City of Kitchener joins second round of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Youth Action Fund

Kitchener will receive $100,000 USD to distribute as microgrants, administrated in partnership with ClimateActionWR and Greenhouse, a social impact incubator for youth and community members who want to create impactful ideas and ventures that generate social or environmental change.

In just one year, the program has delivered remarkable results. During round one, 98cities collectively awarded over US$4 million to fund 1,102 youth-led projects,empowering nearly 4,000 young people to lead local climate action. Projectsspanned diverse initiatives, from restoring public spaces and building sensorygardens to organizing events and launching innovative campaigns. Many youthparticipants were first-timers, both in leading climate action and collaborating withtheir city governments

“These projects are a powerful way to get youth involved in climate action,” said Kitchener Mayor and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Co-President Berry Vrbanovic. “I’d strongly encourage everyone aged 15-24 to check out the page and our video to see the kind of impact they can have through this great program.”

As urban areas around the world continue to grow, it is projected that 60 percent of urban residentswill be under the age of 18 by 2030, positioning youth not just as stakeholders but ascentral actors in urban futures. With 84 percent of youth around the world reportingthat they are worried climate change threatens people and the planet, and morethan 60 percent saying that government is not doing enough to avoid climatecatastrophe or take their concerns seriously, it is clear that youth are critical todriving local climate action. To ignite the climate action needed to advance local —and global — progress, young residents must have a seat at the table.

Young Kitchener residents, ages 15 - 24 are encouraged to visit the webpage here to learn more about the Youth Climate Action Fund, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, and how to submit ideas for the opportunity to receive funding.

More information about the Bloomberg Philanthropies can be found here.

For more information:

Phil Price
Communications and Marketing Associate
City of Kitchener
philp.price@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 ClimateActionWR

ClimateActionWR is a collaboration between local organizations, community members, and municipalities within Waterloo Region focused on climate change mitigation. We are co-led by Sustainable Waterloo Region (SWR) and Reep Green Solutions (Reep). We facilitate action on our community climate action plan, measure and monitor progress, and engage the community on local climate action initiatives. The TransformWR strategy outlines our community’s pathway to reducing community GHG emissions.

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.