly non-taxonomic studies. You can make a meaningful difference for students pursuing insect science-related degrees by supporting this fund.
Member Support Fund
Your donation to the Member Support Fund assists members who have faced a job loss as a result of disruptions from government and industry trends in 2025 by supporting ESA membership dues, allowing beneficiaries to maintain access to ESA member benefits. The Society will match each donation up to $25,000, doubling your impact and providing a potential total of $50,000 in member support. Learn more.
Your Potential Impact:
- Support a student. A gift of at least $25 may help one student maintain their ESA membership for a year, keeping them connected to entomology resources and the community.
- Support a post doc or other early career professionals. A gift of at least $50 can ensure an early career professional who has faced a recent job loss has continued access to ESA’s professional development and networking opportunities.
- Support a contributing member. A gift of at least $100 can keep a regular ESA member engaged, with your impact doubled through matching contributions.
SysEB Student Research Endowment
The SysEB Student Research Endowment is a permanent endowment that provides research-enhancement awards for graduate and undergraduate students who are members in good standing of the Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity (SysEB) Section of ESA. Awards are made annually through a competitive, proposal-based process managed by the SysEB Section leadership.