Are you passionate about the environment? Are you a dedicated environmental advocate? Bursting with ideas but lacking the funds to kickstart your project? Your search ends here! We’re seeking enthusiastic youth aged 15-24 to lead climate change projects in the City of West Sacramento and make a tangible difference in our community.

Read More

The City of West Sacramento is thrilled to announce its selection to receive the Youth Climate Action Fund, courtesy of Bloomberg Philanthropies. This initiative will empower tens of thousands of young people, aged 15-24, to spearhead the creation, implementation, and governance of urgent climate solutions within their cities. Joining cities from 38 countries across six continents, representing over 62 million residents, this call to action marks a pivotal moment in our collective fight against climate change.

Who can apply?

Any youth ages 15-24 can apply and applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Your project should be in the $1,000-5,000 range and must be started by September 15, 2024. Your project must be new and the microgrant may only be used for projects that are youth-led (adults can serve as an advisor) or managed by organizations which are either youth-led or have a strong focus on youth. All proposed projects must take place within the City of West Sacramento.

What types of projects can be supported by the Youth Climate Action Fund?The aim of the Youth Climate Action Fund program is to harness the insight, creativity, passion, and eagerness to contribute among young residents in cities. Fortunately, a diverse array of projects can receive support through this initiative. Microgrants are intended to aid youth-led and youth-serving organizations and groups in implementing various initiatives, including awareness campaigns, educational endeavors, research projects, collaborative initiatives, climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, and involvement in local climate action plan governance. Eligible expenses may cover supplies for mitigation projects, funding to facilitate youth participation, and adult project sponsorship from local NGOs, civic groups, and similar organizations.

Examples may include but are not limited to:

Awareness, Education, Research, Co-Development Initiatives

• Youth Climate Advisory Boards: Establish advisory boards composed of young people to work alongside city officials in designing and refining climate policies and programs, ensuring that they reflect the needs and perspectives of youth.
• Youth-Led Climate Education Programs: Develop educational initiatives led by young people that target local schools and communities to increase awareness and understanding of climate issues.
• Youth Climate Hackathons: Organize hackathons where young tech-savvy individuals can create innovative solutions and apps to address climate challenges in the city.
• Youth-Led Climate Surveys and Research: Engage youth in conducting surveys and research on local climate impacts, helping to gather valuable data for decision-making.
• Youth-Designed Public Art and Awareness Campaigns: Encourage young artists to create public art installations and awareness campaigns that convey the urgency of climate action and the city’s goals.

Launching Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Initiatives

• Community Gardens, Tree Plantings, and Urban Farming: Support youth-led initiatives to create community gardens, green rooftops, and urban farming projects to promote sustainable food production and reduce carbon emissions.
• Youth-Managed Recycling and Waste Reduction Programs: Empower young people to lead efforts in recycling, waste reduction, and upcycling programs, making communities more environmentally friendly.
• Green Transportation Initiatives / Designing Streets with Kids: Encourage youth to propose and implement bicycle-sharing programs, pedestrian-friendly initiatives, and electric vehicle charging stations to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
• Youth-Led Reforestation and Tree-Planting Campaigns: Mobilize young volunteers to plant trees, improve urban green spaces, and increase urban canopy coverage for better air quality and climate resilience.
• Climate Resilience Workshops and Disaster Preparedness: Youth groups can organize workshops and training sessions on disaster preparedness, climate resilience, and community-based responses to extreme weather events.

Involvement in Governance of Local Climate Action Plans

• Youth Climate Participatory Budgeting: Establish dedicated resources for young residents to allocate annually toward climate priorities set by cities for programs created by youth.
• Youth Climate Ambassadors: Designate youth climate ambassadors to represent young people’s perspectives in city council meetings*, climate task forces, and public consultations.
• Youth-Hosted Climate Town Halls: Organize town hall meetings moderated by youth leaders where community members can discuss climate-related concerns and ideas for solutions.
• Youth Climate Data Monitoring: Develop apps or youth citizen science platforms for tracking and reporting on local climate data, helping authorities make informed decisions and involving young people in data-driven governance.
• Youth-Created Climate Action Plans: Encourage youth teams to develop their own climate action plans for their communities, which can be integrated into the city’s broader strategy. * Grant funds must not be used to conduct legislative advocacy nor lobbying

 What type of expenses are not covered by the Youth Climate Action Fund?

The microgrants cannot be used to fund services covered by existing city initiatives, rent or utilities, nonprofit/NGO incorporation fees, speaker honorariums, improvement projects primarily serving religious organizations, scholarships, direct support to individuals or families, partisan political organizations, political candidates, fundraisers, non-youth led projects, capital campaigns, endowments, or endowed chairs, adult-advisor stipends, and events or fundraisers not related to youth climate action.

 Continued Funding

These microgrants are intended to support ongoing youth climate action plans and provide an initial boost to your projects. Additional funds may become available after the start of the year to help complete your funded initiatives.

Click on the link below for the Youth Action Climate Fund Application
https://forms.gle/JaQymmyVLPsiWPV8A

We are here to help with any questions you may have. Please feel free to reach out to us.

• Melissa – mhill@sacbreathe.org
• Carolyn – ctran@sacbreathe.org