Deadline: 15-Aug-25
The Enlight Foundation, The Patchwork Collective, and Lever for Change have launched the Emerging Climate Champions Award, an ambitious $25 million global open call that aims to shift the landscape of climate philanthropy by empowering youth-led organizations.
Through this initiative, twenty-five outstanding youth-led groups working on climate solutions will each receive a $1 million flexible, multiyear grant to support and scale their efforts.
The award is rooted in the growing recognition that young people, despite being among the most affected by climate change, receive disproportionately little funding for their efforts to address it. In fact, youth-led initiatives attract only a minuscule fraction of global philanthropic giving to climate action.
This new award, shaped by insights and feedback from young climate leaders around the world, is an attempt to correct that imbalance by providing funding that is not only significant in scale but also responsive to localized and culturally relevant approaches to climate action.
The award seeks to spotlight and support organizations led by individuals between the ages of 15 and 35 who have been operating for at least two years. It is especially focused on those groups that are embedded within the communities they serve and that demonstrate both a track record of impact and a clear potential to accelerate durable climate solutions.
The open call invites applications from all regions of the world and encourages participation from historically underrepresented and under-resourced groups. Indigenous-led, women-led, grassroots, and community-based organizations are particularly encouraged to apply.
The scope of the award is intentionally broad, welcoming applications from organizations working across a wide range of climate-related issues such as education, climate justice, sustainable agriculture, technology, community resilience, advocacy, conservation, and disaster preparedness.
The design of the application and selection process reflects Lever for Change’s commitment to fairness, inclusivity, and transparency.
Once applications are submitted, they undergo a preliminary administrative review followed by a participatory review phase, during which applicants themselves review and score each other’s submissions using a standardized evaluation rubric. This participatory model not only creates a shared learning environment but also encourages honest, constructive feedback among peers.
Final evaluations are then conducted by an external panel of experts who apply the same criteria. Winners will be announced in Summer 2026, and their grants will be disbursed over a period of up to five years, allowing for long-term planning and sustainable growth.
What sets Lever for Change apart is its belief that every applicant deserves to benefit from the process—not just those who ultimately receive funding. Their open-call approach challenges the prevailing dynamics of philanthropy, which often depend on insider access or existing relationships with donors.
For more information, visit Lever for Change.
