the UEN space ship earth campus at fort worden
Spaceship Earth Campus — a 35-year commitment to make Fort Worden a global home for planetary repair and civil society
United Earth Networks' anchor project brings every UEN program to one campus. Under a proposed 35-year lease with Washington State Parks, UEN and its partners — the CoNGO Institute, the Buckminster Fuller Institute, PEAC Institute and HubCast — will invest $100–500 million to refurbish Fort Worden's historic facilities across the board, build new ones from the ground up, starting with the Buckminster Fuller Geoscope Institute, and endow an institute that sustains programs at the Fort for generations.
Project snapshot
At-a-glance facts for funder and investor calls. Capital figures are planning ranges until the master plan and building assessments are complete.
- Project lead
- Marc Katsky, Strategic Director, UEN · [email] · [phone]
- Site
- Fort Worden Historical State Park — 434 acres, 12 miles of trails, 2 miles of beach, 70+ historic buildings, a National Historic Landmark
- Landowner
- Washington State Parks, operating the upper campus directly since the Fort Worden PDA dissolved in June 2025
- Proposed tenure
- 35-year lease of [upper campus / defined buildings and parcels] — to be negotiated with State Parks
- Investment
- $100M (core phase) to $500M (full build-out), phased over 10–15 years
- Endowment
- [$75–100M] institute endowment to fund programs, maintenance reserves and scholarships
- Signature new building
- Buckminster Fuller Geoscope Institute
- Program partners
- CoNGO Institute · Buckminster Fuller Institute · PEAC Institute · HubCast Media · Global Earth Repair Foundation · Carter School (Architects of Peace)
- Near-term ask
- $3.5M pre-development: master plan, building assessments, lease negotiation, capital campaign
- Committed to date
- In-kind: UEN staff, partner program commitments, existing UEN studio at Fort Worden
- Timeline
- Lease terms and master plan 2027 · Phase 1 construction 2028–2031 · full build-out by ~2040
- Structure
- [Campus nonprofit / institute entity] as lessee, with a fiscal sponsor for early gifts — confirm with counsel
The opportunity
Language ready to lift into a case statement or investor summary.
Need
Fort Worden is one of the finest historic campuses in the country, but its future is unsettled. The public development authority that held a 50-year lease on the 90-acre upper campus from 2013 collapsed, and State Parks now operates the upper campus directly. Overnight lodging is only now returning after hospitality operations shut down. Dozens of historic buildings need major investment, and the campus needs a long-term anchor with a mission and the capital to match.
Our approach
Secure a 35-year lease, raise capital in phases, and fill the campus with programs from day one. UEN's partners already have work ready for Fort Worden: the CoNGO Institute's youth and civil-society training, BFI's design science retreats and Geoscope, PEAC's peace and arts education, HubCast's studios and distribution, and flagship gatherings like the Global Earth Repair Convergence. The capital plan restores buildings for those programs and adds new ones, and an endowment makes the institute permanent.
Who it serves
Global civil society through CoNGO and its member organizations; designers and systems thinkers in BFI's network; young people in citizen-journalism and leadership programs; Indigenous nations and tribal partners of the Salish Sea; Port Townsend and Jefferson County through jobs, housing, visitors and public programs; and Washington State Parks as landowner and partner.
Why now
For the first time in a decade the upper campus is without a long-term operator. State Parks needs a stable partner, and UEN's programs are ready to launch in 2027. A committed anchor tenant with patient capital can restore the Fort, protect public access, and make it a working campus for the planet's future.
Program anchors & campus plan
Leading programs that will occupy and activate the campus, each with its own UEN brief.
CoNGO Institute at Fort Worden
West Coast campus for civil-society education linked to the UN community in New York. Youth citizen journalism, NGO leadership training and global forums.
Buckminster Fuller Geoscope Institute
A new purpose-built home for Geoscope research, immersive production and design science — growing from the temporary Geoscope Studio dome into a permanent institute building.
BFI Design Science Retreats
Four themed residential retreats a year on planetary design challenges, scaling into year-round fellowships as housing comes online.
PEAC Institute
Peace, education, arts and culture programs; faculty for youth and leadership curricula; performance and exhibition space.
UEN Meta Center & HubCast
Studios, meeting center and distribution hub that record, stream and share every program with the world.
Flagship gatherings
The Global Earth Repair Convergence, Architects of Peace with the Carter School, and new annual summits — plus the UEN Technology Incubator's showcases.
