City of Kitchener announces winning projects for Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Youth Climate Action Fund

Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic awarded the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Youth Climate Action Fund to 16 youth-led projects at Kitchener City Hall on Monday evening. This funding opportunity was made available to 100 selected cities worldwide, including Kitchener, thanks to the generous leadership of former New York City Mayor, Mike Bloomberg and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Kitchener joins the Fund alongside these other cities from around the world, which together spans 38 countries across six continents, representing over 62 million residents. The fund provides technical assistance and funding for mayors to activate tens of thousands of youth aged 15 – 24 years to design, produce, and govern urgent climate solutions in cities across the globe.

“I love working with and get so energized by passionate young people who are making a difference in our community and beyond,” said Kitchener Mayor and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Co-President Berry Vrbanovic. “It was a real pleasure meeting with these talented, committed youth and learning more about their personal commitment to addressing climate change. I look forward to hearing from them again about what they’ve accomplished. I’m also excited by the response we’ve had – it’s clear that young people in Kitchener are excited to participate in this and future phases of the fund!”

The mayor was joined by members of Kitchener city council and representatives of project partner GreenHouse, who has supported the youth teams through the application process and will assist with project implementation. The grant funds will enable 16 youth-led climate action projects supported by fiscal sponsors who will receive a total of $64,000 to make a positive impact on our community. The projects will receive up to $6,500 each, to implement their vision. The projects and their fiscal sponsors are:

More information about Bloomberg Philanthropies can be found here.

For more information  

Shawn Falcao
Manager, Corporate Communications
City of Kitchener
shawn.falcao@kitchener.ca

Sam Fuld
Bloomberg Philanthropies
sam@bloomberg.org

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 2023, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $3 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, and X.

About GreenHouse

GreenHouse is a social impact incubator for youth and community members who want to create impactful ideas and ventures that generate social or environmental change. Launched in 2013 by United College at the University of Waterloo, GreenHouse provides students with support and training to identify and validate issues and priorities for community action, carry out projects and ventures, while helping students develop leadership skills and foster an entrepreneurial mindset.

Changemaker Labs, an initiative of GreenHouse, stands out as a dynamic program committed to supporting youth-led climate action, welcoming a diverse group of participants. This includes not just post-secondary and high school students, but also community members from the wider Waterloo Region. By offering a range of activities and an inclusive participation model, Changemaker Labs aims to instill a sense of empowerment and responsibility in the realm of youth-led climate action. It encourages participants to engage actively in local climate initiatives, contributing towards the broader Canadian goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.