There is a difference between the Spatial Hazard Events and Losses Database for the United States (SHELDUS) and the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) because SHELDUS is a database that’s a part of a university system. At first, it was a part of the University of South Carolina, where it received financial assistance from National Science Foundation grants. Now, it’s run and financed by Arizona State University (ASU) and the ASU Center for Emergency Management and Homeland Security.

NCEI is a part of the United States government. It’s not funded by grants or a university, but by Congress. Lawmakers decide how much money to allocate to NCEI and its parent agencies and programs. NCEI is a part of the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS). NESDIS is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Finally, NOAA is a part of the US Department of Commerce.

Both SHELDUS and NCEI collect tons of data about the environment and climate. However, the former is run by a university, while the latter is operated by the government. This difference can impact their resources, data, and management structure.