At a time when young people around the world are leading some of the most innovative and impactful climate solutions, new opportunities are emerging to help their work thrive. Building on this momentum, colleagues at Enlight Foundation, The Patchwork Collective, and Lever For Change, announced the Emerging Climate Champions Award — a bold $25 million global open call offering multiyear, flexible $1 million grants to youth-led organizations advancing climate solutions worldwide.

At the Youth Climate Justice Fund (YCJF), supporting grassroots, youth-led climate initiatives is at the heart of what we do. In that spirit, we’ve been proud to work closely with Enlight Foundation, The Patchwork Collective and Lever For Change throughout their journey in creating this opportunity, providing pro-bono guidance as they shaped this ambitious new funding initiative for young leaders everywhere.

“It’s been such a privilege to support Enlight Foundation and The Patchwork Collective as they joined forces to combine resources and support youth-led climate initiatives on a large, global scale,” says our Co-Director Nathan Méténier. “In a moment when intersecting crises are accelerating, this is the kind of bold philanthropy young people need — funding that trusts, centers, and moves directly to youth-led climate work globally.”

The Emerging Climate Champions Award addresses a long-standing funding gap in the climate philanthropy space. While young people are on the frontlines of climate justice movements worldwide, financial resources have rarely matched their efforts. Of the global philanthropic giving directed to climate action, youth-led organizations receive just a fraction. This new award is a significant step toward changing that.

Open to organizations across the globe, with a particular emphasis on historically under-resourced and under-represented communities — including Indigenous-led, women-led, grassroots, and frontline organizations — this award invites applications from youth-led groups tackling the climate crisis in myriad ways: from advocacy and sustainable agriculture to movement building, disaster preparedness, and community resilience.

“When we started YCJF, it was with the goal of not only resourcing youth climate movements but growing the broader pool of funding reaching them,” adds fellow Co-Director Joshua Amponsem. “This award marks a turning point — a tangible commitment to youth-led climate solutions, and a recognition of the leadership and expertise young people bring to this fight.”

 

“Young people around the world will be most affected by climate change; yet they're largely overlooked by traditional funding streams,” states Cedric Dageville, Principal at The Patchwork Collective. “At The Patchwork Collective, we believe that investing in youth-led solutions isn't just equitable — it's essential. The Youth Climate Justice Fund is crafting innovative solutions rooted in deep community knowledge. By supporting their efforts, we are amplifying proven impact and empowering the next generations who will have to live with tomorrow's climate reality.”

 

“When we launched the Emerging Climate Champions Award with the Enlight Foundation, we included partners like the Youth Climate Justice Fund as trusted advisors to help shape the process. Involving young people in decision making is not merely good philanthropy; it’s key to investing in our collective future,” he adds
 

 

At YCJF, we’re thrilled to see this initiative take shape and stand ready to support it. Our mission remains clear: unlocking more resources for youth-led grassroots climate action and championing spaces where young people can lead with autonomy, creativity, and courage.

We encourage all eligible youth-led organizations to explore the opportunity and apply. Together, let’s keep pushing for a climate justice movement that’s bold, inclusive, and led by those most affected. 

📌 Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/dykeUJXP

*Applicants need to complete their registration by 5 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Friday, August 15, 2025. After registering, they must submit their online application by 5 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Monday, September 22, 2025.

📣 For more information regarding eligibility, please refer to the application portal.