The Xerces Society

What The Xerces Society does

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1971 by Robert Michael Pyle and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with staff located across 16 U.S. states. Its mission is to protect the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats, organized around three program areas: pollinator conservation, endangered species conservation, and reducing pesticide use and impacts. The organization operates community science platforms including Bumble Bee Atlas, Bumble Bee Watch, Firefly Atlas, Western Monarch Count, and the Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper, which engage thousands of volunteers in standardized species monitoring across North America.

The organization delivers a diversified portfolio of programs and resources: the Pollinator Habitat Kit Program (free native plant kits distributed to qualifying partners, with 614,000+ plants planted across 2,500+ projects since 2019); Bee Better Certified (the first pollinator-focused farm and food product eco-label, launched 2017, distributed through Costco, Walmart, Trader Joe's, and Kroger); Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA (over 450 affiliated municipalities and institutions); Wings Magazine (biannual publication); a searchable publications library of science-based guidelines and fact sheets; the X Kids educational activity book; the Bug Banter podcast; and student research awards (Joan Mosenthal DeWind Award and the new Deborah BanDrosky Award introduced in 2026). It also provides technical services including monitoring, trainings, and conservation planning for government agencies, tribes, research universities, and nonprofits.

Revenue is generated through individual donations and memberships, corporate partnerships and sponsorships (including Bee Better Certified licensing fees and supply-chain sustainability programs), foundation and government grants, technical consulting services, and publication/merchandise sales through the online gift center. The organization maintains Charity Navigator's four-star rating, Candid's Platinum Seal of Transparency, BBB Accreditation, and is an EarthShare member and 1% for the Planet nonprofit partner. The organization is led by Executive Director Scott Black and has a documented record of regulatory and policy outcomes, including inclusion of pollinators in the 2008 Farm Bill, ESA protections for the rusty patched bumble bee, Franklin's bumble bee, island marble butterfly, and Salt Creek tiger beetle, and state-level pesticide restrictions in Connecticut and Vermont.

Name

The Xerces Society

Legal name

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

Website

https://xerces.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit founded in 1971 that protects invertebrates and their habitats through pollinator and endangered species conservation programs, pesticide reduction advocacy, community science platforms, and the Bee Better Certified eco-label.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG), Threatened & Endangered Species (TES) / Protected Species Surveys & Compliance (EUAHAHAD)

Keywords

• Invertebrate conservation
• Pollinator protection
• Endangered species
• Habitat restoration
• Community science

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Memberships: Individual donors support the organization through one-time donations and annual memberships. Members receive the biannual publication Wings as well as updates on the latest invertebrate conservation news.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Business partnerships include corporate supporter programs, habitat collaboration projects, supply chain sustainability programs, and Bee Better Certified licensing fees. Partners include food companies, brands, and businesses supporting pollinator conservation.
3. Technical Services and Consulting: Xerces provides technical expertise to public and private sector clients including government agencies, tribes, regional governments, research universities, and nonprofits. Services include monitoring, trainings, and conservation planning.
4. Publications and Gift Center Sales: Sales of science-based publications, books, pollinator habitat garden signs, and merchandise through the online gift center.
5. Foundation and Government Grants: Grant funding from foundations and government agencies to support conservation programs, research, and advocacy initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is a science-based international nonprofit organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. It delivers its mission through three key program areas—pollinator conservation, endangered species conservation, and reducing pesticide use and impacts—via community science programs, certification programs (Bee Better Certified, Bee City USA/Bee Campus USA), the Pollinator Habitat Kit Program, technical services to public and private clients, scientific publications, and policy advocacy.

Product overview

The Xerces Society is a nonprofit conservation organization offering a diverse portfolio of community science programs, educational resources, certification programs, and publications focused on invertebrate conservation. Their core offerings include community science platforms (Bumble Bee Atlas, Firefly Atlas, Western Monarch Count, Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper), conservation certification programs (Bee Better Certified, Bee City USA/Bee Campus USA), the Pollinator Habitat Kit Program distributing free native plants, Wings Magazine (biannual publication), and educational materials including the X Kids activity program. These products work together to engage the public in invertebrate conservation through data collection, habitat creation, certification, education, and advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bee Better Certified: A pollinator-focused farm and food product eco-label launched in 2017, independently verified by a third-party certifying agency. The seal appears on food products in major retailers nationwide.
• Bumble Bee Atlas
• Bee City USA / Bee Campus USA
• Western Monarch Count
• Wings Magazine
• X Kids
• Pollinator Habitat Kit Program
• Bug Banter Podcast

