IABES & Conservation

IABES & Conservation: Conservation and Research Grants

Butterfly breeders and exhibitors are dependent on healthy butterfly populations in the wild, and the conservation of butterflies and their habitats is one of the most important missions of IABES. As an organization, IABES gives its members the opportunity to support in situ conservation projects by combining forces to make a real difference in the field. A portion of IABES membership fees, complemented through special fund-raising campaigns and voluntary donations, goes directly towards conservation. The current IABES flagship conservation project is the Homerus project in Jamaica. Through the Homerus project, all IABES members participate in the conservation of the largest and probably the most threatened swallowtail of the Americas. In addition to the contribution from membership fees, several IABES member institutions carry out direct fundraising for the project.

IABES is actively seeking additional opportunities to support butterfly and habitat conservation in countries and regions involved in butterfly farming. Every year IABES awards grants to appropriate conservation and research projects around the globe.

IABES Conservation and Research Grants: Guidelines

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Support can be provided to projects that support conservation or research, including:

• Conservation projects contributing directly to the protection of wild butterflies and their habitats, with a focus on countries, regions and local communities involved in butterfly farming.
• Research and educational activities, including field research projects, publications, or participation in congresses or symposia.

Any proposed project must demonstrate knowledge of, and compliance with, any relevant national and international laws, regulations, IUCN guidelines, and reporting requirements.

APPLICATIONS

We now invite interested parties to submit applications for conservation or research projects for the funding cycle 2026.

Applications should be submitted by 3rd April 2026. Notification of proposals selected will be completed by 8th of May 2026.

All applications must be submitted using the form that is downloadable HERE. Applications that do not adhere to this format will not be considered.

The application needs to clearly indicate how the project will promote the aims, goals, and mission statement of IABES.

It should be made explicit in the application whether the subsidy will fund a new project or an activity linked to previous or ongoing projects.

A detailed budget must be provided, based on the application form. Financial support from other funding institutions (requested or confirmed) may be included in the budget, Also, if applicable, financial contributions of the applicant may be included in the budget.

Funding may be requested for a range of expenses relating to the conservation and research activities and objectives, the following stipulations and restrictions apply though:

• Personnel costs are generally not eligible
• Expenditures for any built infrastructure must be accompanied by a preliminary description of potential social and environmental risks and mitigation measures, as appropriate.
• In case of collecting expeditions subsidized by IABES any collected material at an appropriate time should be transferred to a scientific entomological museum, to be assigned already in the application.
• For subsidizing the attendance of relevant international scientific meetings (congresses and symposia) the applicant, including PhD ans MSc students, both once in the framework of their research, should give an oral presentation or poster as the first author (PhD and MSc students: presentation of final study/dissertation). Congress participation supported by IABES is expected to support or strengthen the position of the association in the international entomological world and, in particular, in the field of butterfly conservation.
  All PhD/MSc student applications must be accompanied by a letter of support of their (co-) promoter or supervisor
• IABES subsidy for congresses/symposia is subject to the following limits: the maximum for congress travel within Europe and the US amounts to US$500. For congress travel outside Europe and the US the maximum amount is US$1000.
• Grants are unable to support undergraduate or graduate enrollment and tuition costs, fines and penalties, direct business expenses of IABES members, nor any activity not compatible with the IABES Mission

Disbursement Schedule

Grants are generally disbursed on an annual basis.

Unused funds at the end of the grant period must be refunded.

Reporting & Communication

Technical and financial reports will be submitted to IABES by the dates stipulated on the funding agreement, typically due within one month upon end date/completion of the project. The support of IABES should be mentioned in each publication that may result from a funded activity.

Any public communication about a project, including but not limited to a scientific article, (poster) presentation, website article or blog, should include the logo of IABES or the unabbreviated name “International Association of Butterfly Exhibitors & Suppliers” as a subsidizing association.

The research project, Investigation of Butterfly and Plant Diversity in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Kenya & Implications for Conservation, by Maria Fungomeli, was partly funded by a grant from IABES in 2020.