Climate Institute

What Climate Institute does

The Climate Institute is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable and educational organization founded in 1986 in Washington, D.C., recognized as the world's first organization solely focused on climate change. It operates as a portfolio of five interconnected programmatic initiatives: Climate Education (including the Science on a Sphere-based Climate Theaters network of 18+ centers with 300+ sphere-casts and the Center for Environmental Leadership Training at Dartmouth College), the Global Ocean Energy Alliance (GLOEA) Secretariat, the Global Sustainable Energy Islands Initiative (GSEII) serving nine island states, a Latin America Program conducting country-level decarbonization analysis for Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Costa Rica, and Peru, and the Emerging Technologies Initiative deploying clean energy technologies in developing economies. Its underlying technology stack is modest: an educational web platform (climate.org), integrations with NOAA's Science on a Sphere hardware and NASA/NOAA climate datasets, and energy-economic modeling tools (GACMO, GCAM) for decarbonization roadmaps.

The Institute's business model is donation- and grant-based, with revenue sourced from individual contributions (via PayPal and mail), past institutional funders including the Rockefeller Foundations, Turner Foundation, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, USAID, and NSF, and project-specific partnerships. All content, reports, internships, and programs are provided free of charge; no commercial pricing applies. Its go-to-market is event-driven and partnership-mediated, centered on COP participation, Climate Week NYC, the 27-year Climate Alert newsletter, and direct relationships with UN agencies (UNIDO, UNDP, UNEP), SIDS governments, and academic institutions. Following founder John C. Topping Jr.'s death in March 2021, Philip L. Johnson serves as Acting President and CEO, leading a small staff (1-10 employees).

Name

Climate Institute

Legal name

The Climate Institute

Website

https://climate.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Climate Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1986 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., operating five programmatic initiatives spanning climate education, ocean energy, small island resilience, Latin American decarbonization, and emerging clean-technology deployment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Policy and Education Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAGAF

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

Keywords

• Climate policy research
• Climate education programs
• Ocean energy alliance
• Sustainable energy islands
• Decarbonization analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The Climate Institute operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable and educational organization that relies on donations from individuals and supporters to fund its climate work. The organization collects contributions via PayPal and mail donations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Climate Institute delivers climate research, policy analysis, and educational programming through five interconnected initiatives: Climate Education (including Science on a Sphere theaters and CELT at Dartmouth), the Global Ocean Energy Alliance, the Global Sustainable Energy Islands Initiative, the Latin America decarbonization program, and the Emerging Technologies Initiative. All reports, educational content, and policy recommendations are provided free of charge, funded through donations and grants as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Product overview

The Climate Institute operates as a climate policy and education nonprofit organized as a portfolio of five interconnected programmatic initiatives rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Climate Education (providing climate change information via Science on a Sphere theaters and digital resources), the Global Ocean Energy Alliance (GLOEA) serving as Secretariat for ocean energy development, the Global Sustainable Energy Islands Initiative (GSEII) supporting Small Island Developing States, the Latin America Program conducting decarbonization analysis, and the Emerging Technologies Initiative accelerating clean energy solutions in developing economies. These programs function independently while sharing expertise, partnerships, and communications infrastructure through Climate.org.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Global Ocean Energy Alliance (GLOEA): An alliance accelerating the development of ocean energy technologies to serve islands, cities, and coastal nations.
• Global Sustainable Energy Islands Initiative (GSEII)
• Center for Environmental Leadership Training (CELT)
• Emerging Technologies Initiative (ETI)

Products and services

• Climate Education Central educational platform providing accessible climate change information, resources, and interactive tools including Climate Kids, Climate Theaters using NOAA's Science on a Sphere technology, and the Center for Environmental Leadership Training (CELT) at Dartmouth College. Audience: students from primary to university level, educators, and the general public.
• Global Ocean Energy Alliance (GLOEA) Secretariat role for an alliance accelerating ocean energy technologies to support Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and coastal nations, mobilizing technical, human, and financial resources for ocean energy project development. Audience: SIDS governments (Tonga, Belize, Seychelles, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, São Tomé and Príncipe, Samoa) and partner organizations including SIDS DOCK, UNIDO, and GN-SEC.
• Global Sustainable Energy Islands Initiative (GSEII) Consortium supporting Small Island Developing States in transitioning to renewable energy and away from fossil fuels, working with nine island states on energy independence and climate resilience. Audience: SIDS governments and energy agencies facing heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels and climate vulnerability.
• Latin America Program Regional decarbonization analysis initiative examining conditions, costs, barriers, and benefits of full decarbonization of Latin American economies, with country-level focus on Brazil and Chile using GACMO and GCAM modeling tools. Audience: Latin American national governments (Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Peru) pursuing carbon-neutrality roadmaps.
• Emerging Technologies Initiative (ETI) Platform identifying, advancing, and deploying emerging energy technologies in developing countries, focusing on renewable energy generation, advanced storage, energy efficiency, and next-generation technology applications including electric mobility solutions. Audience: governments, utilities, and clean-tech entrepreneurs in developing economies (with partners such as Microtron Technologies and Oceana Energy Company).

