Partnerships & Collaboration
Partnerships & Collaboration
Our Approach to Partnership
Scaling Solutions Through Collaboration
No university can solve the climate crisis alone. Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder's sustainability mission is built on the conviction that the most durable solutions emerge from deep, long-term partnerships: with government agencies, industry leaders, local communities, national coalitions, and global research networks.
From campus operations to international policy, our partnerships amplify research, accelerate commercialization, advance environmental justice, and expand the reach of sustainability education — turning Boulder into one of the world's most connected sustainability ecosystems.
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Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder's Office for Outreach and Community Engagement and PACES (Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship) drive forward place-based work with local communities — ensuring the benefits of sustainability research reach Boulder, Colorado, and beyond.
Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder's Venture Partners office translates sustainability research into commercialized solutions — supporting spinout companies from battery technology and methane detection to sustainable building materials.
Long-standing formal partnerships with NOAA through and NLR through anchor Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder in one of the world's densest concentrations of climate, environmental science, and energy expertise — linking campus research directly to national policy and clean energy deployment.
The Carnegie Elective Classification for Sustainability
Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder serves as the host institution for the Carnegie Elective Classification for Sustainability, a new framework recognizing higher education institutions that make sustainability and climate action integral to their academic missions.
The classification provides a rigorous, adaptable framework for institutions to assess and advance sustainability across curriculum, research, operations and community engagement while celebrating progress and fostering collaboration across higher education.
The Classification aims to:
- Recognize excellence in institutional sustainability and climate action
- Encourage innovation in sustainability research, education and engagement
- Promote access through adaptable criteria and support for institutions of all sizes and resources
- Foster collaboration by building on existing sustainability frameworks and creating opportunities for institutions to learn from one another
Campus Partnerships
Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder's on-campus industry and government partnerships translate sustainability research into real-world solutions — from clean energy agreements and zero-waste supply chains to joint research institutes with NOAA and NLR that anchor Boulder's status as a global center of climate science.
Breakthrough Energy's partnership with Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder's Boulder Climate Ventures program gives students direct access to the global clean-energy investment ecosystem — mentorship, deal-flow exposure, and funding pathways for the next generation of climate entrepreneurs.
Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder and Xcel Energy collaborate on campus renewable electricity agreements, grid decarbonization research, and student workforce pipelines — advancing Colorado's transition to a clean energy economy.
A formal campus partnership focused on eliminating single-use plastics from beverage services at Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder — piloting reusable container systems and waste reduction strategies that can be scaled to campuses nationwide.
Boulder-headquartered Eco-Products supplies compostable foodservice products and partners with CU's zero-waste programs to advance composting infrastructure and reduce landfill-bound waste across campus dining operations.
Ball Corporation has been a Ralphie's Green Stampede (RGS) partner, working to reduce the waste entering and leaving Folsom Field — advancing aluminum packaging sustainability and circular economy principles through one of the nation's premier collegiate sports sustainability programs.
Toyota supports Ralphie's Green Stampede at Folsom Field — providing vehicles and logistics support for Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder's NCAA-leading sports sustainability program while demonstrating Toyota's commitment to low-emission transportation solutions.
National Partnerships & Coalitions
Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder shapes national sustainability standards and higher education climate commitments through active leadership in the country's most influential academic and sustainability coalitions — from AASHE and AAU to the Carnegie Foundation and the U.S. Green Building Council.
Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder holds one of AASHE's highest STARS Gold ratings — earned five consecutive times and the first university in the world to do so — while actively contributing to AASHE's standards development and peer network.
Through ACE, Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder engages in national higher education conversations on campus sustainability commitments, climate pledges, and the integration of sustainability across institutional strategy and governance.
Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder serves as the host institution for the Carnegie Elective Classification for Sustainability — a new national benchmark helping universities demonstrate and improve their sustainability commitments across research, teaching, and operations.
As an AAU member, Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder participates in coordinated national research and policy advocacy — including climate science funding, graduate education reform, and science-policy engagement at the federal level.
Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder's 36+ LEED Platinum and Gold certified buildings reflect a longstanding partnership with USGBC — using campus construction and renovation as a testing ground for high-performance, low-carbon building standards.
Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder has deep research ties with NCAR — the NSF-funded national center headquartered in Boulder — through joint faculty appointments, shared graduate students, and collaborative projects advancing atmospheric science, climate modeling, and environmental prediction.