The H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the Environment was a nonpartisan nonprofit think tank and organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., dedicated to improving the scientific and economic foundations of environmental policy through multisectoral collaboration. Conceived by Teresa Heinz in memory of her late husband, U.S. Senator H. John Heinz III, who died in 1991, the Center was established with a $20 million grant from the Vera I. Heinz Endowment and other donors. Its mission emphasized integrating science, economics, and environmental policy to inform decision-making, with a focus on consensus-building and nonpartisan environmentalism. The Center brought together representatives from business, government, academia, the scientific community, and environmental organizations to develop science-based solutions to environmental challenges. It was best known for producing the State of the Nation's Ecosystems reports in 2002 and 2008, which served as seminal references for U.S. policymakers. The organization focused on key areas including biodiversity protection, managing phosphorus in agricultural soils to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay, developing national indicators and monitoring systems, wildlife conservation, and providing climate change information for local decision-making. Key figures included Teresa Heinz as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, Mark Gorenberg as Chair, and Dr. Thomas Lovejoy as Biodiversity Chair. The Center operated until 2013, when it closed, leaving a legacy of fostering dialogue and informing environmental policy.