The Youth Climate Justice Fund provides funding to emerging youth-led climate justice and socio-environmental groups through a participatory decision-making process. Its 2026 application round will open soon. Eligible groups working at local or national levels are invited to apply for grants of up to USD 20,000 for local groups and USD 40,000 for national groups.
About the Program
The Youth Climate Justice Fund provides direct financial support to youth-driven climate projects across the world. The Youth Climate Justice Fund prioritizes grassroots action, community impact, and climate justice leadership.
The program supports ideas that respond to climate risks while protecting vulnerable groups. Through the Youth Climate Justice Fund, young people turn climate ideas into real projects with measurable results.
Below you will find our eligibility criteria and details on our grant making process. For more detailed guidance, please review our FAQs, available in Arabic, English, French, Hindi, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swahili.
Eligibility Criteria
You must meet the following requirements to apply for the Youth Climate Justice Fund.
- Your group or collective is led by young people aged 35 years and below. In order to be eligible for a YCJF grant, the majority of your leadership must be young people or the individuals with decision making power should be aged 35 years and below.
- Your group, network or collective is based in East Asia and Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia, Europe and Central Asia, and North America.
- Applicants from high-income countries should belong to underrepresented communities to be considered for funding.
- Groups that focus solely on international engagements without any community-based work are ineligible to apply.
- You believe in and exhibit inclusive organizing, collective action and intersectional movement building.
- Your group, network or collective is based in North America or Western Europe but is led by young people who are discriminated against and/or marginalized based on class, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, background, etc.
- Non-partisan, non-violent, and legal movements.
We specifically look for groups who are:
- Cultivating diverse leadership rooted in fair and equitable climate action with community power.
- Raising ambitions and commitments on climate & socio-environmental justice.
- Holding policymakers accountable to their promises and strengthening community power.
APPLY: WeCare Program For Leadership and Impact Mentorship Program (WLIMP) 2026
Benefits of the Program
The Youth Climate Justice Fund offers strong value beyond funding.
- Grant funding of up to USD 40,000
- Direct support for youth-led climate action
- Increased visibility for your climate project
- Capacity building and leadership growth
- Access to a global youth climate network
The Youth Climate Justice Fund helps you scale impact and strengthen community trust.
Selection and Application Process
The Youth Climate Justice Fund follows a transparent review process
1. Call for Applications Open
The call is open for 4 weeks. Youth-led climate and environmental justice groups around the globe can apply. Non-English speaking groups are welcome to apply in Arabic, English, French, Hindi, Portuguese, Spanish or Swahili.
2. Initial screening by the Regional Committees, with support from staff
Check that groups meet basic eligibility criteria and are aligned with YCJF core objectives, values and principles.
3. Regional Committee review
Review proposals per regional priorities, engage selected groups in follow-up conversations to better understand their needs, and develop a shortlist of aligned organizations.
4. Grants Committee and Regional Committee decision making
Regional Committees share their shortlists with the Grants Committee for joint review, ensuring alignment with regional priorities and YCJF values. Final grant decisions are made collectively by both committees.
5. Due diligence process
YCJF staff and Regional Committees reach out to the selected groups and support them to receive the funding.
6. Grants are awarded!
YCJF staff and Regional Committees work with partners to speed the process for groups to receive funding.
7. Join the YCJF community
Groups are invited to join the YCJF welcome call and to co-develop capacity strengthening resources.
How to Apply, Step by Step Guide
Follow these steps to apply for the Youth Climate Justice Fund.
- Visit the official application portal
- Read all program guidelines carefully
- Complete the online application form
- Review your entries for accuracy
- Submit before the deadline
After submission, track updates through the official channel of the Youth Climate Justice Fund.
