News & Updates

CSCI Connects with Community Leaders, Practitioners, and Funders at the National Adaptation Forum

By Haley Pope •

Climate Smart Communities Initiative (CSCI) partners attended the 7th National Adaptation Forum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from May 12–14, 2026, joining hundreds of practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders at the country’s biennial gathering for climate adaptation.

Staff from CSCI partner organizations made the most of the Forum’s three days of learning, sharing, and connecting. Sessions led by Initiative partners included topics on monitoring and evaluation, coordinating climate services, building an evidence base for climate adaptation, and connecting communities with expertise through the Registry of Adaptation Practitioners. Adaptation practitioners who are listed in the Registry were able to pick up a Registry button to help identify them to others.

CSCI partners also organised a panel of grantee project teams from across the United States, including Ottawa County, OK, Charleston County, SC, the Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw Indians, LA, and the Town of Brentwood, MD. Each team shared their successes and challenges, along with firsthand stories about experiences implementing climate resilience strategies across a range of hazards like flooding, sea level rise, and extreme heat. Candid reflections on what worked, what didn’t, and what they’d do differently offered valuable lessons for practitioners and community leaders navigating similar circumstances.

“We heard from project teams across the country from the coasts of South Carolina and Louisiana to northeastern Oklahoma and southern Maryland – all communities facing distinct climate resilience challenges. Despite their differences, a common theme emerged: Strong partnerships are essential. Bringing together diverse expertise and perspectives is critical to advancing local resilience priorities and creating lasting impact.” – Katie Lund, Resilience Services Team Manager, Fernleaf

One of the highlights of the week was a CSCI-hosted cohort-support networking breakfast, which brought current grantees together to meet in person for the first time after months of virtual collaboration. The gathering gave grantees the chance to connect, swap insights, and grow personal connections.

“In-person exchanges like this help us better appreciate the experiences and perspectives of the people we have the pleasure to work with on our shared climate mission.” – Liz Tully, Senior Program Officer, Climate Resilience Fund

The CSCI booth was a lively hub throughout the conference, drawing community leaders, adaptation practitioners, and potential funders alike. Attendees stopped by to meet our partners and learn how to get involved through CSCI’s funding opportunities for communities, and how to join the Registry of Adaptation Practitioners to support those communities. CSCI partners also had a valuable chance to connect with potential funders who could help sustain the program and fund new projects across the nation for years to come.

​​After three days making new connections and building existing relationships, partners left feeling inspired and motivated to continue the work of advancing climate resilience across the country and supporting communities in that pursuit.

Interested in getting involved with the Initiative?