Inside Philanthropy

Who's Funding What & Why

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Youth Climate Justice Fund

OVERVIEW: The Youth Climate Justice Fund is a regranting organization that facilitates support for global youth-led climate activism.

IP TAKE: The Youth Climate Justice Fund’s work is tightly focused on shoring up support for youth climate action and getting funding to the organizations that need it most. This is a new organization, and according to IP’s coverage of an early grantmaking cycle, the demand for funding has outpaced the fund’s grantmaking capabilities. In response, the fund has worked even harder to inform, advise and connect funders to the global youth climate movement. Grantseekers from anywhere in the world can apply for grants of up to $20,000 for a brief window of time in August and September, so keep your eye on the application page. Funders who are interested in partnering with the fund to support youth climate groups can reach out at any time via the contact page.

PROFILE: The Youth Climate Justice Fund (YCJF) was founded in 2023, following the publication of the United Nations’ Youth Climate Justice Study (2022). This study found that less than 1% of grants awarded by the U.S.’s top climate change funders goes to youth-led nonprofits globally, and that of this small percentage, U.S.-based climate justice organizations receive 16 times more funding than the global average. YCJF was founded to rectify this inequality. Its mission is to “strengthen existing organizing efforts and support emerging youth movements with a focus on bridging funders and organizers to enable flexible and impactful support.” To these ends, YCJF works with both organizers and funders to facilitate grants for global youth climate justice.

Grants for Climate Change

The Youth Climate Justice Fund serves youth climate justice organizers as well as funders and supporters of youth climate movements.

  • YCJF helps youth climate justice organizers around the world access funding and  “build a stronger movement to equitably shift resources to historically underserved groups.”
    • YCJF’s grants provide “swift and flexible” funding to meet organizations’ needs and take advantage of timely opportunities.
    • Strategic support includes “youth to youth capacity development” in areas including but not limited to communications, leadership development, finance, fundraising, networking, administration, project management and technology.

YCJF has facilitated grants to organizations including Indonesia’s Task Force Youth for Climate, Stark Green Generation of Mozambique, Ethiopia’s Africa Youth Pastoralist Initiative and Climate Activists Defenders, which works internationally to “protect the lives and well-being of front line climate justice activists working under oppressive and dangerous conditions. “

  • The fund also serves as a “bridge” to funders and supporters that seek to understand, connect with and support youth organizations. Services to funders and supporters include:
    • Advising funders on trends and needs of youth climate organizations in regions around the world;
    • Organizing events that “showcase” initiatives with high potential; and
    • Conducting research and analysis on funding trends and impact, and sharing this information with the climate movement and philanthropic community.

According to an IP article about the fund, YCJF has partnered with and received funding from grantmakers including the Waverly Street Foundation, the Quadrature Climate Foundation, the Pisces Foundation and the Foundation for a Just Society, but it has struggled “to secure the broad and ongoing support it needs” to meet the demand for climate funding.” In response to this shortfall, YCJF has worked to strengthen its outreach and communications with with the philanthropic community.

Important Grant Details:

The Youth Climate Justice Fund awards grants in amounts of up to $20,000.

  • The Youth Climate Justice Fund accepts applications through its online grant portal and offers application materials in seven languages — English, Portuguese, Arabic, Spanish, Hindi, Swahili and French. The fund is also willing provide resources and assistance to grantseekers working in a language not represented.

  • The call for applications is open for four weeks between August and September. Specific deadlines may vary each year.

  • Applications are reviewed by the foundation’s regional leads for each geographic area.

  • To be eligible for a grant, your organization must have young people (under 35) in a majority of leadership roles.

  • The fund prioritizes organizations based in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Organizations based in North America and Western Europe must have a majority of leadership roles occupied by staff from discriminated or marginalized communities or backgrounds.

  • Applications should be submitted through the foundation’s application portal if possible, which is linked to the How to Apply page during the application window. Detailed guidelines and an FAQs in multiple languages are also lined to this page.

  • Grantseekers may contact the Fund at ask@ycjf.org for questions about the application process.

General inquiries may be directed at hello@ycjf.org.

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