We build and accelerate climate solutions for Missoula and beyond. We do this through collaborative programs, advocacy, and catalyzing diverse climate leadership. 
We envision a climate-safe, equitable, and resilient community and world.
In 2025, we're turning 10 years old!

Our core programs include:
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Launched in 2015 under the fiscal sponsorship of the Missoula Community Foundation, in 2020 we officially became our own 501(c)3 non-profit. Check out our Annual Impact Reports HERE.
Our Purpose:
​We strengthen our community’s resolve for tackling the climate emergency, ensuring today’s decisions build a climate-safe, equitable future. We catalyze and empower climate leadership at all levels and focus on high-impact actions that build momentum and foster collaboration. We help everyone envision what’s possible and take action to solve interconnected challenges, reduce pollution, build resiliency, and strengthen the fabric of our community. 

More on Climate Smart Missoula:

A Hub of Community Climate and Sustainability Action

Since our inception, we've collaborated across our community and state, building crucial networks to foster a resilient Missoula and Montana, for this generation and the next. 

Our annual Year-End Celebration and Smarty Pants Awards honors local climate and clean energy heroes and community climate momentum. (Photos credit: Phoebe Bean)
We make hard work (and hard topics) more fun by bringing a sense of creativity and humor everyday.  Al and Ian, from Planet Alien, came to our 2nd Annual Clean Energy Expo to help us understand our current energy system and where we can go in the future. ​
We work out front and behind the scenes, leading and partnering on high-impact efforts that cut our emissions, build resiliency, and strengthen the fabric of our community, with equity at the center. Yeah for efficient lighting!

Where we've been: some of our past events and efforts

Our Goals and Values:

carbon neutrality
  • Catalyze and accelerate projects that lead to the Missoula community reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.
  • Collaborate with local government to provide regular reporting of community emissions.
community resiliency
  • Prepare Missoula for climate impacts so our community can bounce back from disruption and leave no one behind. 
social cohesion
  • Connect and support groups working on climate mitigation and adaptation. 
  • ​Center social equity and community vitality in projects. 
inspiration and resolve
  • Harness kindness and innovation when responding to climate related challenges. 
  • Lead our community climate efforts with resolve and determination. 
beyond missoula
  • Inspire actions beyond this community and lead statewide climate efforts

Key Milestones for Missoula and Climate Smart

Missoulians have been active in efforts to reduce carbon pollution and build a more resilient community for decades.  As a solutions-based and forward-thinking community, many individuals and groups are motivated to inspire action and change.  Climate Smart Missoula is the result of a series of summits in 2013 and 2014, which Mayor Engen and the City of Missoula convened. See below for more key climate milestones for Missoula.
  • 2007 | Montana Forest Restoration Committee’s principles adopted
  • 2010 | University of Montana's Climate Action Plan adopted 
  • 2011 | ClimateWise report published by Clark Fork Coalition, GEOS Institute, and Headwaters Economics
  • 2013 | Missoula's Municipal Conservation and Climate Action Plan adopted
  • ​2013 | First community climate action plan summit
  • 2014 | Second climate action plan summit, which leads early the next year to...
  • 2015 | Climate Smart Missoula releases Community Climate Action Plan
  • 2015 | Climate Smart Missoula becomes a new initiative of the Missoula Community Foundation
  • 2016 | Summer Smart launched 
  • 2016 | Missoula Community's first Carbon Emissions Inventory Published 
  • 2017 | Energy Smart and Solar-ease launched
  • 2019 | 100% Clean Electricity Resolution Adopted by Missoula City Council and Board of County Commissioners
  • 2020 | Climate Ready Missoula plan completed and on its way to adoption by City Council and Board of County Commissioners. 
  • 2020 | Climate Smart Missoula becomes a 501(c)3! 
Climate Smart Missoula is a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization. We formalized in 2015 and until 2020 were fiscally sponsored by the Missoula Community Foundation. We're grateful to MCF for helping us launch!