Dear supporters of the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group,

We are deeply saddened to report that the Acting Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Grants Management Division sent a letter on May 5th terminating the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative (NCRC), effective immediately. The NCRC, a NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnership (CAP) program, was the Climate Impacts Group (CIG)’s largest source of funding to work with rural communities and Tribes across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho to adapt and build resilience to climate impacts such as extreme heat, flooding, drought, and sea level rise.

CIG has hosted the NCRC, a collaboration among academic institutions and Tribal- and community-based organizations, since 2021. Our current five-year award was planned to run through August 2026, at which point, under normal circumstances, we would recompete for another five-year award. The NCRC, which represents about 25 percent of the total work conducted at CIG, directly supported community-based and Tribal organizations working to improve the lives and livelihoods of their communities.

The termination of NCRC is a major blow to climate adaptation and community-based resilience in the Northwest. In recent discussions and previous reviews of our annual reports, NOAA and bipartisan congressional staff have recognized the importance of the NCRC, and the NOAA CAP program that funds it, because of our tangible, positive impacts in local communities. Our work has ranged from supporting farmers in Idaho facing the dual stressors of drought and land use change, to informing Washington state legislation to save lives during extreme heat events, to working with coastal Tribes in Oregon and Washington as they respond to sea level rise and other climate threats.

In a testimonial in support of our work, Patrick Freeland of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians stated, “[The NCRC] Tribal coastal resilience (TCR) portfolio centers Tribal sovereignty, and platforms Tribal leadership. The TCR team continuously practices a thoughtful, contemplative, and respectful approach, informed by the experiences and decision-making authority of knowledge-holders who offer insights that guide the work. This is a clear model of the convergence of many sciences, disciplines, and traditional knowledges to effectively understand and responsibly address real-world problems.”

We want to thank and recognize our NCRC partners at Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, American Farmland Trust, Front and Centered, Gonzaga University’s Climate Institute, Headwaters Economics, Portland State University, Washington Sea Grant, Washington State University, and Western Washington University, who are all affected by this decision. Despite this setback, the Climate Impacts Group stands by our commitment to working in partnership to support equitable climate adaptation in the Northwest and beyond.

FAQ

What happened?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Grants Management Division terminated the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative (NCRC), effective May 5, 2025. 

What was the NCRC?

The NCRC was the Climate Impacts Group (CIG)’s largest source of funding to work with rural communities and Tribes across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho to adapt and build resilience to climate impacts such as extreme heat, flooding, drought, and sea level rise. It was funded by the NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnership (CAP) program and made up 25% of all of the work at the Climate Impacts Group.

Were any jobs lost because of this funding cut?

Unfortunately, yes. Two positions were eliminated and additional positions were scaled back due to this loss of funding.

Will the Climate Impacts Group continue to do this work?

The Climate Impacts Group has been around for 30 years, and we have every intention of surviving at least 30 more. While this specific program has been terminated, the Climate Impacts Group still stands. We remain committed to our strategic priorities of strengthening action-oriented research, supporting adaptation decision-making, building partner capacity among marginalized communities, and providing effective communications and outreach.

Will any other CIG funding be cut?

Another project funded by NOAA, the Tribal Stewards Program, was also terminated. See below for more information on that program.

Both the President’s fiscal year 2026 budget request and, more immediately, reduction-in-force plans for the US Geological Survey would eliminate Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASC) across the country, including the NW CASC, housed within CIG. The reduction-in-force plan is currently paused due to a temporary restraining order set to expire after May 23rd. Thus, while the NW CASC is currently funded it is under imminent threat. The closing of the NW CASC would have dire consequences for Northwest natural and cultural resource managers who rely on the relevant and accessible science it provides on climate impacts and adaptation responses. Read more about potential impacts from elimination of the CASC network in The Conversation.

What was the Tribal Stewards Program?

The Tribal Stewards Program was a new initiative led by the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), with support and collaboration from the Washington State Climate Office (WASCO). Funded by the NOAA Climate Ready Workforce initiative, the project was designed to help prepare Tribal students for meaningful careers in climate resilience and natural resource stewardship. This project amounted to about 15% of the work at the Washington State Climate Office, which is hosted within Climate Impacts Group.

How can I help?

We are so thankful for the outpouring of support during these difficult times. We appreciate and welcome your supportive comments, leads on securing new funded project work, spreading the word about our work and importance, and direct financial support. The Climate Impacts Group is partially funded by philanthropic support from individuals and organizations; to inquire about donations to CIG please reach out to Kearstin Williams at kearsw@uw.edu.

Please reach out with any additional questions or concerns to Susan Dickerson-Lange, Director of Climate Impacts Group, at dickers@uw.edu.