Young leaders advancing potential climate solutions could win $1 million grants

Climate activists demonstrate in Davos (2022)

Youth-led climate groups are getting a $25 million injection from a philanthropic collaborative that hopes other funders will follow their lead in supporting solutions created by younger generations grappling with a future marked by increasing temperatures and rising sea levels.

Despite recent upticks in donations to nonprofits combatting climate change, Enlight Foundation President Xin Liu said emerging leaders on the front lines of the crisis are not getting enough of that money. So, she and The Patchwork Collective are offering $1 million multi-year grants to 25 community organizations led by 15- to 35-year-olds.

“There’s a little funder stigma of trusting youth, trusting young funders, trusting their capacity, their ability to lead,” Liu said.

“They’re really quite often very innovative and creative. And very much close to the problem, which drives them to come up with really impactful solutions,” she added. “As an older generation, we have a responsibility in helping them, empowering them, to scale their work, too.”

The award is open to anyone globally who is tackling a broad range of climate issues including education, justice, resilience, conservation, sustainable agriculture and disaster preparedness. Applicants have until Sept. 22 to enter the open call run by Lever for Change, a nonprofit affiliate of the MacArthur Foundation.

The competition is part of Enlight Foundation’s spenddown strategy. The nonprofit — created by Liu and Chinese tech billionaire Duan Yongping to fund education equality and youth empowerment — plans to give away all its resources in the next eight years.

Liu said the foundation won’t be able to sunset without collaborations like this one. Lever for Change, which has rallied its donor network to unlock $2.5 billion across 16 open calls, made for a perfect partner. The Patchwork Collective — a family philanthropy founded by Marie and Benoit Dageville that funds grassroots programs developed by communities to address their own issues — voluntarily contributed $5 million after learning about the competition.

Lever for Change President Kristen Molyneaux said everyone has a role to play. More than a dozen young advisors gave feedback on the open call’s design and will help with peer review, according to Liu. Youth-led organizations and climate experts are welcome to participate in the external evaluation panel. Liu is inviting more funders to join because she said each additional $1 million will allow them to benefit another awardee.

“The people who are most invested in this are the people who are going to be bearing the burden of climate change in their future,” Molyneaux said. “So, they understand the importance of this issue and how to mobilize their communities.”

The length of the multi-year grants will be tailored to the recipients’ needs. Recognizing that some organizations might not have the capacity to accept all that money at once, Liu said 2- to 5-year periods are “fine.”

Enlight Foundation will also do more than just write a check. Liu promised to provide mentorship and connections “to really watch them flourish.”

“I am very excited, especially during this very uncertain time for young people around the world,” Liu said. “They are going to build a much better and brighter future when they are engaged.” JAMES POLLARD, NEW YORK, MDT/AP