In a world increasingly shaped by climate challenges and the urgency of sustainable development, youth are emerging as pivotal agents of change. Recognizing this, numerous private foundations and organizations have launched initiatives to harness the creativity and drive of young individuals. These programs focus on areas such as climate action, clean energy, and innovation. This article explores six prominent initiatives that empowering the next generation to shape a sustainable future.

The Earth Prize by the Earth Foundation

  • What it is: a global environmental sustainability competition for teenagers (ages 13 to 19)
  • Organizer: the Earth Foundation, a Swiss nonprofit organization based in Geneva.
  • What it does: Provides students and schools with mentorship, learning content, and a platform to submit and showcase their ideas for environmental challenge solutions. It offers substantial financial awards to winners and their schools; encourages educators/mentors. Projects are tangible, with some proposing new eco technology, climate innovations, etc.
  • Why it matters: focuses on secondary school youth, getting younger people engaged; highly transparent; includes mentoring and ecosystem building. It demonstrates interest and impact of youth competitions in sustainability; membership in this peer group enhances legitimacy.

Young Climate Prize by the World Around and MillerKnoll Foundation

  • What it is:  a mentorship and award initiative that supports global leaders under the age of 25 who are living and working on the front lines of the climate crisis. 
  • Organizer: the nonprofit the World Around with backing from MillerKnoll Foundation.
  • What it does: It helps to identify, empower, and reward young climate leaders who are tackling urgent social and environmental challenges. Finalists are mentored by designers and architects, participate in workshops, lectures and projects, and winners are presented publicly (e.g. at the World Around Summit).
  • Why it matters: supports those innovators who are delivering immediate, locally grounded, and scalable climate solutions through self-initiated projects rooted in community, proven in real-world conditions, and designed for adaptation across regions. Since its launch in 2022, the program has supported 50 young innovators from 35 countries.

The Earthshot Prize by the Royal Foundation

  • What it is: It is a high‑visibility prize fund which rewards a wide variety of actors for environmental solutions.
  • Organizer: Launched by Prince William via The Royal Foundation in 2020, now an independent charity.
  • What it does: Each year, it selects approximately 15 finalists who tackle one of the five “Earthshots” (protect/restore nature; clean air; revive oceans; build a waste‑free world; fix our climate), then awards five winners whose solutions make the greatest impact towards these goals. It offers significant funding, visibility, scaling support.
  • Why it matters: This global prize for the environment will incentivise change and help to repair our planet over the next ten years – a critical decade for the Earth. The goals for our planet which if achieved by 2030 will improve life for us all, for generations to come. 

Design-meets-SDGs Challenges by BE OPEN Foundation

  • What it is: A series of yearly creativity-oriented competitions for students and graduated, each dedicated to one sustainable development goal
  • Organizer: a UNEP-accredited NGO and think tank BE OPEN whose mission is to promote people and ideas today to build solutions for tomorrow. All their cultural and social initiatives are supported by Elena Baturina.
  • What it does: With its distinctive focus on creative, design-based approach to a more sustainable future, it empowers young people to develop sustainable solutions by shortlisting and promoting 50 projects, and awarding cash prizes to 5 winning one; also takes the winners to conferences to help them network and self-promote.
  • Why it matters: as a catalyst for youth-driven innovation, it highlights the potential of young people to drive transformative change, providing a platform for their collective movement toward climate resilience and sustainable development.

Emerging Climate Champions Award by Lever for Change, Enlight Foundation, and the Patchwork Collective

  • What it is: a $25 million global open call that will provide flexible multiyear gifts of $1 million each to youth-led organizations advancing climate solutions across the globe. 
  • Organizer: It’s a global open competition with philanthropic funding, organized in bigger part by Lever for Change, a nonprofit affiliate of the MacArthur Foundation with support from Enlight Foundation, and The Patchwork Collective.
  • What it does: Lever for Change connects donors with problem solvers to find and fund bold, effective solutions that accelerate social change. The organization is running an ambitious, $25 million global competition to transform the landscape of climate philanthropy by empowering youth-led organizations Through this initiative, 25 outstanding youth-led groups working on climate solutions will each receive a $1 million annually for a flexible, multiyear program to support and scale their efforts.
  • Why it matters: Lever for Change provides equitable access enabling philanthropy to reach beyond the ordinary, connecting powerful ideas with funding and mentorship that young creators need to thrive today and in the future. The program provides very large-scale, long-term support demonstrating that youth leadership in climate is being seen as a worthy investment.

The Blue Challenge by Euronext and JA Worldwide

  • What it is: An entrepreneurship education programme dedicated to preparing young people for employment and entrepreneurship. 
  • Organizer: Euronext Foundation in partnership with JA Europe, a non-profit organisation.
  • What it does: The programme aims to inspire students aged 16 to 18 about sustainable finance and help them develop core competencies such as teamwork, problem-solving and entrepreneurial skills. programme that equips youth across Europe with concrete business skills while inspiring innovation in the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth.
  • Why it matters: Focusing on the ocean’s health, the program highlights the urgency of preserving marine ecosystems and supporting sustainable solutions for the future. It harnesses the competition and creativity of young people to address SDG‑relevant issues. Early engagement fosters greater engagement among European youth in marine environment and sustainable finance.