Quantifiable outcome

• GSEII consortium supports 9 island states on renewable energy and climate resilience projects
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Canadian University DubaicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2025Partnership to open a new regional office in Dubai during COP30 in Brazil, aimed at enhancing climate resilience programs, clean-technology deployment, and educational initiatives across the MENA region.
• Governments of Kingdom of Tonga, Belize, Seychelles, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, SamoaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeads of State and Government from SIDS leading the Global Ocean Energy Alliance to capitalize on ocean energy as a renewable resource and build climate resilience.
• SIDS DOCKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN-recognized international organization representing 32 small islands and low-lying developing states, designed as a docking station connecting SIDS energy sector with global markets for finance and sustainable energy technologies.
• United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN agency working with GLOEA on global network of sustainable energy centers and industrial development for ocean energy.
• UNIDO's Global Network of Sustainable Energy Centers (GN-SEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork supporting sustainable energy development and deployment in developing countries.
• Stimson Alliance for a Climate Resilient Earth (ACRE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focused on building climate resilient economies through international cooperation.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)coreTechnology or IntegrationLong-standing partnership using Science on a Sphere technology as foundation for Climate Theaters around the world.
• NASAcoreTechnology or IntegrationNASA provides climate data sets, satellite imagery, and is featured partner for Climate Kids education resource and other climate education content.
• Dartmouth CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCELT (Center for Environmental Leadership Training) is based at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, working with students, faculty, and alumni on climate research and education.
• Center for Environmental Leadership Training (CELT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead educational partner of the Climate Institute, located at Dartmouth College, working with students, faculty, Indigenous communities in US, Canada, and Greenland.
• United Nations Development ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast partner for UN development programs related to climate.
• United Nations Environment ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast partner for environmental programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• World Resources Institute (WRI): Global research nonprofit focused on climate, energy, food, forests, water, and cities; comparable as a similarly mission-driven climate policy and research organization with government and international partnerships, though far larger and broader in scope.
• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF): Major US environmental nonprofit combining science, economics, and law to address climate change; comparable in mission and donor-supported model, with much larger staff and budget across multiple climate program areas.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Environmental advocacy nonprofit working on climate, energy, and sustainable communities; comparable as a long-established 501(c)(3) engaging policymakers and the public on climate issues.
• Sierra Club Foundation: Environmental nonprofit funding climate, conservation, and justice programs; comparable as a donor-supported organization with climate and clean-energy program portfolios.
• Earthjustice: Public-interest environmental law organization litigating on climate and clean energy; comparable as an advocacy-driven environmental nonprofit, though primarily legal rather than convening/research focused.

Direct peers

• Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES): Independent nonprofit focused exclusively on climate and energy policy, working with business and government on decarbonization; closely comparable to Climate Institute as a dedicated climate policy nonprofit with international reach.
• Union of Concerned Scientists: Science-based nonprofit advocating for climate and energy policy; comparable as a science-driven policy organization engaging government and the public, though more US-domestic in focus.
• Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA): Nonprofit coalition of state agencies and partners advancing clean energy; comparable as a facilitator/secretariat-type nonprofit connecting government entities, researchers, and clean-energy deployment efforts.
• Climate Action Network (CAN): Global network of over 1,800 NGOs working on climate policy; comparable as a coalition/network player in international climate negotiations, particularly at COPs where the Climate Institute also engages.
• 350.org: Global grassroots climate movement organization driving public engagement and advocacy; comparable as a mission-driven nonprofit mobilizing citizens and policymakers around climate action, with a more activist orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Climate_Inst
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ClimateInstituteUS
• Facebookfacebook.com/climate.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/climate-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/climate.institute

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 Climate Institute