The City of Guelph is offering an exciting opportunity for youth aged 15 to 24 who are passionate about tackling climate change. Young people can apply for the Youth Climate Action Fund (YCAF) to support their community projects aimed at addressing environmental challenges.

The application deadline for this year’s funding is April 4. The YCAF provides grants ranging from $1,500 to $7,000, with a total of $120,000 available through this micro-grant program. This initiative is open to all ideas, even those who applied last year can submit fresh project proposals.

Guelph is one of six Canadian cities and 100 international cities chosen for the YCAF from Bloomberg Philanthropies for the second year in a row. Mayor Cam Guthrie highlighted the positive impact the program had on the community last year, making it even more exciting to continue the program this year.

“We are eager to once again support our youth as they bring their innovative climate solutions to life. I am confident that the Youth Climate Action Fund will continue to empower our young people to address climate change locally,” Guthrie said in a press release.

Project ideas for the YCAF include tree planting, community gardens, urban farming, public education campaigns, workshops, waste reduction and recycling initiatives, active transportation campaigns at schools, greenhouse gas reduction programs, and more.

Students who applied in previous years are welcome to submit new, creative project ideas. No previous grant writing experience is necessary to apply, making it accessible for all youth in the community.

“To help youth succeed, we urge Guelph schools, clubs, colleges, and universities to actively support young people with their applications,” said Alex Goss, manager of equity and community investment. “Guelph boasts numerous organizations dedicated to supporting youth. By combining their passion with organizational backing and government funding, we are paving the way for success.”

The YCAF is part of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ broader effort to foster youth involvement in climate problem-solving and policy-making. The program is managed by United Cities and Local Governments in partnership with the Bloomberg Centre for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, with C40 Cities and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy serving as learning partners.