Aspen Global Change Institute

What Aspen Global Change Institute does

Aspen Global Change Institute (AGCI) is an independent Colorado-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit research organization founded in 1989 with an initial grant from NASA. Headquartered in Basalt, Colorado under an "Institute Without Walls" model with approximately 10-15 core staff, AGCI operates three interconnected core programs: (1) Interdisciplinary Workshops — small, multi-day convenings bringing together scientists, practitioners, and decision-makers on global change topics, with 85+ workshops conducted over 33 years and a 2,000+ alumni network spanning 67 countries; (2) Water Research in the US West — including the Roaring Fork Observation Network (iRON) with 10 monitoring stations and the NSF-funded Sublimation of Snow (SOS) Project deploying 100+ instruments at the East River Watershed; and (3) Community Resilience — encompassing the Mountain West Climate Services Partnership (11-state region), Water Utility Climate Alliance partnership, and decision-support research synthesizing 400+ practitioner perspectives. Supporting programs include the Science of Actionable Knowledge (SOAK) community, the recently launched Climate Reserve initiative, and fiscal sponsorship services.

AGCI's portfolio extends to flagship analytical assets such as the Decision Support Framework mapping climate-related planning stages, the Colorado River Science Wiki, the Climate Portal Guide, and the 2025 "Understanding Decision Support for a Changing Climate" report. The organization operates a 2,800+ technical presentation resource library and runs the Walter Orr Roberts Memorial Public Lectures.

AGCI's revenue model is multi-stream and entirely non-commercial: federal government grants and contracts (NASA as founding sponsor since 1989, plus NSF, NOAA, Bureau of Reclamation, DOE, USDA, USGS), foundation support (Heising-Simons Foundation, Hewlett Foundation), individual donations (100% tax-deductible), and sponsored programs providing fiscal sponsorship for aligned charitable initiatives. AGCI provides most resources, workshops, and publications publicly at no cost; there are no commercial pricing tiers or subscription products. The customer base is predominantly government and foundation counterparties, with named end-users including Pitkin County, City of Aspen, the Water Utility Climate Alliance (12 largest US water utilities), and Bureau of Reclamation.

Name

Aspen Global Change Institute

Legal name

Aspen Global Change Institute

Website

https://agci.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AGCI is a Colorado-based nonprofit research institute founded in 1989 that convenes interdisciplinary workshops, operates long-term environmental monitoring networks, and provides decision-support research to help scientists, water utilities, and communities apply global change science.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Research and Environmental Science Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Climate Target-Setting, Transition Planning & Performance Management Platforms (EUABAEAF), Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK), Climate Adaptation & Resilience Programs (BPADALAD), Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH)

Keywords

• Climate research services
• Interdisciplinary science workshops
• Environmental monitoring networks
• Water resource research
• Community climate adaptation

Headquarters

HQ city

Basalt

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, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: AGCI receives funding from U.S. federal agencies including NASA (founding sponsor since 1989), National Science Foundation, NOAA, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Geological Survey for workshops, research, and technical assistance.
2. Foundation Support: Additional charitable support from foundations including Heising-Simons Foundation and Hewlett Foundation for research and program activities.
3. Individual Donations: Annual individual donors provide general and program support. Donations are 100% tax-deductible and directly fund operations.
4. Sponsored Programs and Fiscal Sponsorship: AGCI provides fiscal sponsorship for aligned initiatives and charitable programs,收取少量行政费用 based on project size and support level requested.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

AGCI operates three interconnected core programs: (1) Interdisciplinary Workshops convening scientists and practitioners on priority global change topics; (2) Water Research in the US West, including the Roaring Fork Observation Network (iRON) with 10 monitoring stations and the Sublimation of Snow (SOS) Project using over 100 instruments; and (3) Community Resilience, providing climate decision support to government agencies, water utilities, and local communities across the 11-state Mountain West region.

