Starting in 2024, the Youth Climate Action Fund aims at providing assistance and funding for mayors worldwide to activate tens of thousands of young people ages of 15 – 24 years to design, produce, and govern urgent climate solutions in their cities. This global initiative is gaining momentum as nearly 60 mayors from around the world convened on February 4, 2025, for the launch of Round 2 of the Youth Climate Action Fund (YCAF) –where 92 cities will be granted $100,000 to disburse in youth-led micro grants. Building on the success of the program’s 2024 first round, the virtual launch event, held in two sessions, brought together city leaders to reflect on achievements, share experiences, and set an ambitious course for the next phase of the programme development. With contributions from mayors of cities of Cuenca, Madison, Turku, Mansa, and Despeñaderos, the event underscored the power of joining forces and leveraging collaborative energies to create synergies between local and regional government bodies and youth communities in tackling the climate crisis at the local level.

 

The momentum behind the Youth Climate Action Fund is stronger than ever. As UCLG Assistant Secretary General Sara Hoeflich underscored, “The Youth Climate Action Fund is not only a space for innovation in climate governance but also critical in fostering democracy and trust in government. This is a model for how cities and young people can work together to shape the future.” Brooke Smith and Claudia Juech from Bloomberg Philanthropies emphasized the relevance of city-level leadership in driving change: “The Youth Climate Action Fund reflects our belief that empowering mayors and young people to collaborate sparks innovation and accelerates local climate action.” 

 

 

Celebrating Success: Sharing and building on the success of the first round of the Youth Climate Action Fund

 

The first round of the initiative, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, in collaboration with United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), and the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation, mobilized 98 cities to implement a total of 1,102 youth-led climate projects in all regions of the world. These initiatives, fueled by over $4 million in total funding, engaged nearly 4,000 young leaders worldwide, demonstrating the impact of empowering local governments and youth to act together.

 

The participating mayors highlighted how the program not only led to help growing meaningful climate projects but also reshaped the relationship between young people, their communities and practices, and local governments. Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway of Madison, USA, reflected on how one of the projects engaged young people in community-driven food security initiatives. “For many young people, this was their first interaction with the local government. We saw a transformation in how they perceive public leadership,” she noted. “For Round 2, we want to involve schools to ensure the continuity of our local action.”

 

Mayor Cristian Zamora of Cuenca, Ecuador, shared how his city leveraged social media and direct outreach to engage youth. “We are using social media and direct engagement to ensure young people know about YCAF. But beyond that, we are meeting them where they are. My wish for Round 2 is to provide small cities with a new vision and ensure young people in rural areas know that resources are available to support their initiatives,” he said.

 

 

Raising the Ambition: Doubling cities’ efforts to inspire hand-in-hand local climate solution-making

 

With the overwhelming success of the first phase, Round 2 of YCAF aims to be even bigger and more impactful. During this round, 92 cities will double their efforts and disburse $100,000 in microgrants to support youth-led impactful climate actions. Amanda Daflos, Executive Director at the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, emphasized the unique opportunity for mayors to drive innovation at the local level while empowering young people to take meaningful climate action. María Alejandra Rico, Head of Programs at UCLG, underscored the vast potential of this initiative, noting how the power of local action can shape political priorities and influence global agendas.

 

Beyond financial support, the program will also continue to offer a wide range of capacity-building and promotion activities including individual and collective coaching sessions, dialogue opportunities, and international visibility to amplify youth-led efforts. This holistic approach is designed to embed long-term climate action strategies within city governments and enhance youth engagement in local policy-making.

 

 

Learning from local leaders: Mayors share insights and ambitions for Round 2

 

During the launch, mayors discussed key lessons learned from Round 1 and how they plan to enhance their approach in Round 2 of the programme. Mayor Minna Arve of Turku, Finland, stressed the importance of integrating sustainability into daily life: “Our guiding principle is to make sustainability a way of living, shaping a greener future for all. In Round 1, we engaged 206 youth leaders in 11 projects, and we are eager to deepen our impact.”

 

Meanwhile, Mayor Njikho Musuku of Mansa, Zambia, highlighted how the program has created job opportunities, reboosted local youth involvement in shaping their future and sparked local leadership engagement. “We have included climate education in the curriculum and established 50 environmental clubs in 150 schools. We have seen young people take charge of their own future, presenting solutions that are innovative and locally relevant. For Round 2, we aim to expand our reach and overcome the challenges of implementing such a pioneering initiative,” he explained.

 

From Despeñaderos, Argentina, Mayor Carolina Basualdo reflected on the enthusiastic youth mobilization in her city, with 20 project proposals leading to 13 successful and game-changing initiatives in Round 1. “This has been a transformative experience for our young people, and we are ready to build on this success,” she said. “For Round 2, our focus is on making youth engagement a permanent feature of our city’s climate strategy.”

 

 

A call to reshape the relation between youth communities and their local governments for climate action worldwide

 

Pioneering youth-led climate action and paving new ways for inclusive and active decision-making at the local level, the YCAF program is a testament to how young leaders and city governments can work hand in hand to transform climate ambition into tangible action, creating lasting and unprecedented change for communities and territories worldwide.

 

Going way beyond a funding approach, and drawing from innovative and bold ambitions, this initiative is about redefining governance and ensuring that young people are at the heart of decision-making. As local governments worldwide embrace this vision, they are setting a decisive precedent for future generations.

 

The commitment of those cities and mayors to youth-driven climate solutions, and the trust they place in each other in generating scaled and implementable solutions are a beacon of hope for global climate action. With Round 2 of the YCAF programme officially underway, cities and territories worldwide are poised to scale their efforts, ensuring that young voices remain at the forefront of shaping community service-based sustainable and resilient futures for all.

 

For more information on the Youth Climate Action Fund, email [email protected].