The Volgenau Climate Initiative (VCI) cultivates leadership networks to drive and scale bold natural climate solutions.
If we’re going to succeed in confronting climate change, ecosystem loss, and their human impacts, we need to weave together our strengths and efforts. The right people are already in motion; we ensure they don’t have to go it alone.

Vision
VCI seeks to positively impact our climate and related ecological systems and our relationship with the land through improved practices, policies, and investments.
Mission
To forge trust-based leadership networks that innovate and scale bold climate strategies, with a primary focus on nature-based solutions.
VCI Approach
No other generation will have more leverage than we do now to alter the fate of our food and water systems, climate stability, or biodiversity. We’re meeting this moment by bringing leaders together to slow down, think, connect, and restore so that they can think, discuss, innovate, and plan. . We are prepared to support the ideas that arise out of these convenings.
2025 Convenings
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All Hands, All Lands: Forests in the Pacific Northwest
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Financing Natural Climate Solutions
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State Leadership for Regenerative Agriculture
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Strengthening Supply Chain Systems for Agroforestry and Reforestation
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Nature and Climate as Economic Pillars for a New Appalachian Economy
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Public Lands Protection Strategies
What we have heard from VCI convening participants: