Our Why – The CLEO Institute

Our Strengths

Founded in 2010, The CLEO Institute is the only women-led nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in Florida exclusively dedicated to climate education, advocacy, and engagement. The devastating hurricanes, the increased flooding, and rising temperatures we regularly witness in Florida underscore the importance of CLEO’s work.

Building community resilience and adaptive capacity require an informed, engaged, and prepared public. We work with government, business, academic, and community leaders to advocate for long-term equitable solutions. CLEO’s top-down, bottom-up approach is helping Florida, the most vulnerable state to climate impacts, become more resilient by empowering Floridians to take climate action.

OUR MISSION: To educate and empower communities to demand climate action, ensuring a safe, just, and healthy environment for all.

OUR VISION: A world in which all people, governments, and organizations are informed, engaged, and taking action on critical climate issues.

Our Values

Heed the Science
Seek Social Justice
Respect Earth’s limited resources
Value community and collaboration
Prioritize accountability and transparency
Respect multiple approaches to solving the climate crisis

We Evaluate

Synthesizing the most current scientific data from reputable organizations, which include NASA and NOAA as well as Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Scientists, to shape our presentations and policy advocacy efforts.

We Educate

Teaching the science, urgency of climate action, and solutions to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis through our presentations, workshops, and forums.

We Advocate

Preparing the next class of climate ambassadors and communicators through our CLEO Speakers Network, GenCLEO, Empowering Resilient Women, and Government partnerships.

we lead

Connecting with individuals, communities, elected officials, and organizations to advance our mission of climate literacy and action.

we impact

Driving community climate action through education and engagement.

CLEO The F. Lynn Leverett, M.D. Award

Established in 2018, CLEO gave its first-ever Circle of Change Awards to honor individuals whose initiatives are paving the way for innovative solutions to the climate crisis. Whether it was for the creation of edible beer can rings that eliminated plastic pollution and provide food for the turtles, or the creation of the NYT bestselling book Drawdown, the most comprehensive book ever written on how to reverse global warming, or a collaboration between top local news media outlets to elevate climate issues in our community, the Circle of Change Awards are CLEO’s way of recognizing agents of change.

In 2019, CLEO decided to give this award an even deeper meaning, by renaming the award after one of its most influential founding members and first CLEO Board President, Dr. F. Lynn Leverett. A champion of change from the very beginning, Dr. Leverett has been with CLEO from the start, supporting our cause to bring climate literacy, engagement, and advocacy to our community. A lifelong environmentalist who believes in the power of the individual, she has been instrumental in the shaping of CLEO’s mission. She has been a pivotal member of the CLEO board, serving as President for 4 years, and then as a board member. It is with great privilege that we honor Dr. Leverett’s significant contribution to CLEO by naming our most prestigious award after her lifelong dedication to climate advocacy.

CLEO Leadership Circle

Established in 2012, our Leadership Circle honors people in the community who have worked alongside CLEO to further our mission to educate and empower communities to demand climate action, ensuring a safe, just and healthy environment for all.

Click below to learn more about the climate crisis with links to NASA, Climate Central, & Union of Concerned Scientists.

SEA LEVEL & COASTAL FLOOD RISKS
GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE: VITAL SIGNS OF THE PLANET
EXTREME HEAT & CLIMATE CHANGE

Partnerships

Sponsors, Supporters & Funders

Our Partners

Our Grantors

Our Corporate Partners

Efforts & Solutions

Partners with Sustainable Efforts

The CLEO Institute is proud to partner with local organizations that are providing solutions to mitigate the climate crisis. Below are partner organizations that you can get involved with locally to help lower your carbon footprint!