The Climate Trust
The Climate Trust is a Portland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997 that develops and finances nature-based carbon offset projects on grasslands, forests, and post-wildfire lands across the U.S. and Canada, selling verified credits to enterprise buyers and reinvesting revenue into landowner partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Climate Trust does
The Climate Trust (TCT) is a Portland, Oregon-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997 as the nation's first carbon offset fund. The organization develops, finances, and manages nature-based carbon projects across three product lines: Grasslands Carbon Projects (conservation easements preventing conversion of rangeland to cropland), Improved Forest Management (IFM) for private and public forest owners, and Reforestation Projects targeting post-wildfire and degraded lands. Projects are validated and verified under major registries including the American Carbon Registry (ACR), Climate Action Reserve (CAR), Verra, and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), using proprietary methods for carbon credit validation, forest carbon modeling, and project boundary determination supported by GIS and remote sensing tools.
TCT serves two distinct customer sets. On the supply side, the organization partners with family ranchers, private forest owners, land trusts, Tribal nations (including Lummi, Yurok, Nez Perce, and Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation), and public/government landowners to provide upfront project financing and end-to-end project management. On the demand side, TCT sells verified voluntary carbon offsets to Fortune 500 companies, energy utilities, and local buyers through structured short- and long-term agreements, retaining 10-50% of proceeds to cover development costs while revenue-sharing with landowners over multi-year project terms (e.g., 40 years for reforestation).
The revenue model combines transaction-based take rates on carbon credit sales with grant funding from federal sources (USDA, U.S. Forest Service) and philanthropy (David and Lucile Packard Foundation). TCT also operates Climate Trust Capital Fund I, the first private-equity-style fund for carbon, and runs the five-year TRACE reforestation program (2022-2027) under a $15 million USDA grant. Since 1997, the organization reports 128 projects developed or financially supported, 12 million metric tons of CO2 emissions reduced, and over $110 million committed to or generated for projects. Geographic operations span the U.S. (American West, Southern states, Great Plains, Pacific Northwest) and, as of 2026, Nova Scotia, Canada.
The Climate Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Climate Trust
- Legal name
- The Climate Trust
- Website
- https://climatetrust.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Climate Trust is a Portland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997 that develops and finances nature-based carbon offset projects on grasslands, forests, and post-wildfire lands across the U.S. and Canada, selling verified credits to enterprise buyers and reinvesting revenue into landowner partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Climate Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Carbon Offset Development & Environmental Finance Services
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- SIC
- Forestry (800)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Project-Originated Carbon Credit Marketing & Offtake (Primary Market) (EUAGAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nature-Based Credits Trading (Forestry/REDD+, Soil Carbon, Blue Carbon) (EUAGAIAK), Timberland Carbon & Natural Capital Project Development (Offsets/REDD+) (AFAMAKAH), Carbon Offtake Structuring & Contracting (ERPA, Long-term Offtakes, Price Floors) (EUABADAE)
Keywords
Where The Climate Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Climate Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Carbon Offset Sales: The Climate Trust develops carbon offset projects (grasslands, IFM, and reforestation) and sells the resulting carbon credits on behalf of landowners. Revenue from offset sales is shared with landowners during the project term. The organization retains a portion of purchase price to cover development costs (typically between 10% and 50% of proceeds from each sale). As a nonprofit, The Climate Trust does not retain profits from carbon credit sales - proceeds are reinvested in the mission.
- Grant Funding: The organization receives federal grants such as the $15 million USDA grant for the TRACE reforestation program. These grants support large-scale reforestation and climate-smart commodity projects.
- Climate Trust Capital Fund Returns: Climate Trust Capital Fund I is a private equity model fund for carbon that began generating revenues in 2019. This was supported by a $5.5 million grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Carbon offset purchase - price varies by project and volume |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Revenue sharing model with landowners |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Climate Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Climate Trust develops nature-based carbon offset projects on grasslands, forests, and post-disturbance reforestation lands, providing upfront funding and full project lifecycle management for landowners. The organization validates, registers, and markets the resulting verified carbon credits (across registries including ACR, CAR, Verra, and CARB) and sells them directly to enterprise buyers such as Fortune 500 companies and utilities, with revenue shared back to landowners during multi-year project terms.
Product overview
The Climate Trust operates as a nonprofit carbon offset project developer offering three interconnected nature-based solutions: Grasslands Carbon Projects (conservation easements preventing conversion to cropland), Improved Forest Management (IFM) for forest owners seeking to increase carbon storage, and Reforestation Projects for post-wildfire and degraded land restoration. All projects generate verified carbon offset credits that The Climate Trust markets and sells to enterprise buyers on behalf of landowners. The portfolio spans grasslands, forests, and reforestation across the U.S. and Canada, with credits certified under major registries including ACR, CAR, Verra, and CARB.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Climate Trust Capital: A private equity model fund for carbon investments, Climate Trust Capital Fund I was launched in 2016.
- TRACE
Products and services
- Grasslands Carbon Projects Carbon offset project development for grassland conservation, helping landowners place conservation easements on ranches to protect soil carbon from conversion to cropland while allowing continued grazing operations. Targets family ranchers and grassland owners who want to generate new revenue and conserve rangelands.
