Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) Fellowships 2026: Fully Funded Global Opportunities for Young Leaders in Biodiversity, Policy, Communication & Community Building

The Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) Fellowship Program 2026 is now open, offering a transformative opportunity for young changemakers worldwide to engage in biodiversity conservation, youth advocacy, storytelling, policy engagement, and community development.

Since its inception in 2022, the GYBN Fellowship Program has served as a powerful platform for youth-led action—supporting young leaders to design and implement impactful projects in their communities while connecting them to global environmental movements such as COP15 and COP16.

This year, multiple fellowship tracks are available, each designed to empower youth with skills, networks, and real-world experience to drive environmental and social change.

About the GYBN Fellowship Program

The GYBN Fellowship Program is a global initiative aimed at:

• Supporting youth-led environmental action
• Strengthening leadership capacity among young people
• Promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainability
• Amplifying youth voices in global policy spaces

Through its previous fellowship cycle (2024–2025), the program:

• Supported 14 GYBN Chapters globally
• Delivered 77+ community-based activities
• Impacted 267+ communities, schools, and institutions

These initiatives included:

• Landscape restoration
• Environmental education programs
• Youth mobilization campaigns
• Indigenous and local community engagement
• Creative activism and storytelling

Available GYBN Fellowships 2026

Applicants can apply to one of the following four fellowship tracks:

1. Youth Communications & Storytelling Fellowship

• Focuses on amplifying youth voices and narratives
• Supports creative storytelling, media, and communication strategies
• Strengthens global youth engagement through impactful content creation

APPLY HERE

2. Youth Policy Support Fellowship

• Engages fellows in biodiversity policy processes
• Supports youth participation in regional and global advocacy spaces
• Provides hands-on experience in policy coordination and systems change

APPLY HERE

3. Youth Community Building Fellowship

• Focuses on strengthening grassroots youth networks
• Encourages collaboration across cultures and regions
• Builds solidarity and collective action within the GYBN network

APPLY HERE

4. Youth Capacity Building Fellowship

• Develops learning spaces for youth leadership
• Encourages peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing
• Focuses on long-term leadership development in biodiversity conservation

APPLY HERE

Key Benefits of the GYBN Fellowship 2026

Participants in the program will gain:

• Access to a global network of youth leaders
• Opportunities to engage in international environmental platforms (e.g., COP events)
• Hands-on experience in leadership, advocacy, and project implementation
• Capacity-building through mentorship and collaborative learning
• Exposure to global biodiversity and sustainability initiatives
• Opportunity to lead impactful, community-based environmental projects

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the GYBN Fellowship 2026, applicants must:

• Be young individuals passionate about biodiversity and environmental action
• Demonstrate leadership potential and commitment to community impact
• Be actively engaged or interested in environmental, social, or youth-led initiatives
• Be willing to collaborate in a global network
• Have the ability to contribute to one of the fellowship tracks

Application Timeline

• Application Deadline: 7 April 2026

Applicants are encouraged to apply early and ensure all required materials are submitted before the deadline.

Why You Should Apply

The GYBN Fellowship is more than just a program—it is a movement that empowers youth to:

• Lead real environmental change in their communities
• Gain international exposure and recognition
• Build lifelong networks with global changemakers
• Develop critical skills in leadership, policy, communication, and sustainability

This fellowship provides a unique opportunity to transform your passion for biodiversity into meaningful, measurable impact.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should:

1. Select their preferred fellowship track
2. Prepare all required application materials
3. Submit their application through the official platform before the deadline

Click HERE to learn more about the GYBN Youth Fellowships 2026.