Deep collaborative engagement is the cornerstone of the Graham Sustainability Institute. Since 2006, Graham has deliberately convened faculty, students, policy makers, practitioners, and communities to foster sustainable solutions at local to global scales.

Leveraging over 100 top-ranked University of Michigan programs and a vast practitioner network, Graham integrates diverse expertise to tackle pressing sustainability challenges and achieve real-world impact.

Vision

A sustainable and just world where critical decisions are powered by science, collaboration, and creativity.

Mission

Mobilize the expertise and passion of faculty, students, partners, and decision makers to work together and bring world-class research to real-world sustainability challenges.

Values

Purpose-driven | We know that society, the environment, and the economy must thrive together, and we pursue this ambitious goal with unwavering focus and determination.

Collaborative | We build interdisciplinary and cross-sector partnerships in search of informed solutions, and we are committed to sharing information, decision making, and responsibility.

Inclusive | We intentionally engage diverse and representative perspectives because they are essential for just and equitable outcomes, now and into the future.

Science-based | We leverage our position within one of the world’s leading public research institutions to ensure that rigor and credibility provide the foundation for our work.

Impactful | We foster solutions that are practical, measurable, and widely applicable today, while developing the sustainability leaders who will transform the future.

In alignment with Graham’s vision, mission, and values, as well as U-M’s three-fold commitment to research, education, and service, our strategic priorities are to enhance collaborative research, develop sustainability leaders, and inform policy and practice. We pursue these priorities in collaboration with, and in support of, a broad range of university and external partners, and they serve as the institute’s levers for fostering a more sustainable future.

Graham focuses on three critical areas of sustainability: climate, water, and communities. These topics are intentionally broad and flexible, allowing us to catalyze and facilitate a wide range of important work.