Product overview

Aspen Global Change Institute (AGCI) is a nonprofit research organization that operates as a platform for advancing global change science and solutions rather than a single product company. AGCI's portfolio consists of three interconnected core programs: (1) Interdisciplinary Workshops - small, intensive convenings that bring together scientists and practitioners for substantive dialogue on priority global change topics; (2) Water Research in the US West - a research program including the Roaring Fork Observation Network (iRON) for monitoring bioclimatic and soil moisture data, the Sublimation of Snow (SOS) Project for studying snow hydrology, the Collaborative Mountain Hydrology Test Bed, Climate Portal Guide, and Colorado River Science Wiki; and (3) Community Resilience - supporting climate adaptation through decision support research, the Mountain West Climate Services Partnership, Water Utility Climate Alliance partnership, and Nature-Based Coastal Solutions assessments. Additional offerings include the Science of Actionable Knowledge (SOAK) community of practice, Sponsored Programs for fiscal sponsorship, Research Advisory Services, Science for Climate Action Network (SCAN), and StormCenter Communications. The organization publishes resources including video presentations, publications, and research reports.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Science of Actionable Knowledge (SOAK): A community of social scientists, engaged researchers, and practitioners studying how science is produced and used in decisions and actions
• Roaring Fork Observation Network (iRON)
• Decision Support Investigations
• AGCI Fellowship Program

Products and services

• Interdisciplinary Workshops AGCI's hallmark workshop series that advances understanding of priority global change topics through small, multi-day events with extended dialogue time, strengthening collaboration within and between scientific disciplines and engaging the public on the societal relevance of global change science.
• Water Research in the US West Program Collaborative research program partnering with researchers and communities across the western US to advance understanding of aridification impacts, improve methodologies, and enhance accessibility of science supporting water-related decision making.
• Roaring Fork Observation Network (iRON) Community-driven monitoring program in Colorado River headwaters with 10 monitoring stations providing long-term records of bioclimatic and soil moisture data across an elevational gradient in a 1,451-square mile watershed, supporting research, resource management, and community engagement.
• Sublimation of Snow (SOS) Project NSF-funded research project using over 100 instruments at the East River Watershed in Colorado to measure when, where, and how much snow is lost directly to the atmosphere through sublimation, integrating with concurrent hydrologic studies.
• Community Resilience Program Program working to discover, support, and inform approaches that foster community resilience across the United States through collaboration with scientific, governmental, and non-governmental organizations to help decision makers understand global change risks and pursue solutions.
• Understanding Decision Support for a Changing Climate Multi-year research investigation exploring how over 400 practitioners across U.S. sectors access and use climate information, mapping the climate services landscape to identify how to better support climate-related decisions and actions.
• Mountain West Climate Services Partnership Regional partnership informing and supporting efforts to build community resilience across the 11-state Mountain West region by convening climate services providers and building connections across communities with shared challenges.
• Water Utility Climate Alliance Partnership Collaboration with alliance of 12 of the largest U.S. water utilities to create a shared knowledge base on climate adaptation practices and provide climate/hydrology expertise for technical training courses.
• Climate Portal Guide User's guide helping communities navigate climate change information portals, understand what online climate data can and cannot tell them, and find resources appropriate for their locality.
• Colorado River Science Wiki Web-based clearinghouse for scientific and technical information and data relevant to the Colorado River and management of its water and natural resources, intended for decision makers, scientists, media, and the public.
• Science of Actionable Knowledge (SOAK) Community of social scientists, engaged researchers, and practitioners who study how science is produced and used in decisions and actions, with the goal of understanding what causes scientific knowledge to become actionable.
• Sponsored Programs (Fiscal Sponsorship) Fiscal sponsorship services providing a platform for charitable initiatives that advance global change science, helping individuals and organizations receive and manage charitable contributions under AGCI's 501(c)(3) status, with small administrative fees based on project size and support level.
• Research Advisory Services Advisory and research services for cities, water utilities, and federal agencies on how to use climate change information appropriately and navigate climate adaptation.
• Science for Climate Action Network (SCAN) National network of leading scientists supporting climate action efforts through research and coordination.
• StormCenter Communications Communications project focused on tropical storm updates and climate-related information dissemination through video channels, led by meteorologist Dave Jones under fiscal sponsorship by AGCI.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 85 interdisciplinary workshops conducted over 33 years with 2,000+ alumni from 67 countries
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

