What Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center does

The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) is a federally-funded regional research center established in 2010 as one of eight Climate Adaptation Science Centers under the U.S. Department of the Interior and managed in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey. It is hosted by the University of Washington's College of the Environment via the UW Climate Impacts Group and is a member organization of EarthLab. The center's mission is to deliver regionally-specific science to help Northwest fish, wildlife, water, land, and people adapt to a changing climate.

The NW CASC operates through a federal-consortium partnership model linking USGS-directed research funding with a consortium of seven core universities (Boise State, Oregon State, Portland State, University of Montana, University of Washington, Washington State University, and Western Washington University) plus Northwest Indian College and the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians. Its core products are two fellowship programs (Research Fellowship for graduate students and postdocs; Faculty Fellowship for faculty), a portfolio of USGS project funding, a Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change Network (NW RISCC), and the Deep Dives into Regional Climate Risks program with six threat-specific synthesis tracks. Resource offerings include a bimonthly newsletter, actionable science webinars, a projects database, a publications database, and story maps. All science is co-produced with natural and cultural resource managers at DOI bureaus (NPS, USFWS, BIA, BLM, BOR), Northwest state fish and wildlife agencies, and Tribal partners.

The business model is not commercial. The center is funded primarily through federal appropriations routed via USGS and supplemented by consortium university contributions; it does not sell products or services, has no commercial pricing model, and does not publicly disclose revenue. Headcount is reported at 5, with the research portfolio distributed across the consortium rather than concentrated in-house. Customer segments are exclusively government and academic: federal natural resource agencies, state fish and wildlife agencies, Tribal nations and organizations, and university researchers.

Name

Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center

Legal name

Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center

Website

https://nwcasc.uw.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center is a federally-funded research center hosted by the University of Washington that delivers regionally-specific climate adaptation science to natural and cultural resource managers across the Northwest through a consortium of seven universities and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Adaptation Research Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Conservation Programs (924120)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation & Resilience Programs (BPAIAMAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF), Climate Change Mitigation/Adaptation & Natural Resource Management Technical Assistance (BPADAEAJ)

Keywords

• Climate adaptation science
• Actionable science research
• Natural resource management
• Federal research funding
• Tribal climate resilience

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Funding (USGS): Primary revenue from USGS-directed research funding through the federal side of the center, which directs research funding to portfolios of regional climate adaptation projects annually.
2. Consortium University Contributions: Research support through the consortium side via annual fellowship programs supporting graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty researchers at seven consortium universities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center funds and produces regionally-specific climate adaptation science for natural and cultural resource managers across the Pacific Northwest. Its core offerings include two fellowship programs that support graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty at consortium universities to co-produce actionable science, plus synthesis programs (Deep Dives) addressing six priority climate risks and the NW RISCC invasive species network.

Product overview

The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center is a research institution offering climate adaptation science programs delivered through a consortium-university partnership model. The core offerings include two fellowship programs (Research Fellowship for graduate students/postdocs and Faculty Fellowship for faculty researchers) that fund actionable climate science aligned with regional management priorities. Additional programs include Deep Dives into Regional Climate Risks addressing six specific climate threats, and the Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change Network. Resource offerings include educational content (Introduction to Actionable Science, Webinars), communications (NW CASC Connections Newsletter, Story Maps), and searchable databases of projects and publications. All science is co-produced with natural and cultural resource managers to ensure applicability to real-world management decisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Fellowship Program One-year fellowships awarded to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers at the seven consortium universities to conduct actionable climate adaptation science aligned with NW CASC priorities, with training in co-production of actionable science.
• Faculty Fellowship Program One-year fellowships for faculty researchers at consortium universities supporting translation of existing research into formats applied to decision-making, with training in actionable science and co-production of translational products.
• Deep Dives into Regional Climate Risks Actionable Science Agendas and synthesis products addressing six specific regional climate risks: Loss of Winter, Extreme Heat, Rising Seas and Coastal Squeeze, Stream Permanence, Ecological Transformation, and Westside Fire.
• Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change Network (NW RISCC) Network supporting natural resource managers in protecting lands and waters from invasive species under climate change through listserv subscriptions, advisory team participation, and shared management practices.
• Introduction to Actionable Science Educational resource explaining what actionable science is, why it matters for climate adaptation, and how researchers and managers can develop it.
• Actionable Science Webinars Skills-building webinars covering engagement processes between research and management communities, plus applied science webinars on NW CASC-funded project topics.
• NW CASC Connections Newsletter Bimonthly newsletter providing updates on the latest NW CASC science, tools, opportunities, and events distributed via email to subscribers.
• Projects Database Searchable portfolio of in-progress and completed projects funded through the Research Fellowship Program, Faculty Fellowship Program, and USGS project portfolios, aligned with the five-year Science Agenda.
• Publications & Reports Database Database of findings from completed NW CASC projects available for natural resource managers and researchers to access climate adaptation science.
• Story Maps Visual storytelling resources presenting climate science and adaptation information in accessible digital formats.
• Research Funding Opportunities Information on funding opportunities for researchers including federal-directed research funding and consortium fellowship programs at NW CASC.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple ongoing research projects across topics including wildfire, climate refugia, invasive species, coastal ecosystems, and tribal community resilience

