Submit Application for 2026 Youth Climate Action Fund in Australia, The Youth Climate Action Fund (YCAF) gives young people aged 15–24 the opportunity to lead local climate initiatives and help create a more sustainable, resilient, and climate-ready Perth.
The program encourages youth leadership, creativity, innovation, and practical climate solutions that deliver positive outcomes for both people and the environment.
Think Global, Act Local
The program is delivered by the City of Perth and supported through a global funding initiative from Bloomberg Philanthropies. It provides young people with resources to turn their climate ideas into practical projects that can make a difference in their communities.
Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the full details and submit their applications before the specified deadline to seize this grant opportunity.
Last Date of Submission: 2nd October 2026
Submit Application for 2026 Youth Climate Action Fund in Australia
What Funding Is Available?
Eligible climate action projects can receive between $1,500 and $7,000 (excluding GST).
Funding is available for projects that:
- Are led by young people aged 15–24.
- Address climate action or sustainability challenges.
- Deliver practical benefits for the community and environment.
- Are supported by an organisation that works with young people.
The YCAF provides an opportunity for young people to move beyond simply raising awareness and take action on climate issues through locally focused projects and solutions.
Submit Application for 2026 Youth Climate Action Fund in Australia
Climate Priorities
Projects supported through the Youth Climate Action Fund should align with at least one of the City of Perth’s key climate priorities:
- Mitigation and Resilience:Taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or strengthen communities, natural environments, and built infrastructure so they can better withstand the impacts of climate change.
- Circularity:Keeping materials and resources in use for as long as possible, reducing waste, and protecting the environment, waterways, and natural systems.
- Inclusivity:Ensuring everyone can participate in and benefit from climate action, including First Nations peoples and people who may face cultural, economic, or other barriers to participation.
- Governance:Building the networks, relationships, trust, and community engagement needed to accelerate meaningful climate action and support lasting changes in behaviour.
Expected Outcomes
Through youth-led projects and collaboration, the City aims to achieve lasting environmental, social, and economic benefits in line with the Sustainability Strategy 2022–2032 and the Perth Capital City Plan – Towards 2036 and Beyond.
To contribute to these outcomes, proposed projects must align with one or more of the City’s climate priorities.
What Types of Activities Can Be Funded?
Projects can take many different forms. Applicants may consider activities that help young people and their communities:
- Learn:Build knowledge, curiosity, and awareness around climate action and sustainability.
- Develop Skills:Build practical skills and capacity to turn climate intentions into meaningful action.
- Connect:Create opportunities for people to meet, share ideas, collaborate, and work together on climate issues.
- Create:Use art, media, storytelling, or other creative approaches to inspire people and encourage climate action.
- Activate:Organise local events, campaigns, or challenges that encourage community participation.
- Explore:Test new climate solutions, innovations, or approaches within the community.
What Will the Fund Support?
Eligible funding may cover reasonable costs directly associated with delivering the project, including:
- Event and workshop expenses, such as venue hire and basic catering.
- Marketing and promotional materials, including printing and photography.
- Training and mentoring fees for youth-focused workshops and skills development.
- Project supplies, including equipment, tools, materials, and technology.
- Required permits or approval fees.
- Auspice fees, up to a maximum of 10% of the total project cost.
Submit Application for 2026 Youth Climate Action Fund in Australia
Submit Application for 2026 Youth Climate Action Fund in Australia
What Will the Fund Not Support?
Funding cannot be used for:
- Events that are not focused on youth-led climate action.
- In-kind contributions, such as volunteer hours.
- General operating costs, including rent, utilities, fees, and insurance.
- Speaker fees or honorariums.
- Direct financial support for individuals or families.
- Commercial or profit-making activities.
- Large capital campaigns or endowments.
- Projects where the City determines that the primary purpose is political.
- Projects that denigrate or exclude parts of the community or could negatively affect public health, safety, the environment, or heritage.
- Reimbursement for expenses incurred before the application.
- Debt reduction or operating deficits.
- Legal expenses associated with the project.
How Applications Will Be Assessed
Applications will be assessed across four key areas:
Your Idea
Explain what inspired the project, why the issue matters to you, and what you hope to achieve.
Your Plan
Describe how you will deliver the project, including your activities, timeline, and how you intend to use the funding.
Your Team
Identify who will lead the project and which people or organisations will support its delivery.
Your Impact
Explain what success will look like and how you will measure the project’s results and impact.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, applications must meet the following requirements:
- Location or impact:The project must take place within the City of Perth’s local government area or deliver a direct benefit or impact within the City.
- Legal status:The applicant must be a legally constituted entity with an Australian Business Number (ABN) and a bank account held in the organisation’s name.
- Not-for-profit status:The organisation must be recognised as a not-for-profit or charitable organisation under Australian law, including recognition through the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), where applicable.
- Application timing:The application must be submitted before the project begins and with enough time for the City to assess the application.
- Financial viability:The organisation must demonstrate that it is financially viable without relying on City funding. While an individual project may not be viable without grant support, the organisation itself must be financially sustainable.
- Number of applications:An organisation may apply for no more than three different youth-led projects during the relevant funding period.
- Youth leadership:The project must be led by young people aged 15–24 and supported by an organisation that works with young people.
- Insurance:Applicants must have appropriate insurance coverage where required under the City’s relevant activity approvals, policies, or procedures.
