Akron gives young people funding to turn climate ideas into action

Young people inherit the consequences of climate change while having little money or authority to shape responses. Akron, Ohio, is trying to close that gap with a youth-led fund.

The city’s Youth Climate Action Fund will distribute $40,000 (£30,000) in grants of between $1,000 and $5,000. Teams aged 15 to 24 can propose projects involving efficient buildings, transport, waste reduction or community resilience. Possible ideas include school composting, neighbourhood reuse schemes, public-transport campaigns, solar lighting and shade for shared spaces.

The funding comes from Bloomberg Philanthropies rather than local taxes. Successful teams will also receive mentoring from city staff and community organisations, before presenting their work alongside officials in April 2027.

There are clear limits: the total pot is modest, applicants must form teams and partner with a nonprofit, and the number of projects will depend on demand. Applications run from 3 August to 14 September. Even so, the model matters because it combines small-scale climate action with skills, responsibility and local knowledge. Other cities could learn from giving young residents resources to test solutions.