Philadelphia Youth Climate Action Fund (YCAF)
“Young Philadelphians know their neighborhoods. They know the challenges their communities face, and they have ideas about how we can make them better. Our job is to give them the opportunity and the resources to put those ideas into action. Whether it is planting trees, cleaning and greening a vacant lot, reducing flooding or finding creative ways to keep communities cooler, these investments will help our young people make a visible difference in the Philadelphia they call home.”
—Mayor Cherelle L. Parker
Shape Philadelphia’s Climate Future Today
The City of Philadelphia (City), the School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia City Fund (PCF) have launched a new opportunity for young Philadelphians to receive $3,000–$5,000 in funding to bring their ideas for cleaner, greener and more resilient communities to life through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund (YCAF).
Young people ages 15–24 can work together to propose projects addressing challenges they see in their schools and neighborhoods, including extreme heat, flooding, illegal dumping, air quality and community greening. Projects must be meaningfully led by at least two young people.
The City and School District will select 8-10 projects to receive funding and implementation support. All grant funding will be awarded to a “sponsoring organization” on behalf of the youth leaders. Sponsoring organizations will manage grant funds, provide administrative assistance and support required reporting, while participating young people will lead project planning, decision-making and implementation. See below for additional information about sponsoring organizations.
Apply Here by October 9, 2026 at 5:00pm
Attend Virtual Info Session on September 17 from 1:00-2:00 PM
Young people can participate through two tracks:
- Track 1: District High Schools – All high schools within the School District of Philadelphia are eligible to apply; District High Schools are required to meet with the project team before October 9, 2026. Sign up here for a planning meeting here. All grants awarded to a school project will be administered by the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia.
- Track 2: Community-Based Organizations – Nonprofits who support youth climate action projects; must have 501(c)(3) status.
Projects must address one of the following Five Climate Action Categories (you will select the one that best fits):
- Beat the Heat: Creative ways to provide indoor or outdoor cooling while conserving energy.
- Rethink Trash: Solutions focused on illegal dumping, recycling, composting or reducing waste.
- Clear the Air: Projects that improve awareness and understanding of outdoor air quality.
- Green Justice: Tree planting, gardening, community greening and revitalization of public spaces, including vacant lots.
- Outsmart Flooding (Community Track Only; High School Projects Cannot Apply): Community-based projects that manage stormwater, improve water quality or reduce flood risks.
Eligibility Guidelines:
To be eligible for a grant from the Youth Climate Action Fund, projects must meet the following criteria:
- Be proposed, designed, and led by at least two young people aged 15–24;
- All projects must be sponsored by a School District of Philadelphia High School, a charitable nonprofit with 501(c)3 status, or a community-based organization working with a 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor. This means the applicant must either be a high school or a nonprofit organization applying on behalf of the youth leaders;
- Individuals are not eligible to apply without a sponsoring organization;
- District High Schools who wish to apply are required to meet with the project team before October 9, 2026. Sign up here for a planning meeting. All grants awarded to a school district project will be administered by the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia;
- All projects must be completed by April 15, 2027.
Evaluation Criteria:
Applications will be scored based on the following criteria:
- Clarity of Problem Statement & Goal Alignment (20 pts) – Demonstrates a clear focus and directly addresses Philadelphia’s climate priorities.
- Role of Young People (20 pts) – Describes leadership, project responsibility, and decision-making roles for young people.
- Innovation (20 pts) – Approaches the problem with creativity and identifies clear learning objectives.
- Feasibility & Planning (20 pts) – Presents a clear budget and timeline for completion by April 15, 2027.
- Impact (20 pts) – Explains measurable outcomes for the neighborhood and Philadelphia.
Key Dates
- September 4, 2026 – Applications open
- September 17, 2026 – Virtual Info Session from 1:00-2:00 PM
- October 9, 2026 – Applications close
- Mid-November 2026 – Awards announced, grants will be paid in one installment at the time the grant is awarded
- December 2026 – Kickoff meeting
- January-March 2027 – Monthly check-in meetings
- April 2027 – Earth Week Celebration Ceremony; projects must be completed by April 15, 2027.
Partners
The City of Philadelphia’s Innovation Team (i-Team) leads the Youth Climate Action Fund in partnership with the School District of Philadelphia, City’s Office of Sustainability, and Philadelphia City Fund. The Philadelphia City Fund is the fiscal administrator for the Youth Climate Action Fund on behalf of the City of Philadelphia. All grantees will receive grant funding directly from the Philadelphia City Fund.
Contact
For more information, please contact ycaf@phila.gov.