The Youth Climate Justice Fund 2026 Grant supports youth‑led movements and organisations that drive socio‑environmental climate change across the world. This global funding opportunity empowers young people to organise, advocate, and implement grassroots solutions that address climate harm. It helps strengthen community power and advance equity.
About the Youth Climate Justice Fund 2026
The Youth Climate Justice Fund (YCJF) applies a participatory, youthful approach to grantmaking. It does this by prioritising leadership from individuals under 35. Regional youth committees design funding decisions, ensuring grants align with local needs and priorities.
The fund targets projects that integrate climate action with social justice, recognising that environmental harm intersects with marginalisation and inequality. YCJF also provides flexible core funding, peer learning, and support to help groups strengthen organisational capacity. They do this by improving campaigns, enhancing communications, and scaling impact beyond individual projects.
Funding Size
- Typical grant amount: up to USD 20,000 for local groups and collectives
- Maximum award: up to USD 40,000
- Project duration supported: One Year
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Who Can Apply for the Youth Climate Justice Fund 2026
Eligible organisation types
- Youth groups, networks, or collectives with leadership under age 35
- Movements and organisations that focus on climate and socio-environmental solutions
- Informal or formal grassroots teams preaching communal change
Registration or legal documents
- Verification of group leadership and membership structure
- A clear project plan demonstrating community-based climate action
- Organisation or collective profile outlining past work or experience
Project focus requirements
- Activities that promote climate justice alongside equity and inclusion
- Projects with goals related to community power, accountability, and systemic change
- Plans that combine climate work with socio-environmental solutions
Geographic eligibility
- Groups from East Asia and the Pacific, the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia, Europe and Central Asia, or North America
- Groups in developed countries must represent under-resourced or underrepresented communities
Sector or thematic focus
- Grassroots climate justice organising
- Community engagement and mobilisation for environmental equity
- Intersectional approaches linking climate change with social justice
- Strategies to hold decision-makers accountable
Application Process
- Check eligibility criteria and funding priorities
- Prepare a good project proposal with objectives and plausible solutions
- Submit all required materials through the online application platform
- Participate in any follow-up discussions with regional committees
- Await final grant decisions and support for onboarding
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Required Materials
- Project proposal detailing climate justice goals
- Documentation of youth leadership and group structure
- Budget outlining planned use of funds
- Contextual information demonstrating community relevance
Key Dates
- Call for applications opens: January 2026
- Application deadline: March 1, 2026
- Review and decision period: March to April 2026
- Awards announced: mid-2026, after review and due diligence
Selection Notes
- The grant is competitive, with a limited number of youth-led groups receiving awards each cycle
- The programme focuses on community-rooted climate justice action, equity-centred organising, intersectional strategies, and strengthening inclusive leadership
- Groups that lack youth leadership, are over 35, and operate outside eligible regions are excluded.
Official Source Of The Youth Climate Justice Fund 2026
Application Page: https://ycjf.org/how-to-apply
