Over the past 6 months our team has been helping plan for the launch of the Georgia Climate Innovation Center (CIC), the first CIC in the nation. Georgia Conservancy is the Convening Organization, leading the preparation work for the CIC. Their team has done an excellent job performing the first round of a statewide gap analysis to understand which climate resilience services are currently functioning in the state. Initial research found 194 different organizations and groups working on climate related issues, covering the broad range of adaptation,
greenhouse gas mitigation and equity programs and efforts. They also conducted phone interviews with 25 key leaders to gain more insights.

This past June the Georgia Conservancy hosted a visioning session for what the Georgia Climate Innovation Center might look like. Staff from the Geos Institute attended as well as the 30 leaders interviewed as part of the gap analysis. Upon arrival, we were thrilled to find an extremely well informed, high functioning group who were enthusiastic about the CIC concept and what it could do for Georgia’s climate change efforts. They came away from the session with a clear vision and identified priorities that will move the work forward in a significant way. That same group came together again in July to build the outline of a Strategic Plan to implement their priorities. The group is finalizing that Plan so that it can be used in seeking funding for a full launch and implementation over the coming year. 

Witnessing this process has been incredibly useful in moving from concept to reality and validating the Climate Innovation Center and Climate Ready America concepts. The process was highly motivating and generative, and our team has learned a significant amount about how to facilitate the next steps in Georgia and elsewhere. In the meantime we are seeking continued funding for work in the Southeast as well as funding for expanding into other states and across the country. You can be a part of this important work by making a financial contribution, or by helping us make connections to potential funding sources and supporters, or both.