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

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

• University of WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost organization for the NW CASC. The center is housed within the College of the Environment and is a member organization of EarthLab at UW. The UW Climate Impacts Group serves as the host of the NW CASC.
• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner in the NW CASC partnership. The USGS side of the NW CASC directs research funding to a portfolio of regional projects each year. USGS entities including centers, field stations, laboratories, and Cooperative Research Units participate in research.
• Boise State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium university member. Researchers from Boise State are eligible to submit proposals as lead Principal Investigator for NW CASC-funded research.
• Oregon State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium university member. Researchers from OSU are eligible to submit proposals as lead Principal Investigator for NW CASC-funded research.
• Portland State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium university member. Researchers from PSU are eligible to submit proposals as lead Principal Investigator for NW CASC-funded research.
• University of MontanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium university member. Researchers from UM are eligible to submit proposals as lead Principal Investigator for NW CASC-funded research.
• Washington State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium university member. Researchers from WSU are eligible to submit proposals as lead Principal Investigator for NW CASC-funded research.
• Western Washington UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium university member. Researchers from WWU are eligible to submit proposals as lead Principal Investigator for NW CASC-funded research.
• Northwest Indian CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium member contributing to the NW CASC partnership and research programs.
• Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribal partner organization. The NW CASC conducts science in partnership with Northwest Tribes and Tribal organizations to ensure findings can be applied to real-world contexts faced by tribal communities.
• National Park ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner. Science is developed for natural and cultural resource managers within DOI bureaus including NPS to make climate-smart decisions.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner. Science is developed for resource managers at USFWS to reduce climate risks to fish and wildlife resources.
• Bureau of Land ManagementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner. Science developed for BLM resource managers to inform climate adaptation on managed lands.
• Bureau of Indian AffairsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner. Science developed to support tribal natural resource management through DOI bureaus.
• Bureau of ReclamationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner. Science developed for water resource managers to address climate impacts on water systems.
• U.S. Forest ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner on specific projects including fisher reintroduction planning in Oregon, collaborating on climate adaptation and recovery planning.
• Oregon Department of ForestrymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner on projects including heat tolerance research for Pacific Northwest tree species, providing land management perspective.
• Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw IndiansmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribal partner on heat tolerance research project, contributing traditional and local knowledge to climate adaptation science.
• Oregon Department of Fish and WildlifemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner on fisher reintroduction planning, working with USFWS to determine feasibility and develop implementation plans.
• Washington State Conservation CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner on ecosystem health tracking project, helping fill data gaps for watershed-scale monitoring required of 27 Washington counties.
• Washington Conservation DistrictsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner on ecosystem monitoring, conducting VSP monitoring for Washington counties with limited capacity for data acquisition and analysis.
• Missoula Department of Parks and Recreation Conservation Lands ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partner on cushion plant monitoring project, collaborating on population monitoring and co-designing monitoring protocols.
• Confederated Tribes of the Colville ReservationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribal partner on western larch research project, informing restoration responses and forest adaptation on the Colville Indian Reservation.
• National Park ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner on heat tolerance research, providing management perspective on impacts of heatwaves on forests.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center: Alaska regional CASC, part of the same national network and structurally identical federal-consortium partnership model as NW CASC, focused on climate adaptation in Alaska's unique ecosystems.
• North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center: Midwest regional CASC in the national DOI/USGS network, structurally a direct peer to NW CASC in mission, funding mechanism, and consortium-university delivery model.
• Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center: Pacific Islands regional CASC in the DOI/USGS national network, comparable in structure and mission to NW CASC but focused on island and coastal climate adaptation needs.
• Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center: Sister regional Climate Adaptation Science Center within the USGS/DOI national network, identically structured as a federal-consortium partnership delivering actionable climate adaptation science to natural and cultural resource managers in the Northeast U.S.
• Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center: Southwest regional CASC within the national DOI/USGS network, operating as a federal-consortium partnership delivering actionable climate adaptation science to resource managers in the arid Southwest.
• South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center: Regional CASC covering the south-central U.S., operating under the same USGS cooperative-agreement and consortium-university model as NW CASC to deliver actionable climate science to regional resource managers.
• Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center: Another sibling CASC in the DOI/USGS national network, providing climate adaptation science to Southeast region resource managers through a consortium-university partnership model structurally identical to NW CASC.

Broad incumbents

• USGS Climate Research and Development Program: The broader USGS climate science program that funds and oversees the CASC network; comparable in mission to deliver climate science for resource management, but operates at national scale rather than regionally.
• NOAA Climate Program Office: Federal program funding climate science, adaptation, and impacts research across the U.S.; comparable in mission to NW CASC but broader in scope, spanning weather, oceans, and atmospheric research.

Others

• NatureServe: Nonprofit network providing scientific information on species and ecosystems for conservation decision-making; comparable in serving natural resource managers with applied biodiversity and ecological data, but not a federally-funded adaptation research center.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northwest-climate-adaptation-science-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center