OUR PROGRAMS

To win a future rooted in climate justice, we must invest in building and scaling up the Youth Climate Movement. Across the country, youth organizers are involved in climate justice and climate finance work by targeting big banks, insurance companies, asset managers, invested institutions, and more. Through consistent direct actions, they demand a halt to fossil fuel financing. We support their growth, campaign strategy, skill-building, and power through our Coaching and Organizer Support Program.

ORGANIZER NETWORK

  • Any local group or individual organizer that participates in our programming is considered to be in our organizer support network. Everyone in our network has access to several key youth climate finance movement resources and relationships

    • Hyper-curated, one-on-one or group-focused Organizer Coaching

    • A community of youth climate activists

    • In-depth Organizer Training

    • Strategy, skill, and power-building Resources

    • A detailed Climate Finance Toolkit

    • Climate finance campaign resources and research

    • Non Violent Direct Action and Action resources and support

    • Communications resources for social media, press, and outreach

    • Base Building resources and petitions to grow your movement

    • And much, much, more

COACHING

  • The coaching program pairs grassroots youth organizers across the country with an experienced mentor on our staff who supports the organizers to develop and execute a local community campaign, deepen leadership skills, and elevate the coachee's local organizing group.

    • There is no one-size-fits-all approach to grassroots organizing support. That is why our program is a hyper-curated, one-on-one space where we enable powerful young leaders to make the best decisions for their communities.

    • YCFA coaches are a sounding board, cheerleader, and confidence booster for their mentees.

    • Those who participate in our coaching program gain foundational skills that will sustain them in whatever path they choose.

  • Our coaches are trained in the five key practices of organizing developed by Marshall Ganz and taught by the Leading Change Network.

MICROGRANT FUND

  • Financial support is a key part of a holistic and strategic youth movement. Too often youth organizers at the frontline with the voice and lived experience needed to steer us toward vital climate solutions are overlooked and under-resourced in favor of their more wealthy, privileged youth counterparts. We know that young people have a special position to play in bringing about climate justice and ending fossil fuel extraction.

    Flexible and rapid micro-grants are hard to access for youth organizers - and we know a little can go a long way.

    • Individual youth organizers (ages 26 or under) and youth-led organizations, whether they be non-incorporated or incorporated (i.e. fiscally sponsored projects, independent 501(c)(3), LLC, etc.), who organize broadly around climate finance and/or ending extractive industry and associated systems of oppression. At this time, we can only issue grants to individuals and organizations based in the so-called United States.

      • Whether you and your crew organize principally around climate defense or anti-militarism or fighting for housing justice, we know our struggles are linked and sharing resources only benefits us all.

    • You/your group focus on local, grassroots organizing and have a commitment to non-violent direct action

      • We hope you’ll join our programs, but there is no quid pro quo. You don’t have to be a member to receive funds.

      • NOTE: We are a 501(c)(3) based fund. This means we can only support nonpartisan activities and as such, political parties, electoral campaigns, and any groups with partisan initiatives are not eligible to apply.

    • We aim to keep micro-grants at $250 or less, but you are welcome to apply for more!

    • Ongoing learning: food + travel costs to attend retreats and trainings, associated registration fees

    • Action planning: recruitment materials, art supplies, and contractors such as photographers, sound, etc

    • Supplies and equipment: keeping the ship afloat! Technology needs for individuals and groups, buttons, stickers, pins, software, etc

  • See our detailed funds guidelines for more!