Our Impact

Our Desired Impacts

WI-CAN is focused on being an impactful, equitable, and inclusive climate coalition for Wisconsin. To ensure that these principles remained central to the work done by Navigator organizations the very first meetings were used to form a set of desired impacts that would guide members. These were:

Build community capacity for ongoing climate action planning
Strengthen and broaden relationships and learning within the WI CAN network
Expand the statewide reach of the WI CAN network
Strengthen pathways between state and local plans and policies
Increase trust & belonging

Between our purpose statement and these desired impacts the Network is able to work from a shared understanding of what WI-CAN exists to do, and how Navigator organizations can use the Network to achieve the desired impacts.

How We Track Our Impact

To determine how well WI-CAN is achieving its goals the OSCE is working with the Center for Community & Nonprofit Studies (the CommNS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on an evaluation that supports learning, adaptation, and communication. The CommNS is a hub for faculty, students, and community partners to collaborate on research, practice, and learning that examines the well-being of communities and the roles of civil society, the nonprofit sector, and other purpose-driven efforts. The CommNS Co-Create provides applied research, evaluation services, and technical assistance for partners that inform and advance their goals.

WI-CAN Developmental Evaluation – Interim Report

The June 2026 Interim Evaluation Report is the first of two evaluation reports developed by the CommNs. It highlights what we've learned so far and includes case study examples of WI CAN partners doing climate action work. To read the full report click here.

Who participates in WI CAN?

WI CAN has 385 members, with about 275 active members (those who've participated in at least one meeting since the beginning of the network).
About half of active members represent nonprofit or other non-governmental organizations. Of these, over half represent state-level organizations.
While WI CAN organizations are located across Wisconsin, most regional organizations are concentrated in the southern half.

What leads to impact?

Results of the WI CAN evaluation indicate that after successfully launching in 2024, the WI CAN network continues to develop and grow across the state. Many organizations are focusing on Wisconsin communities or populations that are disproportionately impacted by climate change. Results also show that members are increasingly aware of the work of other climate action organizations across the state, and have been actively building alignment, trust, and relationships. These results suggest some key drivers of impact for the WI CAN network:

The support of a backbone organization. OSCE's work to facilitate all aspects of WI CAN has been integral to the success of the initiative. OSCE's contributions include network-wide communication channels, logistical support for meetings (e.g. virtual meeting platforms, in-person set-up, facilitation), and financial support (e.g. grants, hotel reimbursement for in-person meetings).
Strong network-wide communication. Having a communication platform that allows members to share program and event information, ask for feedback, and connect with other organizations increases awareness, supports alignment, and helps members feel connected.
In-person meetings. Meeting together in-person fosters greater alignment of members both across the state and within regions. OSCE's financial and logistical support for in-person meetings makes it more likely that members will connect, develop relationships, and work toward shared goals.
A focus on Wisconsin regions. Prioritizing regions by co-hosting meetings with organizations in different areas of the state increases membership, strengthens ties, and makes inroads into regions that might not otherwise have representation in the network.
Funding for climate action projects. OSCE has supported multiple member organizations through their grant programs, which have had a focus on climate action initiatives in underrepresented communities.

Recommendations:

Given these drivers, the WI CAN network may be further strengthened by attention to:

Exploring further Wisconsin regions as areas for in-person convenings. Regional meetings bring in new members and strengthen local relationships. The Northeast and Northwest sections of the state would particularly benefit from additional investigation.
Re-engaging inactive members of the network. Given that about 30% of WI CAN members currently don't participate in meetings or other WI CAN activities, there is opportunity for inviting members to start or re-start participation.
Looking for additional ways to engage Wisconsin Tribes and Tribal organizations that are engaging in climate action work. A number of Tribal representatives were initially interested in learning more about the network, but that number dropped after the early meetings. It may be worth exploring why participation rates dropped. It's likely that time and effort will need to be put into developing those relationships if they are to feel that the network is of value to them.
Identifying opportunities for organizations to support WI CAN's backbone efforts. This might include finding organizations willing to assist with communication or offer logistical support for meetings. Broadening the group of organizations assisting with WI CAN functions can make the network stronger and allow it to continue if OSCE loses the capacity to fully support the network.