Youth Climate Justice Fund (YCJF)

Youth-led climate justice movements are essential to achieving climate and environmental justice. Their intersectional voices hold a unique and critical moral authority that drives ambitious, fair, and sustainable transitions worldwide. These movements have already made history, leading the socio-environmental movement since 2018 and holding policy-makers accountable for their promises. They are the heartbeat of an ecosystem of social movements that remind us of the urgency and gravity of the climate crisis, which is ultimately a polycrisis.

Yet, according to the Youth Climate Justice Study (2022), youth-led climate justice initiatives represent only 0.76% of climate grants from the largest climate foundations (on average between 2019-21). They lack support, connections, capacity development, flexible funding and trusted relationship with funders and donors. This is even more difficult for locally-led, Indigenous Peoples', women and queer-led organizers who face structural inequalities.

The Youth Climate Justice Fund aims to support climate justice young leaders with trust-based funding, resources, and youth-to-youth capacity development, enabling them to amplify their voices and to keep their vision and influence alive.

Collectively, we have the power to ignite meaningful change and build equitable and sustainable futures. Despite the challenges posed by the current crisis, youth climate justice organizers remain determined to challenge the status quo and push boundaries.