ROC’s mission is to accelerate cutting-edge climate policy at the local level in communities across the country by supporting candidates, collaborating with elected leaders, and expanding the influence of climate justice advocates. We support climate champions running for local offices, flipping outcomes in highly competitive races. We support local elected officials and advocates with policy research and development, communications, strategy, peer connections, community and stakeholder engagement, and more so they can develop, pass, and implement strong policies and programs to reduce pollution, improve equity. In doing this we engage a large team of student and recent graduate interns and fellows.

In 2026, ROC will provide endorsements and meaningful support at least 25 climate champion candidates, and elect at least 20 into local offices. ROC will also support local officials and advocates in over 35 cities and counties in passing dozens of bold, justice-centered climate policies. ROC will host over 100 students and recent graduates as interns and fellows, providing them with hands-on experience electing candidates, developing and passing local policy, and educating the public. By passing bold policy now, electing new leaders, and developing future leaders, ROC will continue building a scalable, community-led model for transitioning cities off fossil fuels.

In 2020, we supported 17 candidates and elected 12 climate champions into local office. In Ithaca, NY we won by 11 votes and in San Jose, CA by 6 votes! We grew our Local Climate Policy Network from 33 to 50 elected officials representing over 15 Million people across 34 jurisdictions. We helped to pass and implement dozens of bold climate justice policies in these communities, including the historic Healthy Buildings Ordinance in Evanston, IL. We also launched our first-ever summer door-to-door canvass, which knocked over 4,000 doors and brought over 1,000 people into climate action and raised over $40,000.