The Dipterists Society has a Grants and Awards program designed to further education in dipterology, to stimulate collaboration, to support research activities and field work, to recognize important contributions to dipterology, and to promote scientific study and dissemination of knowledge about flies. All grants and awards are focused on furthering the purposes and goals of the organization and supporting our tax-exempt status.
We have a current open call for applications (for both Travel and Research grants), with a due date of 9 February 2026! Use the tabs above for details!
To be eligible to apply for Dipterists Society grants, you must be a member-in-good-standing, with dues up to date.
Following are types of grants and awards the Society will be providing:
- Travel grants: for dipterists to attend scientific meetings or educational opportunities such as identification workshops and field courses.
- Research grants: for dipterists to address research questions by studying important specimens in insect collections, or collecting or making observations of target species or groups through lab or fieldwork.
- Merit- or accomplishment-based awards: to recognize the special achievements of an individual or individuals in service to dipterology, or to recognize particularly meritorious research products such as scientific publications. Generally, these are not based upon application, but rather upon nomination to and evaluation by the Board of Directors or an assigned committee.
Announcements of calls for applications will be made here, through the Fly Times, and through the Dipterists mailing list server.
The purpose of our grants and awards program is to further the goals of the organization and support our tax-exempt status by facilitating research and field work, enabling participation in scientific meetings to present and disseminate information to other dipterists, entomologists and the public, providing students opportunities to learn about flies, providing the means for students and non-students to perform meaningful research activities, and rewarding outstanding efforts by students and non-students in publications about Diptera and activities in dipterology. Across these purposes, a further goal is to provide for those recipients who would otherwise not have the means to perform these activities or participate in such Diptera-related events.
Historically, the first grants program of the Society was the Dipterology Fund, which ran from 1995—2010. That program was established from funds left over from the 3rd International Congress of Dipterology, held in Guelph, Ontario, Canada in 1994. Unlike subsequent congresses, the Guelph congress was managed by the organizing committee and a team of volunteers. This avoided the hefty fees of a professional congress organizer. After all the bills were paid, a surplus of over $20,000 remained. Steve Marshall (University of Guelph) proposed that these funds be used to support dipterological research, and the Dipterology Fund was born. A committee was formed and an application process was put in place. Each year up to four grants were awarded, usually to students, to a maximum of CAD $1000 each. The funds ran out in 2010 and the Dipterology Fund was dissolved.
Current call for TRAVEL grant proposals
Proposals should be submitted as a combined PDF file to grants@dipterists.org no later than 9 February 2026, with a subject line Travel grant proposal. All requested elements below making up a full proposal must be submitted for full consideration. Final decisions and notifications to successful applicants can be expected in early March 2026.
The Dipterists Society expects to be able to grant a total of US$10,000 in this round (between Research and Travel grants), with individual awards for travel grants typically not exceeding $1000 per successful applicant.
As general guidance, here is some relevant information to help you develop your proposal. If you have questions about eligible vs. ineligible expenses, please contact us at grants@dipterists.org.
Examples of eligible expenses
- travel costs
- per diem (food, lodging) for the applicant
- registration costs
Examples of ineligible expenses
- salaries
- travel costs or per diem for additional people
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Following are the elements required, to be submitted as a single combined PDF.
- Applicant information, including name, academic level, institution (if applicable), mailing address, email address, and phone number
- Itemized budget, including any expenses for which this grant funding will be used
- Budget justification, per line item
- Current Curriculum vitae
- If a student, a letter from an academic advisor, or other faculty member, confirming relevance of the proposed activity or travel
- Provide a brief account describing the benefit of the meeting or educational opportunity for the applicant (for a meeting, state proposed participation in the meeting, e.g., presenting a talk or talks, poster, running a symposium, etc.), including how funding from the Dipterists Society will help accomplish their goals for participating. [maximum 750 words]
A few things to note:
- This is a good opportunity to apply for funds to attend the next Field Meeting of the Dipterists Society!
- This grant competition does not include funding for Fly School IV. There will be a separate call for grants from among the final list of attendees.
- This grant competition does not include funding to attend ICD 11 (too far out), but note that there will be two opportunities to apply – one in the next round to be announced in Fly Times issue 76 (June 2026), and then the round to be announced in issue 77 (December 2026).
Current call for RESEARCH grant proposals
Proposals should be submitted as a combined PDF file to grants@dipterists.org no later than 9 February 2026, with a subject line Research grant proposal. All requested elements below making up a full proposal must be submitted for full consideration. Final decisions and notifications to successful applicants can be expected in early March 2026.
The Dipterists Society expects to be able to grant a total of US$10,000 in this round (between Research and Travel grants), with individual awards for research grants typically not exceeding $2000 per successful applicant.
As general guidance, here is some relevant information to help you develop your proposal. If you have questions about eligible vs. ineligible expenses, please contact us at grants@dipterists.org.
Examples of eligible expenses
- travel costs
- per diem (food, lodging) for the applicant
- bench fees
- purchase of necessary equipment and supplies
- field work expenses
Examples of ineligible expenses
- salaries
- travel costs or per diem for additional people
- costs related to DNA sequencing (costs related to acquiring specimens for DNA work is acceptable)
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Following are the elements required, to be submitted as a single combined PDF.
- Applicant information, including name, academic level, institution (if applicable), mailing address, email address, and phone number
- Itemized budget, including any expenses for which this grant funding will be used
- Budget justification, per line item
- Current Curriculum vitae
- If a student, a letter from an academic advisor, or other faculty member, confirming relevance of the proposed activity or travel
- The following specific information:
- What are the aims of the proposed activity? [maximum 300 words]
- What is already known about the study system? [maximum 300 words]
- What is the plan of action, including schedule and approach? [maximum 300 words]
- What will be the benefit to dipterology? [maximum 300 words]
- References cited. [maximum 10]
Awards
The Society currently has only one merit-based award, the C.P. Alexander Award, established in 1994, and conceived “to recognize the greatest living North American dipterist.” As a lifetime award, this can only be held by a single dipterist at a time, currently Stephen A. Marshall.
Other merit- and accomplishment-based awards will be announced from time to time here, and through the Fly Times and the Dipterists mailing list server.
