Green Umbrella

As Greater Cincinnati’s Regional Climate Collaborative, Green Umbrella leads a network committed to taking decisive action in the face of climate change. We help our communities become more climate resilient and equitable, and work collectively to decrease our region's emissions.  
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
http://www.greenumbrella.org

Company Information


Green Umbrella is Greater Cincinnati’s Regional Climate Collaborative
A network of people, organizations, and governments committed to taking decisive action in the face of climate change.

Our Mission
Green Umbrella leads cross-sector collaboration to accelerate climate action across Greater Cincinnati.

Our Vision
We envision a thriving region where:
Climate action is regional, equitable, and collaborative
Community voice is centered and supported
Our people, communities, and environments are interconnected and resilient

10-County Regional Footprint: Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren (in Ohio); Boone, Campbell, Grant, and Kenton (in Kentucky); and Dearborn and Franklin (in Indiana).

Our Values
Environmental Stewardship
We believe caring for the land, water, and air will enhance and restore our region for generations to come. We promote intentional stewardship of our natural and built environments across individual, organizational, and institutional levels.

Regional Collaboration
We trust in the power of the collective and recognize the need for collaboration in climate efforts. Working regionally is critical and urgent—the climate crisis is borderless, but coordinated action leads to proven results.

Community Well-being
We know that climate justice is health justice. We prioritize community well-being and acknowledge the social, cultural, economic, and environmental conditions that impact quality of life for all in our region.

Equity & Justice
We recognize the historic and continued environmental injustices imposed on marginalized groups. We are committed to addressing the conditions that perpetuate harm and to advocating for repair.

Company History

The organization that became Green Umbrella began in 1998. It was a response to diminishing natural areas and biodiversity in the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana region. Citizens and organizations came together to find ways to preserve and restore greenspace. The fledgling organization developed the first strategic plan to guide efforts and help environmental groups work together more effectively.

Recognizing the importance of raising awareness and encouraging the enjoyment of natural areas, Green Umbrella began hosting Great Outdoor Weekend in 2010. This annual showcase of outdoor recreation and education allows our member organizations to present hundreds of free events, attracting thousands of participants.

In 2011, Green Umbrella significantly expanded its mission. In partnership with Agenda 360 and Vision 2015 (now Skyward), Cincinnati’s leading planning initiatives, we became the sustainability alliance for the region. We hired our first executive director, adopted the Collective Impact model, and created Action Teams focused on key issue areas. The Teams built strategic partnerships to improve economic vitality and quality of life by maximizing environmental sustainability.

Green Umbrella found that we were able to add significant value by aiding nonprofit start-ups. Their successes show how Collective Impact and a strong backbone organization can support aligned activities. Organizations we have “incubated” include Red Bike, Taking Root, Outdoor Adventure Clubs (now Adventure Crew), and Sidestreams Foundation. We also found success in coordinating grant applications, distributing funds to our member organizations. The results have exceeded what individual organizations could achieve individually.

In 2014, Green Umbrella hosted the first Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit. This annual conference now brings together hundreds of participants and dozens of exhibitors to share the latest ideas and best practices in environmental sustainability.

In 2015, Green Umbrella launched our first staffed initiatives, Tri-State Trails and the Greater Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council. Tri-State Trails was born out of work led by the Outdoor Action Team, which created a Regional Trails Alliance in 2012, hosted a Regional Trails Forum in 2013, and developed a Regional Trails Plan in 2014. The Food Policy Council resulted from work by the Local Food Action Team, which developed a Strategic Plan and the region’s first State of Local Food Report.

In 2018, Green Umbrella launched our third staffed initiative, the Cincinnati 2030 District, joining an international network of cities committed to transforming the built environment. This was the result of work by members of the Energy Action Team.

In 2019, Green Umbrella developed its new strategic plan, mission, and vision. A new set of Impact Teams replaced the Action Teams. These new groups are more focused on specific, measurable, achievable goals. We look forward to greater results as development of strategies and action steps progresses.

In 2020, Green Umbrella launched a new Climate Policy area of focus to support local governments in their sustainability, resilience and equity efforts, and foster regional collaboration.

In 2021, Green Umbrella adopted The Common Orchard Project under a new incubator model, to help it grow and expand.

2022
Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance is relaunched. Green Umbrella and Tri-State Trails initiate the process of spinning off Tri-State Trails into an independent organization, allowing both entities to enhance their impact and continue supporting their respective programs. Green Umbrella launches inaugural Regional Climate Collaborative programming to build capacity for local governments.

2023
Green Umbrella expands its Regional Climate Collaborative program to an overarching strategic framework, creating a network of people, organizations, and governments committed to taking decisive action in the face of climate change. Learn more about our work and vision here.

Green Umbrella launches the Climate Research Incubator, an annual cohort that connects regional researchers and scholars with community members and government representatives across Greater Cincinnati. 2024 also marks the first year of the Climate Action Fellowship, which helps local governments create and carry out resilience action plans with a designated Climate Fellow to expand capacity experience.

Green Umbrella launches the 25 Communities Project, an initiative to connect 25 communities across the Greater Cincinnati region with training, resources, and connections to begin or further their resilience work. Green Umbrella hosts the region's first Resilient & Welcoming Workshop on climate migration preparation, paired with a summer research project on what the Greater Cincinnati region can expect from possible climate migration over the coming years.

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