California Environmental Associates

What California Environmental Associates does

California Environmental Associates (CEA Consulting) is a privately held professional services firm founded in 1984 by Kirk Marckwald and headquartered in San Francisco. The firm provides strategy, facilitation, operational support, analysis, monitoring/evaluation/learning (MEL), and executive recruiting services to philanthropies, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies working on environmental challenges. Core service lines include grantmaking strategy, program design, initiative incubation, climate and ocean mitigation analysis, and leadership transitions, supported by an integrated team of approximately 30 directors, senior associates, and research staff.

CEA's primary economic offering is expertise-based consulting rather than a software product or platform. Revenue is generated through fee-for-service engagements with foundations (Packard, ClimateWorks, Moore, Walton, Oak, Hewlett, Doris Duke, Kresge), environmental NGOs (Environmental Defense Fund, The Nature Conservancy), impact investors (ICONIQ Impact), and select corporate clients (Coca-Cola Company, Coca-Cola Foundation). The firm has played a central incubation role in several flagship environmental initiatives, including ClimateWorks Foundation (launched in 2008 with a $1 billion founding investment on the basis of CEA's "Design to Win" report), the Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance (a $325–350 million ocean-climate pooled fund launched in 2019), Climate Breakthrough (incubated from 2016 and spun out as an independent organization in 2022), Our Shared Seas, and the Klamath River Renewal Corporation. Sub-brands include CEA Recruiting (executive search and organizational design) and the Our Shared Seas knowledge platform.

The firm operates a distributed leadership model with Managing Directors Amy Dickie and Max Levine, CFO Kelly Solari, and founder/Chairman Kirk Marckwald. GTM is primarily reputation- and referral-driven, leveraging four decades of sector relationships and a thought-leadership publication library. The firm reports having supported close to $1 billion in philanthropic grantmaking over the past five years and serves global clients with operational experience in North America, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Pacific.

Name

California Environmental Associates

Legal name

California Environmental Associates

Website

https://ceaconsulting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CEA Consulting is a San Francisco-based environmental advisory firm founded in 1984 that provides strategy, program design, MEL, and executive recruiting services to philanthropies, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies tackling climate, ocean, and conservation challenges.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Consulting Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Circularity Consulting & Program Management (EPR, Design-for-Circularity, LCA) (EUAIANAH), Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) & Clean Energy Standards Compliance (EUAMANAF)

Keywords

• Environmental consulting services
• Philanthropy advisory services
• Sustainability strategy consulting
• Ocean conservation consulting
• Climate strategy services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: CEA provides professional consulting services to philanthropies, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies. Services include strategy development, program design, operational support, analysis, MEL, and executive recruiting. Revenue is generated through fee-for-service engagements with clients including foundations, nonprofits, impact investors, and corporate clients.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CEA Consulting is a professional services firm that provides strategic advisory, program design, facilitation, operational support, analysis, monitoring/evaluation/learning (MEL), and executive recruiting to philanthropies, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies tackling environmental challenges. The firm combines rigorous analysis with deep interdisciplinary sector expertise to help clients develop focused strategies, build and execute effective programs, and assess and amplify their environmental impact. Sub-brand offerings include the CEA Recruiting service and the managed Our Shared Seas (OSS) ocean data platform.

Product overview

CEA Consulting is a professional services firm offering a unified suite of consulting services rather than a software product platform. The core offerings include Strategy Services, Facilitation Services, Operational Support, Analysis and Thought Leadership, Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL), and Recruiting and Organizational Design Services. The company also manages knowledge products including publications and research reports on environmental topics, and has incubated notable initiatives such as ClimateWorks Foundation, Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance (ORCA), Our Shared Seas (OSS), and Climate Breakthrough. These services work together to support philanthropies, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies in tackling environmental challenges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Our Shared Seas: A trusted, independent source of timely data, research, and insights to support ocean conservation, policy, practice, and philanthropy, featuring the Global Ocean Funding report.
• CEA Recruiting

Products and services

• Strategy Services Strategic consulting including grantmaking strategies, organizational program strategies, business planning, field-level landscaping and analysis, opportunity assessment, field building, conservation finance, and supply-chain sustainability strategies for environmental philanthropies, nonprofits, and businesses.
• Facilitation Services Meeting and workshop design and facilitation, insight generation and synthesis, and funder collaborative and NGO group facilitation for environmental organizations and their partners.
• Operational Support Services Designing and launching funder collaboratives, initiative incubation, grant sourcing and diligence, grantee convening, board development, and funding strategies for environmental philanthropies and nonprofits.
• Analysis and Thought Leadership Data analysis, literature review, case studies, policy analysis, focus groups, expert consultation, grant database creation and analysis, and climate mitigation analysis for environmental decision-makers.
• Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Impact measurement frameworks, learning sessions, logic models, theory of change development, third-party evaluations, impact analysis diligence frameworks, and emissions reduction potential analyses.
• Recruiting and Organizational Design Services Executive search, transition planning, staff recruitment, hiring support, strategic talent acquisition partnerships, board member recruitment, and workforce and staffing strategy for environmental organizations, foundations, and nonprofits (operated as the CEA Recruiting service line).
• Initiative Incubation Services Design, launch, and ongoing coordination support for new environmental initiatives including ClimateWorks Foundation, Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance (ORCA), Our Shared Seas (OSS), Climate Breakthrough, Klamath River Renewal Corporation, and Multiplier.
• Our Shared Seas (OSS) A trusted, independent source of timely data, research, and insights on ocean threats, trends, and funding for ocean conservation, policy, practice, and philanthropy, including the Global Ocean Funding report; designed, managed, and maintained by CEA.
• Publications and Research Reports Publicly available research reports and publications covering ocean conservation, climate solutions, sustainable fisheries, bioenergy, freshwater systems, and environmental strategy, including the Our Shared Seas guide and 'Charting a Course to Sustainable Fisheries.'

