Emerging Climate Champions Award

The Emerging Climate Champions Award is a global philanthropic initiative jointly sponsored by the Enlight Foundation and The Patchwork Collective. This Open Call will distribute $25 million in total, offering flexible, multiyear gifts of $1 million each to 25 youth-led organizations engaged in climate solutions. The Award is rooted in the recognition that although young people will disproportionately experience the negative impacts of climate change, youth-led organizations remain severely underfunded. While global philanthropic climate funding totals roughly $16 billion annually, youth-led initiatives receive only $14.2 million—a fraction of a percent. In response, the Award was developed with input from young climate leaders to ensure that the funding structure and selection process reflect youth values and local contexts. Eligibility for the Emerging Climate Champions Award is narrowly defined to prioritize organizations led by individuals aged 15 to 35 who hold executive or board positions. Organizations must be community-led and demonstrate measurable impact in delivering durable climate solutions. Eligible organizations must also have been operating for a minimum of two years by the registration deadline of August 15, 2025. The initiative welcomes applicants globally, with particular encouragement for groups from underrepresented and historically under-resourced communities, such as Indigenous-, grassroots-, or women-led organizations. The Award is open to groups working across a broad spectrum of climate-related domains including but not limited to education, movement building, climate justice, science and technology, economic opportunity, conservation, sustainable agriculture, disaster preparedness, and advocacy. The selection process begins with a readiness self-assessment and a review of the Open Call rules. Once registered, organizations may complete and submit their full applications online through Submittable. Applicants must register before 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on August 15, 2025, and submit their complete applications by 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on September 22, 2025. Applications will be subject to a participatory review by peer organizations in November and December 2025. The top-reviewed submissions will advance to a second round evaluated by a formal Evaluation Panel. Adjustments will be made to scoring to ensure fairness, and up to 25 applicants will be selected as awardees. Final decisions and announcements will occur by fall 2026. While all submissions must be in English, support is provided through translation resources and interpretation for applicant and evaluator webinars in Spanish, French, Bahasa Indonesia, and ASL. Application guidance and recordings of informational webinars are also available. Communication throughout the process is facilitated through climatechampions@submittable.com. Enlight Foundation focuses on education equality, youth mental wellbeing, and youth-led climate action. It seeks to catalyze systems change through investment in young social entrepreneurs and collaborates with like-minded funders. The Patchwork Collective, a family philanthropic effort, supports community-driven solutions in climate justice, social equity, and global health. Both organizations are committed to empowering local leaders and preserving community agency through flexible and sustained funding.

Complete the Readiness Tool and review eligibility rules before applying. Use provided translation tools and attend webinars with interpretation support.