By Staff Reports
(HONOLULU) — Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced that the City and County of Honolulu has opened an application window for the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Youth Climate Action Fund. The Youth Climate Action Fund will provide agreements worth up to $4,999 to qualified youth-led climate projects that make an immediate impact in our Oʻahu communities.
The City will support project implementation from start to finish, helping young residents design and complete their events, campaigns, or educational initiatives that address climate change, strengthen community resilience across Oʻahu, and further City climate goals.
The application window will be open from July 27 – September 7, 2026. All projects must be completed between November 2026 and March 2027.
Each project must be led by at least two youth leaders between 15-24 years old and one of the following types of mentor organizations:
• Youth-led nonprofit organizations (e.g. youth clubs or groups)
• Youth-serving nonprofit organizations (adult-led organizations supporting young people)
• Schools (public, private, charter), universities, and other educational institutions serving youth ages 15-24
“We are so excited to enable our young people to spearhead climate change solutions with tangible results in their own communities,” said Dr. Kealoha Fox, Executive Director and Chief Resilience Officer of the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency (CCSR). “Hawaiʻi can and should be the global leader in confronting climate change. Our traditional and cultural knowledge — combined with our young people’s innovation and enthusiasm and our partnership with Bloomberg — are powerful tools that will help us solve today’s challenges.”
YCAF is being spearheaded locally by CCSR, the Honolulu Youth Commission, and the Mayor’s Office. Honolulu has joined the Youth Climate Action Fund alongside 300 new city halls around the world. The scale-up—tripling the program’s reach since its launch in 2024—builds on results across 34 countries, where 98 municipalities delivered tangibly for residents and improved trust in city hall—helping a new generation believe in government again.
To date, more than 300,000 young people across five continents have taken part in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund—working with their city halls to create over 1,600 green spaces, plant over 1.8 million plants and 235,000 trees, develop nearly 5,000 gardens, launch 268 composting stations, and collect more than 405,000 pounds of trash and recyclables—producing visible improvements in their communities and bettering quality of life for residents worldwide.
As part of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ longstanding work to strengthen local state capacity through its Government Innovation program, the Fund also provides municipalities and their mayors with a model that extends beyond climate—galvanizing partnership with stakeholders citywide to advance progress on pressing problems—and opportunities—for the people they serve.
About Bloomberg Philanthropies:
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2025, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $4.3 billion.
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For additional information about applying to YCAF, please visit: https://www.resilientoahu.org/youthclimateactionfund.