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported close to $1 billion in grantmaking from philanthropic partners over 5 years
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance (ORCA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019CEA played central role in design, incubation, and coordination of ORCA, a $350 million initiative focused on ocean-climate solutions. CEA conducted foundational research, developed funder briefs, co-designed grants, facilitated convenings, assessed pooled fund infrastructure, and continues to support coordination and MEL.
• Our Shared Seas (OSS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019CEA manages and maintains Our Shared Seas, a trusted independent source of data and insights for ocean conservation. CEA designed and launched OSS in partnership with leading ocean philanthropic funders to provide accessible data on ocean threats, trends, and funding landscape.
• Climate BreakthroughflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016CEA conducted initial assessment identifying strategic gaps in climate philanthropy. Led by Packard Foundation with Oak and Good Energies foundations, CEA played central role in incubating and operating Climate Breakthrough until its spin-out as independent organization in 2022. Has issued 23 multi-million awards to climate leaders globally.
• ClimateWorks FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008CEA conducted comprehensive review and published 'Design to Win' report which became the basis for launching ClimateWorks Foundation with a $1 billion investment in 2008. CEA went on to help launch the foundation, supporting organizational design, recruiting founding staff, developing communications strategy, and creating materials for executive team and board.
• Multiplier (formerly Trust for Conservation Innovation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001CEA helped incubate Trust for Conservation Innovation in 2001 to provide cost-effective operational, administrative, and governance functions for environmental projects. TCI changed name to Multiplier in 2018 to reflect intersectional and evolving work including capacity-building support.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves1 record

Direct peers

• BSR (Business for Social Responsibility): BSR is a sustainability-focused consulting network advising companies and foundations on ESG strategy, climate, and social impact. Directly comparable to CEA's strategy, MEL, and advisory offerings for foundations, corporates, and mission-driven organizations.
• The Bridgespan Group: Bridgespan is a nonprofit and philanthropy strategy consulting firm advising foundations, NGOs, and impact investors on strategy, capacity building, and organizational effectiveness. Henry Platt joined CEA after 12+ years co-leading Bridgespan's climate practice.
• Arabella Advisors: Arabella Advisors is a philanthropy and impact advisory firm that helps foundations, donors, and nonprofits design strategies, manage grantmaking, and launch initiatives. Highly comparable service model and client base to CEA's philanthropy segment.
• FSG (Foundation Strategy Group): FSG is a global mission-driven consulting firm advising foundations, corporations, and nonprofits on strategy, evaluation, and collective impact. Comparable to CEA's strategy and MEL practices and shared foundation client base.
• Dalberg Advisors: Dalberg is a global advisory firm focused on social impact, international development, and sustainability, serving foundations, NGOs, governments, and corporates. Comparable to CEA's global development, ocean, and climate advisory work.

Broad incumbents

• ERM (Environmental Resources Management): ERM is a large global environmental and sustainability consulting firm advising corporates and investors on ESG, climate, and impact strategy. Broader, more corporate-tilted incumbent offering overlapping capability with CEA's environmental strategy work.
• McKinsey Sustainability: McKinsey's Sustainability practice advises corporations, governments, and foundations on climate strategy and ESG transformation. A larger incumbent competing for the same foundation strategy and climate engagements at the top end.
• BCG Climate & Sustainability: BCG's Climate & Sustainability practice serves corporates, financial institutions, and philanthropies on net-zero and ESG strategy. An incumbent competitor for high-end climate and ocean strategy engagements.
• Monitor Deloitte / Deloitte Sustainability: Monitor Deloitte (where Eva Miller began her career) and Deloitte Sustainability advise corporates and NGOs on impact strategy, M&E, and organizational design. Broader incumbent competitor in management and sustainability consulting.

Others

• Sea Forward Fund / Oceans 5: Oceans 5 is a philanthropic collaborative funding ocean conservation, with which CEA Director Rebecca Ng has been affiliated. Not a consulting peer but a funder whose strategy and grantmaking CEA shapes; useful ecosystem reference point.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-environmental-associates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 California Environmental Associates