From Idea to Reality

Our Project Grants

Project Grant Applications Open on Earth Day, April 22, 2024

We're offering $300-$500 grants to support our global change makers, with priority given to our Crews.

Since 2021, our Project Grants program has backed grassroots efforts in climate justice education, regenerative agriculture, tree plantings, nonviolent direct action, climate policy, food security, art-vism, & more.

With education, mentorship, and funding, our Project Grants program empowers you to bring your ideas to life and inspire others. The Project Grant process also teaches grant writing, project coordination, & data analysis skills.

Join us in building resilience and tackling the climate crisis locally!

Larger grants of up to $1,000 are available for returning grantees. Before you apply, if you have a question about how much you are eligible for please contact us directly.

How Do Our Project Grants Work?

First, create a plan or idea for a project in your community using our resources for inspiration.
When applications open, submit yours for review.
A committee of Earth Guardians team members will assess your application using a rubric. Grantees are selected based on scores, with priority given to our Crews to empower youth leadership.
Selected grantees receive $300-$500, with the potential for higher amounts for returning applicants or active Crews.
We support grant recipients throughout their projects with group calls, workshops, & direct contact with an Earth Guardians’ team mentor. Project leads can always share progress, troubleshoot difficulties, & plan the next steps with our team & other fellow grantees on group calls.
After implementing your project, a short grant report detailing its need, goals, strategy, & impact is due three to six months after distributing funds.
Learning to report your impact helps teach you how to tell your story & creates a blueprint to inspire similar actions among our global network of youth leaders.

APPLY NOW (English)

appliquer maintenant (French)

aplica ya (Spanish)

Application Timeline

Grant Applications being Reviewed

(review will end June 30th)

Grant Application Opens

(April 22nd)

Grant Application Closes

(May 30th)

Ongoing mentorship is offered by our Regional Crews Council, Global Crews Director, & Campaign Director to assist in implementing the project

(All year round - check out the schedule here)

Grantees are accepted or rejected with feedback on how to improve

(early July)

Funds are sent to implement the project

(late July-early August)

Grantee’s Impact Reports are due to be eligible again in the future

(reports are due three months after receiving funding, October-November)

Special Updates

2024 Partners

We are so excited to announce that our Project Grants, launching on Earth Day 2024, are fully sponsored by our new partner, Coachtopia.

Coachtopia is a sub-brand of Coach that is leaning into the power of community and reimagining waste as a valuable raw material. With 80 years of Coach leather expertise, Coachtopia is making beautiful designs in alignment with its Made Circular™ design philosophy & its community of change makers—which includes us!

Coachtopia is working backward, crafting its products from recycled, repurposed, or renewable materials & designing its products to live multiple lives with clear pathways for takeback, reuse, or recycling

Learn more about coachtopia

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! If you applied in the past and complete the project grant process by receiving funds, implementing your project, and returning your Impact Report back to Earth Guardians. Successful returning grantees will be eligible to apply for larger grants in the future.
No. At EG, we believe in capacity building and time management to avoid burnout or being overworked. We understand how urgent the work is and respect the passion and dedication leading you to want to apply for multiple projects. However, we want you to create the most effective impact by focusing on a single project so only one grant will be awarded to one single person or Crew.
Yes. However, we prioritize existing Earth Guardians Crews, team members, participants in our Indigenous Youth-leaders Initiative, and members of partner organizations. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to either start or join a Crew or participate in Earth Guardians’ programming before applying. This way, you'll be set up for success by our incredible team and feel confident in implementing an impactful project!
Our next application launches on April 22, 2024.
Applications will close on May 30, 2024.
Grant letters of acceptance will be sent June 30-July 1, 2024. If not accepted, corrections on how to improve your application for the following year will be sent to help you make improvements.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received.
You will receive a confirmation on if your application was approved or not from an Earth Guardians director.
If approved you will receive a contract. Funding will be sent approximately 1-2 months after contracts have been signed.

Past Projects

Ghana - Growing Organic Food for Sustainable Development

“This project, Growing Organic Food for Sustainable Development, has served as a stepping stone to nurture a relationship with farmers and gain a more practical understanding of their challenges in adopting a complete switch to organic farming.”
Cameroon - Free Litter Initiative

“Our key accomplishment was that the communities saw and accepted our notion of an inclusive approach to a litter free environment by separating types of waste, especially the organic and inorganic.”
Europe - Plastic Bag Pillow

"The Plastic Bag Pillow project brought Earth Guardians youth from four European countries together (Estonia, France, Germany, and Malta), who met online to create 10 pillows and upcycle over 600 plastic bags. They had a lot of fun while raising awareness in their community about plastic pollution and easy upcycling possibilities."
Brazil - 7k Tree Planting Project
Benin - Community Cleanup
Santa Fe - Creating Media Content to Tell Community’s Story