What SustainUS does

SustainUS is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2001 (formally incorporated in 2004) and headquartered in Grandville, Michigan. Its stated mission is to mobilize young people at the intersection of national and international politics to push political leaders, multinational institutions, and global actors toward climate, sustainability, and social justice outcomes. Programs are youth-led, with day-to-day operations run by 10-20 youth leaders who are mostly volunteers with a small number of part-time paid staff, governed by an annually elected membership body and a volunteer Board of Directors.

The organization's core "products" are not software or physical goods but a portfolio of advocacy programs: youth delegations to UN climate talks (COP21 through COP30), youth delegations to World Bank Annual Meetings, delegations to the UN Commission on the Status of Women and the UN Commission for Sustainable Development, peer-to-peer training collectives (e.g., Sustaining Our Resistance), and thematic fellowships (California Allegory Youth Fellowship, 6-month Climate Action Fellowship). The underlying operating model is an application-based, cohort-driven delivery platform where prospective delegates are selected through competitive "Creative Challenge" and "Climate Justice Challenge" processes, then trained in advocacy, media, storytelling, and direct action before deploying to international forums.

SustainUS generates no earned revenue from products or services. It is funded entirely through donations from individuals and grants from foundations (UCS, Grantham Foundation, USCAN, Uplift, Center for Biological Diversity, among others), with participation in programs offered free of charge to selected delegates. The primary outputs are trained alumni (over 900 since 2001), media coverage (600+ media hits including 145 in 2017 reaching an estimated 275 million people), and policy influence via coalition partnerships, most notably as the direct action arm of the Big Shift Global Coalition for World Bank advocacy.

Name

SustainUS

Legal name

SustainUS, Inc.

Website

https://sustainus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SustainUS is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2001, that trains and deploys youth delegations aged 18-28 to UN climate talks (COP), World Bank Annual Meetings, and other international forums to advocate for climate justice and social equity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Climate Advocacy and Climate Justice Training

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO), Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering (EDAIAGAB), Climate Adaptation & Resilience Programs (BPADALAD)

Keywords

• Youth climate advocacy
• Climate justice organizing
• UN delegation programs
• Youth leadership training
• Climate policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Grandville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: SustainUS operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization funded entirely through donations from individuals, foundations, and supporters. No products or services are sold. Donations fund delegation travel, program operations, and training activities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SustainUS trains and mobilizes young people (ages 18-28) as climate justice advocates through youth delegations to UNFCCC COP climate negotiations, World Bank Annual Meetings, UN Commission on the Status of Women, and UN Commission on Sustainable Development. It also delivers peer-to-peer popular education trainings (Sustaining Our Resistance collective) in storytelling, media, anti-oppression, direct action, climate policy, and campaign strategy, along with thematic fellowships such as the California Allegory Youth Fellowship and Climate Action Fellowship. Programs are free to selected participants and funded entirely by donations and grants.

Product overview

SustainUS is a youth-led nonprofit organization that operates a portfolio of advocacy and leadership programs rather than a traditional product platform. The core offerings include youth delegations to major international climate and policy forums (COP Climate Talks, World Bank Annual Meetings, UN Commission on Status of Women), a peer-to-peer training collective (Sustaining Our Resistance) providing popular education in activism skills, thematic fellowships like the California Allegory Youth Fellowship, and Climate Action Fellowships. These programs work together to train young people (ages 18-28) in storytelling, advocacy, media engagement, and organizing to advance climate justice at domestic and international policy levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• COP Climate Delegation Program Youth delegations (ages 18-28) to UNFCCC Conferences of the Parties (COP) climate negotiations, including COP21 through COP30, advocating for climate justice at international climate talks.
• World Bank Delegation Program Youth delegations to World Bank Annual Meetings to advocate for climate justice, fossil fuel divestment, and accountability from international financial institutions.
• Sustaining Our Resistance Training Collective

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 900 young people trained in advocacy for just and sustainable policies since 2001.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS)minorOthersSupported the COP23 delegation through generous contributions that allowed SustainUS to provide food, housing, travel, and campaign materials for all 15 members of the team for two weeks.
• US Climate Action Network (USCAN)minorOthersSupported the COP23 delegation as a coalition partner providing funding and campaign materials for the two-week delegation.
• UpliftminorOthersSupported the COP23 delegation through contributions enabling SustainUS to cover food, housing, and travel costs for all 15 delegates.
• Center for Biological DiversityminorOthersProvided financial support for the COP23 delegation to attend the UN climate negotiations in Bonn, Germany.
• Big Shift Global CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainUS serves as the direct and creative action arm of the Big Shift Global Coalition, working to hold development banks accountable and advocate for a shift away from fossil fuels. This is a key strategic partnership for World Bank advocacy campaigns.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• 350.org: 350.org is a global climate movement organization that mobilizes grassroots activism around fossil fuel divestment and climate action. Directly comparable to SustainUS as both train youth activists and run campaigns targeting fossil fuel finance, and SustainUS leadership (e.g., Collin Rees) has ties to 350.org.
• Sunrise Movement: Sunrise Movement is a US youth-led political movement organizing young people to elect climate champions and pass Green New Deal policies. Comparable as a youth-focused climate advocacy organization, though Sunrise concentrates on domestic electoral politics versus SustainUS's international forum engagement.
• Power Shift Network: Power Shift Network runs youth climate summits and trains student organizers across the US. SustainUS staff (e.g., Mayana Nell Torres) have served as Programming Fellows with Power Shift, and both organizations focus on building youth climate leadership pipelines.
• Earth in Brackets: Earth in Brackets is a youth social and climate justice collective that sends delegates to UN climate negotiations (COP20–COP22 with SustainUS alum Aneesa Khan as member). Highly comparable in mission, age cohort, and UNFCCC delegation model.
• Fridays for Future: Fridays for Future is the global youth-led climate strike movement founded by Greta Thunberg. Highly comparable as a youth-driven international climate mobilization organization, though FFF emphasizes mass street action while SustainUS concentrates on inside-the-room UN advocacy.
• Zero Hour: Zero Hour is a youth-led climate justice organization focused on BIPOC and frontline communities, founded in 2017. Comparable as a youth-of-color-led climate organization, though Zero Hour emphasizes US domestic action while SustainUS concentrates on international forums.

Broad incumbents

• US Climate Action Network (USCAN): USCAN is a coalition of 170+ US environmental and justice organizations coordinating climate advocacy strategy. SustainUS sits within USCAN's network as a coalition partner, providing youth-specific direct action capacity to a broader umbrella of climate NGOs.
• Oil Change International: Oil Change International researches and exposes the fossil fuel economy and advocates for a just transition. SustainUS Board Co-Chair Collin Rees is a senior campaigner at OCI, and SustainUS runs World Bank advocacy campaigns aligned with OCI's fossil fuel finance work.
• Climate Reality Project: Climate Reality Project trains climate leaders globally through its Leadership Corps and runs high-profile communications campaigns. Comparable in mission to train climate advocates, with SustainUS Board Treasurer Bernadette Rodgers also volunteering with Climate Reality.
• GreenFaith: GreenFaith is a multifaith climate and environmental justice organization mobilizing religious communities for climate action. Comparable as a values-driven nonprofit mobilizing communities on climate, with overlapping partner networks in foundation funding (e.g., Grantham Foundation).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/sustainus
• Xx.com/SustainUS

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 SustainUS