Reforestation activity with youth from the Salvadoran Lutheran Church ahead of COP30. Photo: ILS
Projects to contribute meaningfully to climate justice at the local or national level
(LWI) – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has opened a call for applications for small-scale climate justice projects led by young people. The initiative aims to support innovative, community-based efforts that advance climate justice and environmental stewardship.
Applications can be submitted until 25 August 2025. The maximum grant per project is EUR 2,000. Projects must be implemented between September 2025 and January 2026.
Eligibility criteria
The call is open to all LWF member churches, and projects must be locally designed and implemented. Priority will be given to projects led by young people between 18 and 30 years old.
All projects must contribute meaningfully to climate justice at the local or national level, reflecting the lived experiences of communities and promoting justice, equity, and environmental stewardship. The project design should be both innovative and realistic in scope, setting clearly defined goals, activities, and outcomes.
Mobilizing young people’s ideas and purposeful action
“We aim to harness the passion and creativity of young people to tackle one of the most urgent challenges of our time – climate change. Their contributions, through thoughtful ideas and purposeful action, are essential to fostering a more sustainable and equitable future for all,” says Elena Cedillo, LWF Program Executive for Climate Justice.
The contributions of young people, through thoughtful ideas and purposeful action, are essential to fostering a more sustainable and equitable future for all.
Elena Cedillo, LWF Program Executive for Climate Justice
Examples of eligible projects include community campaigns ahead of the COP30 UN climate conference, advocacy for inclusive national climate policies, educational workshops and youth-led forums, training sessions on climate resilience and sustainable practices, and intergenerational dialogue spaces for climate action.
From 2020 to 2024, the LWF supported 88 youth-led projects from 62 member churches in 47 countries across all regions.
Applications for 2025 must be fully completed, including budget and endorsement, clearly demonstrating relevance to climate justice, and show realistic alignment between goals, budget, and capacity.
