Union of Concerned Scientists

What Union of Concerned Scientists does

Union of Concerned Scientists is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1969 by scientists and students concerned about the environmental and safety impacts of nuclear technology. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with additional offices in Washington DC, Berkeley, and Chicago, UCS produces independent scientific analysis and policy recommendations across six program areas: Climate, Energy, Transportation, Food, Nuclear Weapons, and Science & Democracy. The organization's portfolio includes advocacy campaigns (Science Rising, Climate Accountability, Power Ahead, Transforming Transportation, Preventing Nuclear War, Healthy Food and Farms, A Healthier Democracy), a Science Network of credentialed members, research divisions such as the Center for Science and Democracy, litigation initiatives against anti-science government actions, fellowship programs, and publications including The Equation blog.

UCS functions as a member-supported advocacy organization with revenue derived from individual donations, monthly gifts, and membership contributions; the organization discloses that 87-88% of funds flow directly to programs. It does not sell products or services and operates with a donor-supported cost structure. Distribution occurs primarily through digital channels—website, email action alerts, SMS (text SCIENCE to 67369), social media (Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, YouTube), earned media, and Spanish-language outreach—targeting a base of approximately 500,000 supporters, policymakers, and the general public.

Its go-to-market model is community-led: UCS mobilizes its supporter base through petitions, letter-writing campaigns, and coalition partnerships with peer organizations to influence federal and state policy, conduct independent scientific research, and pursue litigation against government actions it characterizes as anti-science. Strategic priorities currently emphasize climate accountability, transportation electrification, nuclear nonproliferation, sustainable agriculture, and defense of scientific integrity in public policy.

Name

Union of Concerned Scientists

Legal name

Union of Concerned Scientists

Website

https://ucsusa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Union of Concerned Scientists is a U.S. nonprofit founded in 1969 that produces independent scientific research and policy advocacy on climate, energy, transportation, food, nuclear weapons, and science integrity issues, serving roughly 500,000 supporters, policymakers, and the general public through a member-supported donation model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Donations: UCS is a member-supported nonprofit organization. The primary revenue stream comes from donations and membership contributions from supporters. The organization states that 87-88% of funds go directly to programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UCS conducts independent scientific research, policy analysis, and advocacy on climate change, clean energy, transportation, food systems, nuclear weapons, and science-and-democracy issues. It mobilizes approximately 500,000 supporters through campaigns, petitions, and litigation, and publishes reports, interactive tools, blog content, and podcasts to inform policymakers and the public. Revenue comes primarily from member donations and individual contributions, with 88% of funds directed to programs.

Product overview

Union of Concerned Scientists is a member-supported nonprofit organization that uses science-based research and advocacy to create a safer, healthier world. Rather than a commercial product suite, UCS offers a portfolio of advocacy campaigns (Science Rising, Climate Accountability, Power Ahead, Transforming Transportation, Preventing Nuclear War, Healthy Food and Farms, A Healthier Democracy), a Science Network for member participation, research divisions including the Center for Science and Democracy, tools like the Attacks on Science Tracker, publication platforms including The Equation blog, and fellowship programs (Kendall Science Fellowships, Hitz Family Climate Fellowships, Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship). These offerings work together to advance UCS's mission through research, public education, policy advocacy, and legal action.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kendall Science Fellowships: Fellowship program initiated in 2008 honoring Nobel Prize winning physicist Henry Kendall, co-founder of UCS.
• Hitz Family Climate Fellowships
• Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship

Products and services

• Kendall Science Fellowships Fellowship program bringing early-career to senior-level scientists and scholars to UCS to work on innovative projects at the intersection of science and policy. Established in 2008 in honor of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Henry Kendall, UCS co-founder and long-time chair of the board.
• Hitz Family Climate Fellowships Fellowship program supporting innovative policy-relevant research and solutions to address climate change. Established by the Hitz family to advance climate research at UCS.
• Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship Six to nine month paid fellowship focused on arms control, conflict resolution, peace, diplomacy, and international security issues, hosted in partnership with UCS.
• Attacks on Science Tracker Interactive online tool that tracks attacks on science from the second Trump administration, documenting policy impacts on scientific integrity. Accessible via the UCS website.
• Science Network Network of scientists, engineers, health professionals, and economists who support UCS's mission and participate in advocacy efforts, with opportunities to engage in campaigns and provide expert input on policy issues.

Quantifiable outcome

• Victory in lawsuit against National Parks Censorship - court ordered Trump administration to restore climate and historical information
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Western Resource AdvocatescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026UCS collaborated with Western Resource Advocates as part of a nine-month coalition effort to develop Colorado's first-in-the-US electric vehicle battery recycling policy, signed by Governor Polis. The partnership established mineral recovery rates requiring recyclers to recover 90% of nickel and cobalt and 50% of lithium by 2031.
• Alliance for Automotive InnovationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing legacy automotive companies, supported the Colorado EV battery recycling legislation developed with UCS and Western Resource Advocates. This represents alignment on policy goals rather than formal partnership.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Earthjustice: Public-interest environmental law organization. Closely comparable to UCS's litigation arm and 'UCS vs Anti-Science Actions' initiative — both use the courts to defend science-based environmental policy.
• Environmental Defense Fund: Large U.S. environmental advocacy organization using science and economics to drive policy. Comparable to UCS in donor-supported model, science-first positioning, and cross-issue portfolio (climate, energy, oceans, health).
• Natural Resources Defense Council: Major U.S. science-based environmental advocacy nonprofit working on climate, energy, health, and equity. Directly comparable to UCS in mission, member-supported model, and federal policy posture.
• Sierra Club: Mass-membership environmental advocacy nonprofit with grassroots mobilization on climate, energy, and public lands. Comparable to UCS in member-led GTM and multi-issue advocacy programs.
• Friends of the Earth: Grassroots environmental advocacy nonprofit working on climate, food, and corporate accountability. Comparable in scale, advocacy style, and member-supported funding.
• World Resources Institute: Global research organization producing data-driven analysis on environment and development. Comparable to UCS's Center for Science and Democracy research output and policy-report-driven model.
• Greenpeace USA: Activist environmental nonprofit using science, advocacy, and direct action on climate, forests, oceans, and nuclear issues. Comparable to UCS in science-backed advocacy and member-donation model.

Broad incumbents

• American Association for the Advancement of Science: The largest general scientific membership organization, publisher of Science. Comparable to UCS in mobilizing scientists for policy engagement (e.g., fellowships, scientific integrity advocacy).
• Center for American Progress: Progressive policy institute and advocacy organization. Comparable to UCS's Center for Science and Democracy in producing policy analysis and engaging federal policymakers, though broader than science-only.

Emerging players

• Union of Concerned Researchers: Smaller, more recent scientist-led advocacy group with overlapping concerns on scientific integrity and climate; useful as an emerging comp for the scientist-activist niche UCS occupies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ConcernedScientists
• Facebookfacebook.com/unionofconcernedscientists
• Instagraminstagram.com/unionofconcernedscientists
• Xx.com/UCSUSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/union-of-concerned-scientists

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

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 Union of Concerned Scientists