UNDP’s Youth4Climate offers new direct funding opportunity for young climate leaders

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Government of Italy, has announced the launch of the 2025 Youth4Climate (Y4C) Call for Solutions.
In its UNDP Guyana news centre, the organisation notes that this global initiative invites young climate leaders and youth-led organisations, to submit innovative and impactful solutions to tackle the pressing challenges of climate change. Applications will be open from February 26 to May 26 2025.
With 1.9 billion young people worldwide – the largest generation in history – youths are already shaping the future of climate action. From mobilising global movements to implementing solutions in their communities, young people are driving change.
Yet, despite their leadership and deep knowledge of local realities, they remain under-represented in climate decision-making, and lack access to the technical, political, and financial support needed to scale their efforts.
UNDP states that it is committed to addressing this gap by amplifying young voices, supporting youth-led innovation and ensuring that climate policies, including the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), reflect the priorities of future generations.
“Through innovation, advocacy, and leadership, young people are developing and implementing solutions to climate change that have the potential to drive real progress on the ground. Through the Youth4Climate initiative, UNDP, in partnership with the Government of Italy, is proud to expand opportunities for youth by providing them with financial resources, capacity-building, and networking support,” says Marcos Neto, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support.
The Y4C initiative is a key component of this commitment, offering young innovators not only funding of up to USD 30,000 per project but also capacity-building opportunities to enhance their impact. Since its inaugural call in 2023, Y4C has mobilised over 3,000 proposals from young innovators across more than 120 countries and awarded 100 youth-led initiatives in 52 countries, bringing the total allocated support to USD 2.5 million globally.
Building on the success of previous years, the 2025 Call for Solutions introduces several new focus areas to reflect emerging global priorities in climate action. This year’s priority themes include Sustainable Energy – Accelerating clean energy access and innovation; Food and Agriculture – Supporting climate-smart agricultural solutions; Climate and Health – Addressing the intersection of climate change and public health; Digital for Planet – Leveraging digital technologies for climate resilience; Climate, Peace, and Security – Strengthening climate action in conflict-affected regions; and Nature – Promoting nature-based solutions for climate adaptation and mitigation.
To ensure greater accessibility, the 2025, Call for Solutions has expanded its language offerings, and will be accepting applications in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Young climate leaders and organisations are encouraged to apply by May 26, 2025.For detailed information on eligibility criteria and the application process, go to https://community.youth4climate.info/dashboard/call-solutions-2025.
For more information about the initiative, visit the Youth4Climate platform.