Youth Climate Action Fund
The Youth Climate Action Fund provides capital and capacity to help municipalities mobilize young residents ages 15–24 in designing and delivering solutions aligned with citywide priorities. Through the Fund, city halls open innovation competitions, inviting young people’s ideas, selecting the strongest proposals, and funding the projects with a total of $50,000 and technical assistance from Bloomberg Philanthropies. They then assign staff to support implementation, helping young residents lead in carrying their plans through to completion — creating public space, strengthening infrastructure, mitigating disasters, and building resilience. Municipalities that move quickly and successfully receive an additional $50,000 to support more youth-driven projects and expand participation.
300,000 young people across five continents have taken part in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund
In 2026, the program grew to nearly 300 cities including from Central and South America, North America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East. The expansion builds on results already achieved by 98 municipalities across 34 countries that delivered tangibly for residents and improved trust in city hall — helping a new generation believe in government again.
To date, more than 300,000 young people across five continents have taken part in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund — working with their city halls to create over 1,600 green spaces, plant over 1.8 million plants and 235,000 trees, develop nearly 5,000 gardens, launch 268 composting stations, and collect more than 405,000 pounds of trash and recyclables — producing visible improvements and bettering quality of life in their communities.