A number of organizations are involved in the planning, coordination, and implementation of Arctic research activities, conducted mainly (although not exclusively) in Alaska. Although, in general, they do not show up in the R&D statistics that form the core data of this report, they bear mention because of their influential roles in shaping research carried out in and affecting Alaska.

At the center of this set of organizations is the U.S. Arctic Research Commission (USARC), established by Congress under the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984. The mission of this Commission is to promote Arctic research, develop national research plans, and facilitate interagency coordination within the federal government and cooperation between the federal government and state and local governments in Arctic research. Located in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., the Commission serves as an advocate for the Arctic research community in the nation's capital. It is required by statute to submit an annual report to the President and Congress describing its activities and accomplishments. This report provides a mechanism for executive branch and congressional oversight. The Commission is composed of seven members appointed by the President plus the director of the National Science Foundation, ex-officio.

The Commission operates in conjunction with a federal Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) established under the same legislation, which provides for coordination among federal agencies and works with the Commission to establish an integrated national Arctic research policy. IARPC is made up of representatives of all of the major federal agencies with interests in Arctic research. It is chaired by the NSF representative.

Finally, the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS),established as a not-for-profit corporation in 1988, is intended to serve as a bridge between the advisory bodies such as USARC and IARPC and the organizations that are actually involved in research. ARCUS's 26 member organizations are a diverse set of institutions engaged in Arctic research and/or education. They include colleges and universities from many parts of the United States, at least one Canadian university, and other organizations ranging from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts to the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in New Hampshire, to Sandia National Laboratory in New Mexico. The consortium, whose goals include the improvement of U.S. Arctic science, community-building among Arctic researchers, and promotion of interdisciplinary approaches and new research techniques, is headquartered in Fairbanks.