Deadline: 26-May-25
Youth4Climate is accepting applications for its funding and learning opportunities, to fund new and existing youth-led solutions that are ready to implement or scale, and to support the further development of young people’s ideas and projects by providing relevant learning opportunities with the support of partners.
There are 1.9 billion young people in the world, making up the largest generation in history. Young people are increasingly acknowledged as vital contributors to transformative climate action, playing roles such as negotiators, innovators, inventors, entrepreneurs, and agents of change. However, they face a significant shortfall in essential technical, financial, and political resources and support needed to fulfil their aspirations.
In response, the Government of Italy and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with a range of knowledge partners and youth constituencies, have set out to identify, support and scale youth-led climate breakthroughs through the global Youth4Climate initiative (Y4C)
Youth4Climate has now launched its 3rd annual Call for Solutions, inviting youth and youth-led organizations that are working on innovative climate projects to apply.
Thematic Areas
- The 2025 Call will fund youth-led solutions in 6 thematic areas:
- Sustainable Energy
- In this context, the following are needed to drive transformative action:
- expanding renewable energy adoption;
- leveraging digitalization and AI for optimized energy systems;
- mobilizing innovative financing mechanisms; and
- scaling decentralized energy solutions to reach underserved communities.
- In this context, the following are needed to drive transformative action:
- Food and Agriculture
- Solutions to these challenges can include but are not limited to:
- agroecology and regenerative agriculture to restore soil health, reduce reliance on synthetic inputs, and promote sustainable practices;
- reducing food waste through local initiatives like composting or sharing platforms;
- strengthening local food markets to improve access to diverse and nutritious diets;
- fostering collaborative efforts through inclusive and open discussions, ensuring unified action on food, climate, and biodiversity for real, lasting change.
- Solutions to these challenges can include but are not limited to:
- Climate and Health
- This priority area of the Call seeks to enhance health-inclusive climate planning and actions led by young people, and solutions that contribute to ensuring that the health needs of young people and other marginalized groups are adequately met.
- Digital for Planet
- Under this priority area, the Youth4Climate Call is seeking solutions addressing nature and climate crises through:
- the use of frontier digital technologies;
- digital technologies that respond to sector-specific needs;
- initiatives that leverage digital technologies to generate values shift by transforming behaviours and narratives surrounding nature and climate crises.
- Under this priority area, the Youth4Climate Call is seeking solutions addressing nature and climate crises through:
- Climate, Peace and Security
- To mark the 10th anniversary of the Youth, Peace and Security agenda, this area of the Call will seek solutions for peace-positive climate adaptation and mitigation, including but not limited to:
- promoting access to clean energy, water, participatory natural resource management and sustainable livelihoods:
- enhancing social cohesion, fostering dialogue and cooperation to strengthen peace processes in contexts of climate vulnerability:
- addressing climate-induced displacement and vulnerability to violent extremism among youth, supporting integration of youth returnees recruited by extremist groups back into society.
- To mark the 10th anniversary of the Youth, Peace and Security agenda, this area of the Call will seek solutions for peace-positive climate adaptation and mitigation, including but not limited to:
- Nature for Climate Action
- This priority area seeks a broad range of solutions linked to ecosystem conservation and restoration.
- Sustainable Energy
Funding Information
- Applicants to the Call for Solutions can request up to USD 30,000 in seed funding and successful applicants will also benefit from:
- Connections and visibility at country, regional and global levels that may enable scaling and growth of their projects.
- Capacity development offers include a mentorship programme consisting of group workshops, one-to-one mentorship, and project pitching and feedback opportunities.
- Proposals, if successful, can be implemented over a maximum of 24 months.
Who can apply?
- Young Individuals aged 18 to 29 and who meet the remainder of the eligibility criteria (see Call for Solutions guidelines)
- A legally registered, youth-led civil society organization (CSO), non-governmental organization (NGO), community-based organization (CBO), or company with the majority of the organization’s leadership being young people aged 18-29 years at the time of submitting the application. Please note that the project lead for the organization should be aged 18 to 29.
For more information, visit Y4C.