AI capability8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Pitkin CountymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting partner providing funding for local climate monitoring and community resilience programs. AGCI manages Roaring Fork Observation Network in partnership with local stakeholders.
• City of AspenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting partner for climate assessment and local adaptation planning since 2005. AGCI prepared Climate Change and Aspen: An Assessment of Impacts and Potential Responses.
• Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAGCI partnered with WUCA (an alliance of 12 of the largest water utilities in the US) to build a shared knowledge base and demonstrate clear directions forward for climate adaptation. Includes creating Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation report and providing climate/hydrology expertise for training courses.
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern CaliforniamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting partner for water resource and climate research programs.
• Mountain West Climate Services PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-state partnership informing and supporting efforts to build community resilience across the 11-state Mountain West region, connecting climate service providers with communities.
• Science of Actionable Knowledge (SOAK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAGCI co-hosts this vibrant community of social scientists, engaged researchers, and practitioners who study how science is produced and used in decisions. AGCI provides managing director and co-leadership for the community.
• Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratorymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of SOAK 2024 biennial meeting and partner in climate and energy research initiatives.
• Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch site host for Sublimation of Snow (SOS) Project in Gothic, Colorado. Partnership enables integration with concurrent hydrologic studies.
• University of WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead institution for Sublimation of Snow Project with Dr. Jessica Lundquist as principal investigator. Partnership on mountain hydrology research.
• National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator on SOS Project with Earth Observing Laboratory providing instrumentation and technical support including flux tower equipment and engineering expertise.
• Surface Atmosphere Integrated Field Laboratory (SAIL)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerU.S. Department of Energy-funded concurrent hydrologic study at East River Watershed enabling partnership and data sharing with SOS Project.
• Study of Precipitation, Lower Atmosphere and Surface for Hydrometeorology (SPLASH)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOAA-funded concurrent study at East River Watershed enabling partnership and data sharing with SOS Project.
• Colorado River Water Conservation DistrictmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in iRON monitoring network supporting long-term bioclimatic and soil moisture data collection.
• Colorado Water Conservation BoardmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in iRON monitoring network and water resource research.
• Energy InnovationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2018, AGCI partnered with Energy Innovation to organize the Crux Alliance, supporting a network of technical assistance providers helping design efficient and low-carbon energy policies worldwide.
• StormCenter CommunicationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFiscal sponsorship relationship for climate communications initiative led by meteorologist Dave Jones.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR): Federally funded research and development center advancing atmospheric and Earth system science. Directly comparable to AGCI as a long-standing climate science institution that convenes researchers, operates large observational networks, and partners with NSF, NASA, and NOAA.
• Woodwell Climate Research Center: Nonprofit climate research institute focused on climate impacts on land, water, and ecosystems. Closely comparable to AGCI in mission, scale, and emphasis on translating climate science into actionable guidance for communities and resource managers.
• Resources for the Future: Independent nonprofit research institution focused on environmental, energy, and natural resource economics and policy. Comparable in mission (bridging rigorous research and policy decisions) and in operating model as a small, expert-driven research nonprofit.
• Climate Central: Nonprofit that researches and communicates climate science to the public and decision-makers. Comparable to AGCI in translating complex climate data into practitioner- and public-facing products, and in heavy reliance on federal and foundation grants.

Broad incumbents

• World Resources Institute (WRI): Large global research nonprofit producing data, tools, and analysis on climate, water, food, and cities. Comparable to AGCI in climate adaptation and water focus, but with significantly greater scale, geographic reach, and policy engagement capacity.
• Union of Concerned Scientists: National nonprofit of scientists and advocates working on climate, energy, and security. Comparable to AGCI in combining rigorous science with public-interest decision support, but with a larger membership-based advocacy footprint.

Emerging players

• Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI): International nonprofit research organization working on environment and development. Comparable in convening role and decision-support focus, with stronger international development orientation versus AGCI's U.S. Mountain West base.
• Tellus Institute: Boston-based nonprofit research and consulting organization working on sustainability, environment, and equitable development. Comparable in operating model as a small, expert-driven research nonprofit producing decision-support frameworks for sustainability topics.

Regional players

• Aspen Institute: Nonprofit educational and policy studies organization also based in the Aspen, Colorado region. Comparable as a values-driven, Colorado-based convening organization, but with a much broader policy mandate beyond climate and Earth system science.
• RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute): Independent nonprofit focused on clean energy transition, also headquartered in Colorado. Comparable as a Colorado-based, mission-driven research and convening organization with strong foundation and donor funding, but focused specifically on energy rather than climate/water.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aspenglobal
• YouTubeyoutube.com/results?search_query=aspen+global+change+institute
• Facebookfacebook.com/aspenglobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aspen-global-change-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Aspen Global Change Institute