Phased capital plan
| Phase | Years | Scope | Investment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 — Pre-development | 2027 | Lease negotiation, master plan, historic structures report, engineering and infrastructure studies, capital campaign set-up | $3.5M |
| 1 — Core campus | 2028–2031 | Rehabilitate priority buildings for classrooms, offices, studios and residential lodging; infrastructure upgrades; Geoscope Studio dome in use | $100M |
| 2 — Institute & growth | 2031–2035 | Build the Buckminster Fuller Geoscope Institute; expand lodging, dining and conference space; seed the endowment | +$150M (to $250M) |
| 3 — Full build-out | 2035–2040 | Remaining building rehabilitation, new facilities, climate resilience and restoration, full endowment | +$250M (to $500M) |
Funding opportunities
A capital stack for a project of this size, plus naming opportunities for leadership donors.
Leadership & naming opportunities
| Opportunity | Amount | Recognition | Slots | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campus founding partner | $25M+ | Founding name on the Spaceship Earth Campus, board seat, permanent recognition | 1–2 | Open |
| Geoscope Institute naming | $20M | Name on the Buckminster Fuller Geoscope Institute building | 1 | Open |
| Endowed institute chair or program | $5M | Named, permanent program (e.g., CoNGO youth journalism, design science fellows) | 6 | Open |
| Building rehabilitation naming | $2M–$10M | Name on a restored historic building for the lease term | [10+] | Open |
| Pre-development partner | $500K–$1M | Founding recognition; seat on the master-planning council | 4 | Open |
| Endowed fellowship | $250K | Named fellowship in perpetuity | Unlimited | Open |
Capital stack (planning targets)
| Source | Use | Target share | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major philanthropy — foundations, families, founding partners | Endowment, Geoscope Institute, program seed | 35–45% | UEN + campaign counsel |
| Historic tax credits & New Markets Tax Credits | Rehabilitating qualifying historic buildings | 10–15% | Tax-credit syndicator |
| Impact investment & program-related investment | Revenue-producing lodging, dining, studios | 15–20% | UEN + financial advisor |
| State and federal capital funds | Infrastructure, historic preservation, climate resilience | 10–15% | UEN + GMA |
| Bonds or debt, backed by campus revenue | Later-phase construction | 10–15% | Financial advisor |
| Foundation grants — pre-development & programs | Master plan, studies, program launch | Near-term | GMA |
Community campaign
A public “Crew of Spaceship Earth” campaign with a [$1M] goal, so Port Townsend and supporters worldwide share in the founding. Names on a campus founders' wall.
Endowment
An institute endowment of [$75–100M] funds programs, scholarships and a building maintenance reserve, so the campus doesn't depend on year-to-year fundraising.
Earned revenue
Lodging, conferences and events, studio rentals, tuition, sub-leases to resident organizations, dining and visitor programs — sized in the master plan to cover operations.
Budget & use of funds
Illustrative allocation at the $500M full build-out. Figures will be replaced by master-plan and building-assessment costs.
Committed
$0 cash. Partner program commitments and UEN in-kind support.
Pending
Lease discussions with Washington State Parks.
First step
$3.5M pre-development — the gate to every capital gift, tax credit and investment.
Impact metrics
Targets at full build-out; interim targets set in the master plan.
Measurement method
Buildings restored and square footage in use; participants by program; jobs and local spending; public access days; energy, water and carbon performance; restoration acreage; endowment growth. Independent evaluation every five years. Data owner: [name].
Reporting cadence
Quarterly reports to State Parks and leadership donors during construction, an annual public impact and financial report, and five-year reviews tied to lease milestones.
Document library
Link each item to the live file in the UEN shared drive; keep negotiation drafts in a private data room.
Campaign package
Contacts & next steps
Named owners for every ask, plus what has to happen before this brief goes to funders.
Project lead
Marc Katsky · Strategic Director, United Earth Networks
Fort Worden, Port Townsend, WA
[email] · [phone]
Program partners
CoNGO Institute · Buckminster Fuller Institute · PEAC Institute · HubCast
[names, emails]
Grant Management Associates
[Consultant name]
[email] · [phone]
Scope: pre-development and public capital grants
- Open formal lease discussions with Washington State Parks and agree which buildings and acreage the 35-year lease covers.
- Set up the lessee entity and governance, with counsel, before accepting capital commitments.
- Secure the $3.5M pre-development funding and commission the master plan and building assessments — they replace every range on this page.
- Get written commitments from CoNGO, BFI, PEAC and HubCast on the programs and space each will occupy.
- Engage capital campaign counsel and a tax-credit advisor; a campaign this size needs both.
- Engage Port Townsend, resident organizations and tribal nations early — public trust matters after the PDA's collapse.