Youth Futures Fund

The Young Black Climate Leaders (YBCL) Youth Futures Fund is a grant initiative under the People’s Climate Innovation Center, a national organization focused on building capacity for community-driven solutions to climate change with an emphasis on racial justice. The YBCL program was developed to support young Black leaders in addressing climate and racial justice through financial support, training, and collaborative leadership development. Rooted in the legacy of Black liberation thinkers and doers such as Octavia Butler and Harriet Tubman, the program amplifies the cultural, ecological, and organizing genius of Black youth working on the front lines of climate resistance and community healing. The YBCL Youth Futures Fund is specifically designed to support Black youth aged 18 to 28 in the United States and U.S. territories who are implementing or developing projects aligned with climate justice, racial equity, and community transformation. The grant program offers four tiers of funding—Soil ($2,000), Seed ($6,000), Water ($8,000), and Grow ($10,000)—corresponding to the maturity and impact of the proposed projects. These funds can support a range of activities such as education, training, tool acquisition, community organizing, cultural strategy, and other forms of leadership development rooted in ecological and social transformation. Applicants may request funds for both new ideas and ongoing projects that align with YBCL’s vision for a regenerative, just future. To be eligible, applicants must identify as Black, African, Afro-Latinx, or part of the Afro-Indigenous diaspora and be based in the U.S. or its territories. They must commit to a one-year engagement with the program, including participation in at least six bi-monthly training calls, a virtual orientation on June 25, 2026, and an in-person convening scheduled for the week of July 27, 2026. Additional expectations include completing all program evaluations and submitting a final reflection in various formats such as video, blogs, or art. Importantly, prior participants in the current YBCL or YCLC cohorts are not eligible to reapply. However, alumni and previous applicants (excluding current cohort members) are encouraged to apply. The application period opens on February 9, 2026, and closes on March 9, 2026, at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. Selected applicants may be invited for virtual interviews scheduled between May 11 and May 15, 2026. Funding decisions will be announced by June 5, 2026. The grant awards will be disbursed in two equal payments—the first by September 30, 2026, and the second upon completion of the required reflection and participation benchmarks. All awarded funds are considered taxable income, and recipients must submit a W9 form to receive funds. The review process involves a panel evaluation and may include interviews. Applications are judged on the merit of their proposed project, alignment with community-based change, and the applicant's demonstrated leadership and commitment to justice-centered climate work. There is no match requirement for this fund, and the opportunity is open nationwide. Projects must take place in group or community settings and reflect community-driven approaches. The fund also embraces liberatory cultural practices, ecological wisdom, and creative approaches to dismantling white supremacy and promoting Indigenous traditions throughout the African diaspora. Applicants can reach out to [email protected] with questions. The fund uses Submittable for applications and encourages all interested youth to consult the FAQs and seek accommodations as needed. The fund operates on an annual cycle, with the next anticipated application cycle likely opening in February 2027.

Proposals should center community needs, racial and climate justice, and embrace creative or ecological approaches rooted in Black and Indigenous traditions.