Products and services

• Wings Magazine

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million acres of monarch butterfly habitat restored or created through advocacy
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Center for Biological DiversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on legal action against federal agencies for pollinator protection, including lawsuits against USDA's pesticide spraying programs on western rangelands and Endangered Species Act protection efforts.
• World Wildlife Fund-MexicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual census partnership for monarch butterfly population monitoring in central Mexico, releasing population data annually.
• US Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative surveys to document distribution, phenology, life history, and abundance of rare and imperiled insect species. Xerces staff conducts field research and provides technical expertise.
• Bureau of Land ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on species surveys and conservation planning for invertebrates across federal lands managed by BLM.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative endangered species conservation including petitioning for ESA protections for species including rusty patched bumble bee, Franklin's bumble bee, and monarch butterfly. Partnership on critical habitat designation.
• Marin Monarch Working GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on monitoring and restoring monarch butterfly habitats in California, part of ongoing conservation efforts.
• State Fish and Wildlife AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with state agencies to develop habitat management guidance, conduct species surveys, and support state wildlife action plans. Includes legislative work to secure agency authority to conserve insects.
• Food Companies and BrandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with food companies to create pollinator habitat in supply chains, including planting hedgerows and wildflower borders on farms and processing facilities. Multiple leading brands engaged in collaborative conservation efforts.
• EarthShareminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational federation supporting workplace giving programs, enabling employee giving campaigns for Xerces Society.
• 1% for the PlanetminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEnvironmental giving network connecting members with nonprofits like Xerces for donation and support.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Bee Informed Partnership: Bee Informed Partnership is a nonprofit that runs the national Bee Informed Colony Loss Survey and supports beekeeper decision-making with data and tech transfer. It is an emerging player in bee health data that complements Xerces' pollinator conservation and habitat work with managed honey bee data.
• The Honeybee Conservancy: The Honeybee Conservancy is a smaller nonprofit focused on bee conservation, hive adoption, and pollinator habitat grants. It overlaps with Xerces on pollinator-focused community engagement but at materially smaller scale and geographic reach.

Direct peers

• Center for Biological Diversity: Center for Biological Diversity is a direct advocacy peer that has jointly litigated with Xerces on pesticide spraying and ESA listings. It shares Xerces' strategy of using legal action and Endangered Species Act petitions to protect imperiled invertebrates and their habitat.
• Monarch Joint Venture: Monarch Joint Venture is a partnership of federal and state agencies, nonprofits, and researchers focused on monarch butterfly conservation. It overlaps directly with Xerces' Western Monarch Count, milkweed habitat work, and monarch ESA advocacy.
• Pollinator Partnership: Pollinator Partnership is a nonprofit dedicated exclusively to pollinator health, operating the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign and National Pollinator Week. It is the closest direct peer to Xerces' pollinator conservation mission and runs overlapping corporate and government programs.

Broad incumbents

• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): NRDC is a major environmental advocacy and litigation organization that overlaps with Xerces on pesticide regulation, ESA defense, and pollinator policy. It is a broad incumbent with much larger staff and budget but a more generalist environmental mandate.
• Defenders of Wildlife: Defenders of Wildlife is a national wildlife conservation nonprofit focused on imperiled species and habitat, overlapping with Xerces on ESA work and federal policy advocacy. It is a broader incumbent primarily known for charismatic megafauna rather than invertebrates.
• The Nature Conservancy: The Nature Conservancy is a far larger global conservation nonprofit operating across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine habitats. It is a broad incumbent with overlapping interest in pollinator and endangered-species work but a much wider portfolio than Xerces' invertebrate focus.
• World Wildlife Fund: World Wildlife Fund is a global conservation giant that co-partners with Xerces on the annual Mexico monarch census. It is a broad incumbent operating across species and ecosystems, with Xerces effectively serving as its specialist implementation partner on invertebrate and pollinator issues.
• National Wildlife Federation: National Wildlife Federation is a large U.S. conservation nonprofit with programs on pollinators, gardening for wildlife, and endangered species. It competes for similar donor mindshare and policy influence but operates at significantly larger scale and broader scope than Xerces.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/xerces_society
• YouTubeyoutube.com/xercessociety
• Facebookfacebook.com/193182577358618
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/xerces-society-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/xercessociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Xerces Society