Resilience Strategy
CRC’s strategy work focuses on climate resilience success through transformative policy change, infrastructure improvements, and vibrant partnerships.
Over a 15 years ago, we created one of the world’s first resilience strategies, and we lead advisory groups, offer training, and perform research for strategy success.
Resilience Strategy
Our founder, Joyce Coffee, led one of the nation’s first citywide climate adaptation strategies in Chicago in 2008. Since then, Climate Resilience Consulting has helped communities across the U.S. craft actionable resilience strategies that prioritize community needs, infrastructure, and funding readiness.
We guide partners through the fundamentals of climate resilience:
Assessing risk across hazards, exposure, and vulnerability
Addressing asset-level and community-wide climate impacts
Designing policy, programs, and green and gray infrastructure solutions
We convene stakeholders, advise leadership teams, and develop fundable strategies that save lives and improve livelihoods.
US Climate Alliance
CRC works with the UN Foundation and the US Climate Alliance Member States in building climate resilience. We helped to launch the Governor's Resilience Playbook, delivered training workshops, provided guidance on land use, resilience metrics, and funding, and interpreted the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) guidelines for use by State leaders.
The U.S. Climate Alliance, in collaboration with Climate Resilience Consulting and Smart Growth America, unveiled a new resource in 2025, Climate and Land Use Planning: A Policy Guide for U.S. States and Territories.
Transportation Research Board
As a subcontractor to WSP, CRC serves as the communications lead for the Managed Retreat to Address Extreme Weather, Natural Hazards, and Climate Impacts project, sponsored by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies. This work supports the development of a community-led relocation framework and guide to help state departments of transportation (DOTs) address relocation needs tied to flooding, wildfire, sea level rise, and other climate-related risks—while centering vulnerable populations, land use planning, and community priorities.
Willis Towers Watson
CRC was a founding member of Willis Towers Watson’s Climate & Resilience Strategic Advisory, contributing expertise on insurance and financial strategies to support climate resilience in local governments, affordable housing, and real estate portfolios.
In one key collaboration, CRC supported a western U.S. state in addressing structural and financial barriers to wildfire risk mitigation. We explored long-term contracting, alternative financing models, and resilience investment strategies aimed at stabilizing local economies, increasing renewable energy adoption, and supporting job creation in rural communities.
Cemex
CRC supported global building materials company CEMEX in evolving its Patrimonio Hoy affordable housing initiative to integrate disaster resilience into housing solutions for low-income urban families. The updated approach combined sustainable construction, climate-adaptive design, and a community savings program to strengthen household and neighborhood resilience.
CRC produced guidance on interior and exterior retrofits and supported community engagement to raise awareness of climate risks like heat, flooding, and severe storms.
American Flood Coalition
As a strategic advisor to the American Flood Coalition (AFC), CRC developed a series of technical assistance resources and case studies to support the State Resilience Partnership. This work helps state governments across the U.S. design flood resilience programs that deliver equitable funding and build local project pipelines in frontline communities.
The resources guide states in creating state-to-local technical assistance structures that ensure flood-related investments reach communities with the greatest need—supporting long-term resilience and capacity-building at the local level.
US Environmental Protection Agency
CRC is the prime contractor for the USEPA’s Disaster Resilient Communities Blanket Purchase Agreement. Task orders include Campus RainWorks at an Historically Black College and University, Recovery and the Resiliency Partnership Project in Eatonville, FL, and Equitable Resilience Builder, which enhances a national tool to foster active and inclusive community engagement in collaboration with communities in the Northeast, Southeast, and Great Lakes. We also led related resilience-building training for government officials on indicator creation, selection, and utilization protocols.
William Penn Foundation
Climate Resilience Consulting developed a rapid climate risk assessment tool to help the William Penn Foundation evaluate climate vulnerability and resilience opportunities across the Philadelphia region. We assessed the Foundation’s grantmaking in green infrastructure, schools, and arts to identify intersections with climate resilience. The project produced a Board-level resilience briefing, a practitioner guide, and case studies showcasing how the Foundation’s existing work contributes to equitable climate adaptation.
Metropolitan Planning Council
· In partnership with Daylight and the Metropolitan Planning Council, CRC explored innovative financing strategies for stormwater management in the Calumet region, which links Chicago to Indiana Dunes National Park. This work supports regional efforts to advance green infrastructure and climate resilience.
CRC also contributed to the City of Chicago’s Department of Fleet and Facilities Management resilience strategy, identifying opportunities to expand green stormwater elements, and led community engagement for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s Southside Stormwater Management Plan..
Hospital Support Organization
CRC is partnering with a hospital support organization focusing on understanding and addressing impacts from extreme weather events on community health, carried out over the course of 2025. The project focuses on advancing health system resilience, health data strategies, and preparedness planning across a diverse network of health institutions.
Further information forthcoming in mid-2025.