National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation, NNOCCI

What National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation, NNOCCI does

NNOCCI is a US-based nonprofit network that trains climate change communicators — primarily staff at aquariums, zoos, science centers, museums, and nature centers — in evidence-based "Strategic Framing" techniques developed in partnership with the Frameworks Institute. Founded in 2009 (active from 2010) and headquartered in Sausalito, California, NNOCCI operates as a fiscally sponsored project of The Marine Mammal Center and reaches 630+ member organizations across 47 US states and 5 Canadian provinces. Its core product is a four-tier curriculum: Changing the Conversation (introductory presentations, free or $250 private), Starting the Conversation (6-8 hour workshops at $90/person or $1,300 for groups of 30), Framing the Conversation (7-week online crash course at $300), and Leading the Conversation (a five-month trainer program supported by NOAA funding). Supporting resources include six framing blogs, BOAT Project self-guided modules, ocean acidification training, and branded merchandise sold via Bonfire.

NNOCCI's commercial model blends subsidized training fees, federal and philanthropic grants, and public donations routed through The Marine Mammal Center's giving platform. The organization's principal historical funders were NOAA's Environmental Literacy Program (award NA21SEC0080003) and the US State Department via the US Embassy in Canada; the latter grant, terminated in January 2025, was described as the majority of NNOCCI's operating budget, materially threatening near-term operations. Distribution relies on virtual training delivery (Zoom, Eventbrite registration), in-person workshops with travel-covered facilitator expenses, a network of founding partner institutions (New England Aquarium, Monterey Bay Aquarium, National Aquarium, AZA, Woods Hole), and referral partnerships with Polar Bears International for Canadian outreach.

Name

National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation, NNOCCI

Legal name

National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation

Website

https://nnocci.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NNOCCI is a nonprofit network that trains climate communicators at aquariums, zoos, and science centers in evidence-based strategic framing techniques, serving 630+ member organizations across 47 US states and 5 Canadian provinces under fiscal sponsorship of The Marine Mammal Center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Communication Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMABAD

Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/STEM Enrichment & Science Programs

SECONDARYEDAGAKAC

Corporate Learning & Training Content Development

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Instructional Design & Content Development Services

SECONDARYMPACALAD

Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Digital Media & Content Platforms (Online Video, Podcasts, Creators)/Online Learning Content Platforms (Creator-Led Courses)

Keywords

• Climate communication training
• Strategic framing education
• Informal science education
• Ocean acidification literacy
• Environmental interpreter training

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Training Fees: Course fees for Framing the Conversation crash course ($300), Starting the Conversation workshop ($90/person or $1,300 for 30-person group), and private Changing the Conversation presentations ($250). Revenue supports staff retention and operations.
2. Merchandise Sales: NNOCCI branded merchandise including t-shirts and long-sleeve shirts sold through Bonfire.com. Eco-friendly products with proceeds going directly to NNOCCI via fiscal sponsor The Marine Mammal Center.
3. Donations: Public donations accepted through The Marine Mammal Center's giving platform. Donations have become especially critical following termination of federal funding in January 2025.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NNOCCI delivers tiered climate communication training programs and self-directed learning resources built on its evidence-based Strategic Framing methodology. The portfolio includes four progressive training tiers (Changing the Conversation, Starting the Conversation, Framing the Conversation Crash Course, Leading the Conversation), supplemented by BOAT Project modules, ocean acidification content, framing blogs, and branded merchandise, all designed to train informal science educators at aquariums, zoos, museums, and nature centers.

Product overview

NNOCCI offers a suite of climate communication training programs and self-directed learning resources. The core offerings include four progressive training programs: Changing the Conversation (introductory presentation), Starting the Conversation (full-day workshop), Framing the Conversation Crash Course (7-week online course), and Leading the Conversation (advanced trainer program). Supporting these are self-directed resources including Six Framing Blogs, BOAT Project Training Modules, and Ocean Acidification educational content. The organization also sells branded merchandise through an external platform. All programs teach evidence-based Strategic Framing techniques for effective climate change communication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Changing the Conversation

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of visitors want more information on climate change and recommendations for action
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, supporting and minor.

• The Marine Mammal CenterflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Fiscal sponsor of NNOCCI since 2021. Longtime partner having collaborated with NNOCCI for over a decade. Purpose is to rescue, rehabilitate and release marine mammals, which they have done for nearly 50 years. Provides administrative infrastructure, handles donations, and serves as key training partner through Conservation Engagement programs.
• Polar Bears InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey referral partner connecting NNOCCI with Canadian participants. NNOCCI Trainer Kiersten King serves as Field Ambassador for Polar Bears International. Collaborated on Canadian-specific course offerings.
• Frameworks InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial science research partner providing empirical foundation for NNOCCI's strategic framing methodology. Collaborated on developing the 'interpreter's toolbox' curriculum and conducted research on effective climate communication frames.
• New England AquariumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner and original convenor of NNOCCI. Led initial development of climate change communication programs starting ~10 years ago. Hosts climate communicators and provides organizational infrastructure for network development.
• Monterey Bay AquariumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner organization. Provided pilot programs and staff expertise (Simone Mortan) for early iterations of NNOCCI training. Developed interpretive enrichments incorporating strategic framing.
• Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProfessional association representing 170+ aquariums, zoos, and science/nature centers. NNOCCI leverages AZA conference for member recruitment and training promotion.
• Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner contributing climate science expertise to NNOCCI network.
• National AquariumsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner organization contributing to network development and climate communication training.
• Ohio's Center of Science and IndustrysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner organization contributing to network development.
• Rhode Island Environmental Education Association (RIEEA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted first Youth Climate Summit with NNOCCI in November 2024, bringing together 53 youth and 11 adult mentors from 11 schools.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Climate Central: Climate Central is a nonprofit that produces visual climate science content and trains journalists and educators on communicating climate change. It directly parallels NNOCCI's mission of evidence-based climate communication, though it focuses more on media/journalism rather than informal science institution interpreters.
• ecoAmerica: ecoAmerica runs the American Climate Leadership Award for which NNOCCI was a 2025 semi-finalist. It builds public and institutional engagement on climate solutions, paralleling NNOCCI's communicator training mission with a focus on broader American climate leadership.
• FrameWorks Institute: FrameWorks Institute is the social science research organization that developed the Strategic Framing methodology NNOCCI uses. While it serves as NNOCCI's research partner, it is also a peer in the broader climate communication research-to-practice ecosystem, with comparable methodology work applied across multiple domains.
• The Climate Reality Project: The Climate Reality Project trains volunteer climate leaders and communicators globally, with a focus on public speaking and grassroots action. It shares NNOCCI's mission of building a network of trained climate communicators but operates at much larger scale with corporate-sponsored training models.
• Yale Program on Climate Change Communication: Yale's Climate Change Communication program conducts rigorous research on public climate opinion and trains researchers, journalists, and educators on effective climate messaging. It is a research-and-training peer operating in the same climate communication space, with academic credibility and global reach.
• Polar Bears International: Polar Bears International is both a strategic partner of NNOCCI and a peer organization that trains educators and ambassadors on climate and polar bear messaging. It shares NNOCCI's evidence-based communicator training approach but specializes in Arctic climate messaging.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: TNC is a major environmental nonprofit with large-scale conservation, climate, and education programming. While not a direct competitor, it operates in adjacent climate-and-nature communication space and shares similar audience demographics of environmentally engaged supporters.

Others

• Monterey Bay Aquarium: As an NNOCCI founding partner and flagship aquarium, Monterey Bay Aquarium operates the interpretive and education programs where NNOCCI's methodology is deployed. It is a peer in climate education delivery at major aquariums, and a key institutional customer and partner.

Emerging players

• National Center for Science Education: NCSE defends the teaching of climate change and evolution in formal education settings. While focused on K-12 classroom education rather than informal science institutions, it addresses a related climate communication challenge with overlapping stakeholder communities.
• 350.org: 350.org builds grassroots climate movements through volunteer training and community organizing. While more advocacy-oriented, its volunteer training model and grassroots communicator network parallels NNOCCI's trainer-of-trainers approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NNOCCI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nnocci
• Instagraminstagram.com/_nnocci

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation, NNOCCI