Youth Climate Action Fund

Are you a young person with an idea for action towards a greener, fairer, healthier environment in the West Midlands?

Organisations across the region now have the opportunity to bid for funding between £1,000 and £2,500 for a youth-led project to deliver climate and environment action projects.

The programme is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies. The West Midlands Combined Authority is administering the grants.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people from across the West Midlands to design and lead projects that will make a real difference to our environment and help shape the region they will inherit. As one of the youngest regions in Europe, the West Midlands is full of talented and passionate young people with the ideas and energy to drive change. With significant environmental challenges ahead, I am excited to see how these projects can help create a greener, healthier and more sustainable region for future generations.”

What makes a project youth led?

The project must be youth led. This means that the project must be proposed, designed and led by at least two individuals aged 15 to 24 who actively participate in decision-making and oversight.

Key aims of the fund:

Each project will be focused on youth leadership and action and will focus on one or more of these themes:

Air quality – clean air is important for better health across the region. Around 1,700 people die prematurely each year due to poor air quality.
Circular economy – at the moment, products and materials are made, used, and then thrown away. To save money and carbon, its important to have an economy where resources are reused, repaired and recycled.
Climate adaptation – the West Midlands is already being impacted by climate change, with hotter, drier summers, wetter winters, more extreme weather events, and increasing pressure on vulnerable people and infrastructure. Action is required to make the region more resilient to these impacts.
Nature – in the West Midlands, nature is continuing to decline, with habitat and species being lost. It is important to restore nature and increase access to nature for residents.

Find out more about these themes and the WMCA Environment Programme.

How do I apply?

If you are interested in applying for a grant, please email [email protected] to receive the information pack and application form.

The deadline for applications is Friday 25 September 2026, 5pm.

Who can apply?

Eligible organisations include:

Youth-led organisations (e.g. youth clubs or groups)
Youth-serving organisations (adult-led organisations that support young people)
Sponsor organisations (e.g. educational institutions, museums, or community organisations).

All organisations who apply must have a bank account to its name and the ability to manage the funds.

A single organisation may receive up to three grants for separate projects.

All projects must be based and delivered within the WMCA area, which includes the following local authorities: Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, Wolverhampton.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the funding opportunity, please email [email protected]

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