In April 2024, Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla and the City of Hoboken announced the Youth Climate Action Fund, inviting applications for microgrants of up to $5,000 to support community climate action projects led by local youth. The fund, made possible by a $50,000 grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies, aims to empower young residents to spearhead initiatives addressing urgent climate challenges within the city.

The Youth Climate Action Fund will provide microgrants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 to organizations that are youth-led or prioritize youth involvement. Eligible projects must be led by individuals aged 15 to 24 who live, work, or go to school in Hoboken. Projects must focus on designing and producing initiatives and programs aimed at mitigating climate change and enhancing community resilience.

Youth are encouraged to propose ambitious projects across various categories, including but not limited to:

• Youth-led awareness and education initiatives, such as: youth-led climate education programs; youth climate hackathons; youth-developed climate surveys and research; youth-informed clubs or curriculum; and youth-designed public art and awareness campaigns.
• Climate mitigation and adaptation projects, such as: youth-led community gardening, tree planting, reforestation, and urban farming campaigns; youth-managed recycling and waste reduction programs; and youth-produced climate resilience workshops and disaster preparedness programs.
• Co-governed youth climate action plans such as, such as: partnerships between city leaders and youth groups to inform climate-related policy ideas, decisions, or actions or the formation of youth climate ambassadors or advisory boards.

To be eligible for funding, organizations must be youth-led or prioritize youth involvement. Applicants are encouraged to submit one application per project, with the option for organizations to apply for multiple projects.

Applications are available online by clicking HERE. Applications must be submitted by June 1 at 4 p.m.

The Youth Climate Action Fund grant was made available through a collaboration between Bloomberg Philanthropies, United Cities and Local Government, and the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University. It is designed to support youth-driven climate initiatives through technical assistance and grant funding, at no cost to taxpayers.