About CSCI
Every U.S. community deserves equitable access to the tools and expertise to understand the climate risks that it faces and the opportunity to build a climate-resilient future.
The Climate Smart Communities Initiative (CSCI) leverages the leadership, partnerships, and knowledge communities already have, and extends those capabilities, so communities can assess their risks, develop effective plans of action, and prepare for climate change – not just react. Together, we can scale equitable climate resilience where it’s needed most.
Mission
CSCI works to catalyze transformational national investment in climate adaptation and resilience by efficiently scaling up capacity across U.S. communities, prioritizing those on the front lines of the climate crisis where vulnerability is greatest and capacity is lowest. Through direct financial and technical support, active workforce development, and a comprehensive evaluation and communications program, CSCI mobilizes existing expertise and builds capacity to accelerate equitable, community-led resilience where it’s needed most.
Vision
CSCI envisions a future where all U.S. communities have equal access to the expertise, information, and resources needed to understand their vulnerabilities to climate-related impacts and the capacity to adapt and build resilience.
CSCI Story
Communities across the U.S. are facing urgent, compounding climate risks. Yet many lack the funding, capacity, or technical expertise to plan for climate impacts and take action. This is particularly true in frontline communities, where climate impacts are often felt first and worst. While the field of climate adaptation has grown and matured to address the climate crisis, it remains fragmented, scattered across small-scale programs and multiple organizations, and lacks the systemic infrastructure to deliver support to communities at scale.
CSCI prioritizes the needs of communities facing significant climate-related challenges, while working to inform and improve the capacity and capabilities of the nation as a whole.
CSCI was created to address both of these gaps. Launched in 2024 by a consortium of six founding organizations after winning a national NOAA grant competition, CSCI connects communities with funding and a full ecosystem of support to build local and regional capacity to realize lasting climate resilience. Current partners administering the Initiative are Climate Resilience Fund, EcoAdapt, Fernleaf, Geos Institute, Natural Resources Defense Council, and NOAA.
The Initiative’s unique model builds partnerships between local governments, community-based organizations, and qualified climate adaptation practitioners. CSCI directly supports grantee partner teams by providing funding, peer learning opportunities, training, and technical support.
The Initiative also offers support resources freely accessible to anyone working toward climate resilience, whether or not they’ve received a grant. These include a free Adaptation Help Desk, the Registry of Adaptation Practitioners, and the Steps to Resilience training course.
Since launching, CSCI has grown quickly. Over the past three years, CSCI has supported 60 communities, created a nationwide database of over 250 vetted adaptation practitioners, and continues to see a rapidly rising number of communities applying for funding each year – clear evidence of the widespread need and demand for climate resilience support.
Partners
CSCI is a unique public-private partnership managed by a consortium of five organizations, including the Climate Resilience Fund, EcoAdapt, Fernleaf, Geos Institute, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, working in collaboration with the NOAA Climate Program Office.
