Climate services have been defined as the timely production and delivery of useful climate data, information and knowledge to decision makers. In this paper we map the evolution of the idea of climate services and describe the network and infrastructure needed to develop and coordinate such services. Using analytical reviews and interviews with key service providers and researchers (NWS, State Climatologists, RISA others) we synthesize existing integrated research and training activities on environmental variability, change and impacts with experience on how these integrated perspectives have been used for decision making regionally and nationally to manage climate-related risks and opportunities. While existing "service-type" activities can be identified in many settings, we show that the problem is actually one of crafting and coordinating effective implementation strategies. The development of well-structured paths from observations, modeling annd research to usable information requires careful (i.e. acceptable and credible) integration of management and decision making groups (private, federal etc.), knowledge provision systems , and the implementing agencies and information providers.