What Citizens’ Climate Education does

Citizens' Climate Education (CCE) is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan grassroots advocacy nonprofit founded in 2007 and headquartered in Coronado, California, that educates and trains volunteers to lobby U.S. federal and state policymakers on climate legislation. CCE builds political will for a portfolio of four policy programs — carbon fee and dividend (the lead focus), healthy forests, building electrification and efficiency, and clean energy permitting reform — delivered through a national organizing platform of 432 local chapters covering 90% of U.S. congressional districts, 70+ national Action Teams, and designated Congressional Liaisons for every congressional office. Operational programs include youth (30+ campus chapters, middle-school curriculum), conservative engagement (Key States Initiative in Indiana and Utah, Conservative Media Tours), diversity/equity/inclusion programming, and three annual conferences (International June Conference, Conservative Climate Conference, and a virtual fall conference with ~400 constituent meetings).

CCE operates alongside its sister 501(c)(4) Citizens' Climate Lobby (CCL); each has independent boards and budgets, with CCE funding most programmatic activity. CCE's revenue model is donation-based: 77% from individual donors, 19% from foundation grants (Arnold Ventures, Energy Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Rick Steves' Europe, Micah Philanthropies, Mott Foundation, VoLo Foundation, David Rockefeller Fund, The Kendeda Fund, Mertz Gilmore Foundation), and 4% from conference revenue. The 2026 operating budget is $3,080,508, with 79% of spend allocated to programs. CCE employs 27+ full-time staff led by Executive Director Ricky Bradley and supported by a bipartisan advisory board including climate scientists James Hansen and Katharine Hayhoe, former Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, and former Republican Congressman Bob Inglis. The organization holds Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency, Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating, and the 2023 GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Award, and maintains a strict policy against accepting donations from fossil fuel companies.

Name

Citizens’ Climate Education

Legal name

Citizens' Climate Education Corp

Website

https://citizensclimateeducation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Citizens' Climate Education is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that trains 200,000+ volunteers across 432 chapters to lobby U.S. policymakers for carbon pricing, healthy forests, building electrification, and clean energy permitting reform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Policy Advocacy Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO), Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA), Civic, Citizenship & Community Engagement Education (EDAAAEAI)

Keywords

• Climate advocacy
• Grassroots organizing
• Policy education
• Volunteer mobilization
• Carbon pricing advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Coronado

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. Individual Donations: 77% of funding comes from individual donors, supporting CCE's programs for training, education, and communication tools for the volunteer corps.
2. Foundation Grants: 19% of funding from foundations including Arnold Ventures, Energy Foundation, Rick Steves' Europe, Micah Philanthropies, MacArthur Foundation, and others.
3. Conference Revenue: 4% of funding from conference revenue, including the annual International June Conference, Conservative Climate Conference, and virtual conferences.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Citizens' Climate Education (CCE) is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) grassroots advocacy organization that trains and equips volunteer citizens to educate policymakers and the public about effective climate solutions. CCE operates through 432 local chapters and 70+ national Action Teams to build political will for federal and state climate legislation, with its flagship focus being a national carbon fee and dividend policy. The organization delivers advocacy training, policy research tools, conferences, and structured volunteer programs that enable constituents to engage directly with members of Congress.