- Improved Forest Management (IFM) Carbon offset projects that help forest owners adjust management practices to increase carbon storage above business-as-usual levels, generating additional revenue streams while supporting sustainable timber harvesting. Targets public and private forest owners and Tribal nations.
- Reforestation Projects Tree planting and forest restoration services for landowners impacted by wildfires or other disturbances, funding planting activities and managing 40-year carbon offset development partnerships with site-appropriate native seedlings.
- Carbon Offset Credits High-quality voluntary carbon offsets from nature-based projects spanning grasslands, forestry, and methane avoidance, sold to enterprise buyers (Fortune 500 companies, energy utilities, local buyers) with flexible short- and long-term agreements and verified under major registries.
- Improved Forest Management Canada (IFM) Canadian IFM carbon project developed with Nova Scotia Working Woodlands Trust using ACR methodology, incentivizing private landowners to protect forests from clear-cutting through Working Forest Community Easements.
Quantifiable outcome
- 128 projects developed or financially supported since 1997
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use The Climate Trust
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The Climate Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Climate Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.
- Black Girl EnvironmentalistminorPartnership in the Hazel M. Johnson Fellowship program to support environmental career development. Kaylan Soares was welcomed as the 3rd fellow through this partnership, bringing background in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Management.
- Nova Scotia Working Woodlands Trust (NSWWT)corePartnership to develop The Climate Trust's first Canadian Improved Forest Management (IFM) carbon project on privately-owned forest properties in Nova Scotia, Canada. The project uses ACR methodology and incentivizes private landowners to place Working Forest Community Easements on their forestland to protect forests from clear-cutting.
- Arbor Day CarboncorePartner in the USDA-funded TRACE program (a five-year program to demonstrate how carbon and timber values can fund tree planting and forest restoration). Arbor Day Carbon contributes expertise in tree planting and carbon market solutions for reforestation projects.
- Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance FundcorePartner in the TRACE program to support climate-vulnerable communities and small landowners in accessing carbon markets. The Climate Trust previously authored a report for the Federation of Southern Cooperatives on assessing carbon markets for Black forest landowners.
- TerraCarbon, LLCcorePartner in TRACE program contributing technical expertise in carbon project development and methodology for reforestation and forest restoration projects in wildfire-affected areas.
- Nez Perce TribecorePartner in TRACE program, working to restore forests on tribal lands in the American West and support tribal forest management goals through carbon finance.
- Confederated Tribes of the Colville ReservationcorePartner in establishing the first wildfire restoration project on CAR's Climate Forward Program, working to restore forests through the Climate Action Reserve's program.
- Montana RancherscorePartnered with Montana ranchers to form Montana's Great Plains Carbon Cooperative in 2020, assisting ranchers in accessing carbon markets as a resource to conserve their rangelands.
- The Nature ConservancyflagshipEasement holder for the Zumwalt Prairie project, receiving conservation easement to permanently protect 22,000 acres of grassland adjacent to 33,000 acres already owned by TNC. This was the first-ever use of carbon offset finance to help pay for the value of a conservation easement.
- Lightning Creek RanchflagshipOwned by the Probert family, Lightning Creek Ranch partnered with The Climate Trust to record a no-till conservation easement protecting 12,225 acres of grassland forever. The ranch continues running cattle while generating carbon credit revenue through the Zumwalt Prairie Carbon Cooperative.
- Beef NorthwestcoreRancher-owned feeding company partnering in the Zumwalt Prairie Carbon Cooperative, enabling family ranches to access carbon markets to protect grassland resources. Combined with other properties to protect 22,000 acres.
- Ducks UnlimitedcorePartnered with The Climate Trust to transact the first-ever American Carbon Registry Grassland Conservation credits in 2014, pioneering grassland carbon protocols.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Climate Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Climate Trust social profiles
Digital presenceThe Climate Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Climate Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The Climate Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Climate Trust M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Climate Trust
What does The Climate Trust do?
The Climate Trust develops nature-based carbon offset projects on grasslands, forests, and post-disturbance reforestation lands, providing upfront funding and full project lifecycle management for landowners. The organization validates, registers, and markets the resulting verified carbon credits (across registries including ACR, CAR, Verra, and CARB) and sells them directly to enterprise buyers such as Fortune 500 companies and utilities, with revenue shared back to landowners during multi-year project terms.
Is The Climate Trust a public or private company?
The Climate Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Climate Trust founded?
The Climate Trust was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Climate Trust based?
The Climate Trust is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Climate Trust make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Carbon Offset Sales are the primary driver. The others are grant Funding and climate Trust Capital Fund Returns.
Does The Climate Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Climate Trust.
What industry is The Climate Trust in?
The Climate Trust's product category is Carbon Offset Development & Environmental Finance Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAGAIAC, Project-Originated Carbon Credit Marketing & Offtake (Primary Market), with a secondary code of EUAGAIAK, Nature-Based Credits Trading (Forestry/REDD+, Soil Carbon, Blue Carbon). Its NAICS code is 1153 and its SIC code is 800.