Key Exclusions
The City of Perth will not consider applications from applicants or organisations that fall into any of the following categories:
- Government departments:Commonwealth or State Government departments.
- Political organisations:Political parties or projects primarily associated with political activities.
- Violence, intolerance, or discrimination:Applicants that the City considers to support, promote, or facilitate violence, intolerance, or discrimination.
- City employees and elected members:City employees, elected members, or their immediate family members. This exclusion does not apply to an organisation simply because a City employee, elected member, or their immediate family member is involved with that organisation.
- Conflicts of interest:Entities in which a City employee or elected member holds an ownership interest.
- Outstanding debts:Applicants that have unpaid debts or other outstanding financial obligations to the City.
- Legal disputes:Applicants currently involved in legal proceedings or other legal conflicts with the City.
- Previous funding reporting:Applicants that have not satisfactorily completed required acquittal or reporting obligations for previous City funding.
- Duplicate funding:Applicants that have already received City funding, including in-kind support, for the same project during the same financial year.
- Previously declined projects:Applicants that have already applied for City funding, including in-kind support, for the same project during the same financial year and had the application declined.
- Conduct detrimental to the City:Applicants whose conduct the City considers to be harmful or prejudicial to the character, reputation, or interests of the City.
Operational Funding Exclusion
The City will not provide recurrent operational funding. This includes ongoing organisational expenses such as:
- Wages and salaries.
- Administrative overheads.
- Other recurring operational costs.
Applicants should also review Council Policy 4.3 – Outgoing Sponsorship and Grants for additional eligibility requirements and conditions.
Where there is any inconsistency between the funding guidelines and the Council Policy, the Council Policy takes precedence.
Why This Grant Opportunity Matters?
The Youth Climate Action Fund is a valuable opportunity for young people to turn climate ideas into practical, community-based action. By providing funding of $1,500 to $7,000, the program helps youth-led teams overcome financial barriers and deliver projects that can create environmental, social, and economic benefits.
The opportunity is particularly important because it focuses on youth leadership and practical solutions rather than simply raising awareness. Projects can help young people build skills, connect with their communities, test new ideas, and encourage broader participation in climate action.
The fund also supports a range of climate priorities, including mitigation and resilience, circularity, inclusivity, and governance. This gives applicants flexibility to develop projects around different climate challenges while contributing to Perth’s broader sustainability goals.
Tips for a Strong Application
- Start with a clear climate idea.Explain what inspired your project, what problem you want to address, and why the issue matters to you and your community.
- Show strong youth leadership.Make it clear that young people aged 15–24 are genuinely leading the project, rather than simply participating in an activity designed by others.
- Connect your project to a climate priority.Clearly identify whether your project addresses mitigation and resilience, circularity, inclusivity, governance, or more than one priority.
- Make your plan practical.Explain what you will do, who will be involved, where the activities will take place, and how you will use the funding.
- Create a realistic budget.Link each requested expense directly to project activities. Focus on eligible costs such as equipment, materials, workshops, marketing, venue hire, training, permits, and eligible auspice fees.
- Demonstrate community impact.Describe who will benefit from the project and what changes you expect to see as a result.
- Explain how you will measure success.Include simple, measurable outcomes such as participation numbers, skills developed, resources diverted from waste, events delivered, or community engagement achieved.
- Highlight your team and partnerships.Show who is responsible for delivering the project and how the supporting organisation will help young people successfully implement it.
- Check eligibility before applying.Make sure the applicant organisation meets requirements relating to its legal status, ABN, not-for-profit or charitable status, financial viability, insurance, and youth leadership.
- Avoid excluded costs and activities.Do not request funding for operational expenses, salaries, scholarships, speaker fees, debt reduction, legal expenses, or activities that fall within the program’s exclusions.
How to apply?
YCAF Program Lead Before applying, we encourage you to reach outto the City’s Youth Climate Action Fund (YCAF) Program Lead who is here to help guide and support you. Email: YCAF@cityofperth.wa.gov.au Mobile: 0497 414 257 SmartyGrants Applications for Youth Climate Action Fund must be submitted through the City’s approved online management portal, SmartyGrants.
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Note: For more comprehensive details click the link below
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much funding can a project receive?
Eligible projects can receive between $1,500 and $7,000, excluding GST. Funding is intended to support eligible youth-led climate action projects.
2. Who needs to lead the project?
The project must be led by young people aged 15–24 and supported by an organisation that works with young people. The application should clearly demonstrate the role young people will play in developing and delivering the project.
3. What types of activities can the funding support?
Projects can include activities focused on learning, skills development, connecting people, creative climate communication, community activation, or exploring new climate solutions. Eligible expenses may include workshops, venue hire, promotional materials, training, equipment, project supplies, technology, permits, and eligible auspice fees.
4. What costs are not eligible for funding?
The fund does not support expenses such as wages and salaries, general administrative or operational costs, scholarships, speaker fees or honorariums, direct support to individuals or families, commercial activities, debt reduction, legal expenses, or reimbursement for money already spent.
5. What are the main things assessors will look for?
Applications will be assessed based on Your Idea, Your Plan, Your Team, and Your Impact. A strong application should clearly explain why the project matters, how it will be delivered, who will lead and support it, how the funding will be spent, and how success will be measured.
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