Product overview

Citizens' Climate Education (CCE) is a nonpartisan grassroots advocacy organization structured as a platform of interconnected programs rather than a single product. The core offering consists of four main policy advocacy areas: Carbon Pricing (the primary focus advocating carbon fee and dividend), Healthy Forests, Building Electrification, and Clean Energy Permitting Reform. These are supported by an organizing infrastructure including 432 local chapters, national Action Teams, Congressional Liaisons, and volunteer leadership. CCE provides research tools including a Carbon Dividend Calculator, Laser Talks, Blogs, and the Nerd Corner for in-depth policy analysis. The organization runs three major annual conferences (International June Conference, Conservative Climate Conference, and Fall Virtual Conference) alongside youth programs, conservative engagement initiatives, and DEI programming. All programs feed into the volunteer-driven model designed to build political will for climate legislation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Carbon Pricing Advocacy Program CCE's flagship advocacy program advocating for a national carbon fee and dividend policy, providing research, training, and lobbying support as the single most impactful solution to climate change. Designed for grassroots volunteers, policymakers, and the general public.
• Healthy Forests Program Advocacy program focused on preserving and expanding American forests as natural climate solutions, including tree planting initiatives, protecting existing forests, incentivizing private landowners, fighting deforestation, and promoting durable wood products.
• Building Electrification and Efficiency Program Program advocating for switching buildings from fossil fuel appliances to electric alternatives such as heat pumps and induction stoves, plus weatherization upgrades to reduce energy waste and carbon pollution from the building sector.
• Clean Energy Permitting Reform Program Policy initiative advocating for reforming the federal permitting process to accelerate construction and connection of clean energy projects, including transmission lines, to meet climate targets faster.
• Grassroots Volunteer Organizing Platform CCE's volunteer organizing framework built on the 'five levers of political will' model, providing chapter development, volunteer leadership training, and 70+ national Action Teams for constituent-level climate advocacy across all 432 local chapters.
• Congressional Engagement Program Program that trains citizens to meet with members of Congress and educates them on climate solutions, with each congressional office assigned a designated Congressional Liaison volunteer maintaining ongoing relationships between CCE and legislators.
• Media Engagement Program Program that trains volunteers to elevate climate solutions through op-eds, letters to the editor, and broadcast media appearances, with volunteers published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and hundreds of local outlets.
• International June Conference CCE's flagship annual event since 2013, consisting of two days of educational workshops and advocacy training followed by volunteer meetings with members of Congress on Capitol Hill.
• Conservative Climate Conference Annual conference convening climate-concerned conservative leaders to support pro-climate Republican members of Congress, strengthen climate coalitions, and shift the Republican agenda to prioritize climate solutions.
• Virtual Conferences Free annual fall virtual conference featuring expert speakers, training, and approximately 400 virtual constituent meetings with members of Congress, plus an Inclusion Conference and affinity-based virtual events.
• Conservative Engagement Program Program that engages climate-concerned conservatives through Conservative Caucus Action Teams, the Key States Initiative piloted in Indiana and Utah, Conservative Media Tours, and paid fellowships for right-of-center young people.
• Youth Program Youth-specific programming including Youth Action Team for under-18, Higher Education Action Team, 30+ college campus chapters, middle school climate curriculum with 14 lesson plans, and approximately 20 interns per semester.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program Program prioritizing engagement of BIPOC and historically underrepresented groups, including DEI Action Teams, Spanish language translation, ASL interpretation, closed captioning, and paid fellowships for diverse young people.

Quantifiable outcome

• 432 active chapters covering 90% of U.S. congressional districts
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Citizens' Climate Lobby (CCL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCE works alongside its sister organization CCL to strategically build political will for impactful climate solutions. CCE is a 501(c)(3) providing training, tools, resources, and coordination. CCL is a 501(c)(4) supporting lobbying efforts on specific legislation. Each has its own governing board and budget, but most program activities are supported by CCE's budget.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Others

• National Resources Defense Council Action Fund: Lobbying and political arm of NRDC; analogous 501(c)(4) lobbying role relative to CCE's 501(c)(3) education mission within a comparable paired-nonprofit advocacy structure.

Direct peers

• Climate Reality Project: Al Gore-founded climate education and advocacy organization training volunteers as climate communicators; directly comparable volunteer-corps-led model targeting climate policy awareness.
• 350.org: Grassroots climate movement organization mobilizing volunteers for climate action and policy advocacy; similar volunteer-driven grassroots model with a global footprint.
• League of Conservation Voters: National environmental advocacy group focused on electing pro-environment candidates and passing climate legislation; operates similar grassroots-to-Congress engagement model.
• Citizens' Climate Lobby: Sister 501(c)(4) lobbying organization of CCE; directly comparable in mission, leadership, and chapter network, but legally distinct and focused on lobbying rather than education.
• Union of Concerned Scientists: Science-based advocacy organization engaging citizens and policymakers on climate and clean energy policy; comparable in combining scientific credibility with policy advocacy.
• republicEn.org: Conservative-aligned climate advocacy organization led by former Republican Congressman Bob Inglis (a CCE board member); directly comparable in conservative climate engagement mission.

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Club: One of the oldest and largest U.S. environmental nonprofits with volunteer-led chapters and grassroots advocacy on climate policy; broader mission and much larger scale than CCE.
• Natural Resources Defense Council: Major U.S. environmental advocacy organization with significant climate policy work including carbon pricing support; much larger scale and broader portfolio than CCE.
• Environmental Defense Fund: Major U.S. environmental advocacy nonprofit with a market-based climate policy focus including carbon pricing; much larger in budget and scope but overlaps with CCE on carbon fee/dividend advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/citizensclimate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/citizens-climate-education-corp

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Citizens’ Climate Education