Youth Climate Justice Fund 2026 Grants: Apply for Up to $40,000 in Funding for Youth-Led Climate Action
The Youth Climate Justice Fund (YCJF) has officially opened its 2026 application round, offering flexible funding to youth-led climate justice and socio-environmental groups around the world.
Eligible collectives can apply for:
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Up to USD $20,000 for local groups
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Up to USD $40,000 for national groups
YCJF supports emerging movements through a participatory, youth-led grantmaking process, prioritising community power, equity, and intersectional climate justice.
What Is the Youth Climate Justice Fund?
The Youth Climate Justice Fund is a global fund dedicated to resourcing youth-led climate justice movements that challenge environmental harm while addressing inequality, marginalisation, and structural injustice.
Rather than top-down funding, YCJF uses regional youth committees to review, discuss, and decide which groups receive grants—ensuring that funding decisions remain rooted in lived experience and local realities.
Who Can Apply for YCJF 2026 Grants?
You should consider applying if your group or collective meets the following criteria:
1. Youth-Led Leadership
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The majority of leadership or decision-making power is held by young people aged 35 and below.
2. Geographic Eligibility
Groups must be based in one of the following regions:
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East Asia & Pacific
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Middle East & North Africa
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Sub-Saharan Africa
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Latin America & the Caribbean
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South Asia
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Europe & Central Asia
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North America
Important notes:
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Groups from high-income countries must be led by under-represented or marginalised communities.
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Groups focused only on international advocacy without community-based work are not eligible.
3. Values & Organising Principles
Your group should demonstrate:
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Inclusive organising and collective leadership
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Intersectional movement-building
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Non-partisan, non-violent, and legal approaches
YCJF is especially interested in groups that:
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Cultivate diverse leadership for fair and equitable climate action
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Raise ambition on climate and socio-environmental justice
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Hold decision-makers accountable while strengthening community power
What Does YCJF Mean by Climate & Socio-Environmental Justice?
YCJF defines climate justice as work that addresses the climate crisis while tackling exploitation, marginalisation, and oppression. This includes projects, campaigns, and solutions that:
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Centre affected communities
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Advance equity and justice
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Strengthen grassroots power
Do You Need to Be Registered?
No. Formal or legal registration is not required to apply.
How Much Funding Can You Request?
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Local groups: up to USD $20,000
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National groups: up to USD $40,000
Groups whose total funding needs exceed these amounts can still apply, as long as the request stays within the YCJF limits.
YCJF 2026 Grantmaking Process (Step-by-Step)
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Call for Applications Opens
Open for 4 weeks. Applications accepted in Arabic, English, French, Hindi, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swahili. -
Initial Screening
Regional Committees review eligibility and alignment with YCJF values. -
Regional Committee Review
Shortlisted groups are engaged in follow-up conversations to better understand needs and priorities. -
Joint Decision-Making
Regional Committees and the Grants Committee jointly review and make final funding decisions. -
Due Diligence
Selected groups receive support to complete funding requirements. -
Grants Awarded
YCJF works with partners to ensure timely disbursement of funds. -
Join the YCJF Community
Funded groups join welcome calls and co-develop capacity-strengthening resources.
Capacity Strengthening & Peer Learning
Beyond funding, YCJF supports groups through peer learning and movement-building support, including:
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Campaigns & communications
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Leadership & management
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Financial literacy & fundraising
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Administration & operations
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Project management
Application Languages
The 2026 application package is available in:
हिंदी में।
हिंदी में आवेदन करने के लिए गाइड डाउनलोड करें।
Applications do not need to be in English.
2026 Application Deadline
🕒 Deadline: March 1, 2026 – 23:59 UTC
How Is YCJF Funded?
YCJF is supported by individual donors and aligned philanthropies.
The fund does not accept money from private or listed companies and only partners with supporters aligned with its principles and values.
Ready to Apply?
Applicants are encouraged to review the 2026 application guide, which includes:
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Full list of Submittable application questions
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Language-specific guidance
FrequentlyAskedQuestions
As we’re trying to build access and conditions for meaningful shared ownership and participation in our processes, we’re committed to evolve and change to ensure that youth-led climate justice groups are able to better participate and access support.
What do we mean by ‘addressing climate and socio-environmental justice’?
We mean solutions, campaigns, and projects that address the climate crisis by jointly tackling marginalization, exploitation, and oppression, and enhancing community power, equity and justice.
What do we mean by ‘youth-led’?
We believe that “youth” holds many meanings and contexts depending on worldviews and contexts. We believe that balancing between older youth under 35 years old who are discriminated against or marginalized based on class, ethnicity, Indigenous Peoples’ identity, gender, etc. and very young activists who also face similar structural barriers, is key.
What is peer learning through Capacity Strengthening?
We work with our network to offer peer learning on essential skills needed for movement building such as Campaigns and Communications, Management and Leadership, Financial Literacy and Fundraising, Administration and Operations, and Project Management.
How is the YCJF funded?
We are supported by individuals and philanthropies – rather than private or listed companies. We do not accept funding from anyone who is not aligned with our principles and values.
Do applications have to be in English?
Our application package is available in 7 languages (Arabic, English, French, Hindi, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swahili).
Do we need to be legally registered?
No, formal or legal registration is not required.
When is the deadline to submit my proposal?
The YCJF application is open until March 1st, 2026, 23:59 UTC.
We can ask up to $20,000 and $40,000 USD, but can we apply even if our group needs more funding?
At this stage, local groups can only apply for up to $20,000 while national groups can apply for up to $40,000. You can apply if your overall funding needs exceeds this amount.
Grantmaking and Application Process
For questions on the grantmaking and application process, send us an email: ask@ycjf.org.
🌐 Eligibility and Criteria: https://ycjf.org/how-to-apply
📩 Apply Here: https://youthclimatejusticefund.submittable.com/submit
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