Skip to main content

Important Update: Federal Funding for NNOCCI Terminated

By contactnnocci on .
Donate to Support Our Work!

February 2, 2025

Dear NNOCCI Family, 

We wanted to alert you of a significant event that is impacting our team and work.  We received notice earlier this month that our active 2-year grant through the US Embassy in Canada (a part of the US State Department) has been terminated effective immediately.  While the details provided by the State Department are extremely minimal, it is almost certainly connected with the recent decisions by the new administration to cut funding for all international partnerships and eliminate funding aimed at climate.   

This news is heartbreaking on so many levels given all the work folks in this network have put in thus far to this exciting project, the urgency of climate communication, and that this grant was the vast majority of the NNOCCI operating budget.  In short, NNOCCI is very much hurting given this sudden news.  While it is still very early, this will have a significant impact on NNOCCI’s staffing and our ability to maintain our work in the near term. 

With this said, over the last few years, in large part due to your amazing dedication and efforts, NNOCCI has been building a strong foundation on over 15-years of research, training and communication.  In fact, NNOCCI was just recognized as a semi-finalist for the prestigious American Climate Leadership Award and will learn if we are named a winner or finalist in April. You can share our new video highlighting our work to those interested in learning more. 

Given the urgency of our work, and the dedication of the network, we are committed to continuing with our plans for upcoming events.  

  • Our previously scheduled Crash Course for the weeks of March 31-May 12 will proceed with a shift from an exclusive Canadian audience to be open to all.  We ask for all of you to share this information far and wide (beyond awareness of our work, the revenue generated from the training will help extend the ability to retain paid staff for NNOCCI’s operations).
    • Cohort A will meet Wednesdays, 2-3 PM ET / 11-12 PM PT (April 2nd – May 14th)
    • Cohort B will meet Thursdays, 3-4 PM ET / 12-1 PM PT (April 3rd – May 15th)
  • You can also share the RSVP link for our upcoming free Introductory Presentation (led by the amazing Kayla McCurry and Kiersten King) to folks that might be interested in our work and potential Crash Course participants. 

Our hearts go out to all those impacted by the recent actions of the new Administration and we as a network are committed to doing everything in our power to seek new funding, continue supporting climate communicators and shifting the conversation to be more positive, community-minded, and solutions-focused. 

WE NEED YOUR HELP:

  1. Please share with your networks about our work and opportunities to sign up for trainings (registration info for the crash course will be sent out publicly on Feb. 18). 
  2. Please share any leads and information on funding opportunities for us to pursue in hopes of continuing and expanding our work to Adam Ratner at RatnerA@tmmc.org. 

We know this is incredibly difficult news and we will work to be as forthcoming with more information as we know more.  If you have any questions or ideas, please reach out to Adam Ratner, RatnerA@tmmc.org. 

Sincerely, 

NNOCCI Board of Directors 

Kait Birghenthal, Katie Russell, Amanda Berlinski, Sarah Navarro, Lisa Yeager, Jeanette Johnston, Missy Partyka, Christina Schwandt, Jenny Arbuszewski and Adam Ratner

Donate to Support Our Work!
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

More Blog Posts

  • Communicating Climate in Higher Education
    Communicating Climate in Higher Education by Heidi Zamzow, November 13 2018 Many of us who trained as marine scientists went into our field because we wanted not only to study the ocean, but to protect it — and to inspire others to do so as well. We reasoned that, if we just provided people with information, they would change their attitudes and [READ MORE]
  • The Importance of Community in Informal Science Education
    As members of NNOCCI, we all know about the importance of having a community to support our journey as educators. Having a professional community like NNOCCI is vital for our wellbeing and professional growth. A strong sense of community helps reduce isolation in roles that are often solo, temporary, or poorly defined. This can be particularly important when teaching about challenging subjects such as climate change. Being part of a community like NNOCCI can help strengthen professional identity in the field of informal education which often has fluid roles and career pathways.[READ MORE]
  • Close up of a microphoneIPCC Communications Tips for Scientists
    IPCC Communications Tips for Scientists Allison Arteaga, February 07 2018 In late January, ahead of the anticipated release of a new IPCC report later this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a new handbook for their scientific authors on how to more effectively engage the public and communicate about climate change [READ MORE]
  • Underwater kelp forest in WashingtonFrom Course to Conversation: A Climate Story on Kelp Forests
    As part of NNOCCI’s 7-week Crash Course, participants learn to tell powerful climate stories using science-based strategic framing tools, such as values, metaphors, and solutions. From riding public transit to supporting clean energy, the choices we make near and far from shore can protect ocean ecosystems. One participant turned this message into a climate story to spark conversation about kelp forests — paired with her whimsical underwater photography.[READ MORE]
  • Simone sits beside a statue of Rachel Carson in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.Building a Better Tomorrow with NNOCCI’s Simone Mortan
    Building a Better Tomorrow with NNOCCI’s Simone Mortan Written by Megan Stouffer The United States is 250 years old this year. Along with the pomp and circumstance of the celebration, there are those who may feel discouraged by many moments in our country’s history—moments that don’t feel worth celebrating or honoring. We recognize that some [READ MORE]