City of Montgomery, AL

• Be proposed, designed, and led by at least two young people ages 15-24.

• Benefit Montgomery residents, neighborhoods, schools, or community organizations.

• Address a climate-related need or opportunity in Montgomery and align with at least one local climate focus area.

• Request between $1,000 and $5,000 and use funds only for eligible expenses.

• Be completed by April 15, 2027.

• Include at least one measurable output and one measurable outcome, with a numerical target and tracking method for each.

• Center meaningful youth leadership, decision-making, learning, and action.

• Limit equipment and infrastructure expenses to no more than 50% of the project budget.

Projects must advance at least one of the following focus areas:

1. Energy-Smart Homes and Buildings
Energy conservation, weatherization, energy-use education, green-building awareness, and clean-energy career exploration.

2. Cleaner Transportation and Connected Communities
Walking, bicycling, public transit, safer connections, mobility research, and temporary demonstration projects.

3. Waste Reduction, Food Systems, and the Circular Economy
Recycling, composting, waste audits, cleanups, reuse and repair, sustainable fashion, food-waste prevention, and urban agriculture.

4. Trees, Green Spaces, Water, and Heat Resilience
Tree stewardship, native planting, rain gardens, heat awareness, water quality, conservation education, and nature-based resilience.

These focus areas align with the Buildings, Energy, Transportation, Land Use and Zoning, Waste, Agriculture, and Urban Forestry sectors identified in Montgomery's February 2026 Climate Action Plan.

The organization receiving and administering the grant must be a legally registered nonprofit, charitable, educational, or public entity with a bank account in its legal name.

Eligible recipients may include:

• Youth-led organizations, clubs, or groups with an eligible legal entity able to receive the funds

• Youth-serving nonprofit organizations

• Schools or other educational institutions

• Museums and community organizations

• Public agencies other than the City unit administering the program

• Other legally registered nonprofit, charitable, or public sponsor organizations

Individuals, private companies, political parties, partisan organizations, and party-affiliated organizations cannot receive funds. A single eligible organization may receive up to three microgrants, but each award must support a separate project.

Examples of Eligible Expenses

• Project supplies, materials, tools, technology, equipment purchases, or rentals

• Community events, workshops, or educational sessions, including venue rental, printing, and basic refreshments

• Required permits and reasonable local ground transportation

• Promotional materials, photography, editorial support, and videography related to the project

• Reasonable training and mentorship fees for youth workshops

• Sponsor administrative costs up to 15% of the microgrant

• Reasonable food per diems or gift cards that support youth participation and do not make up most of the grant

• Essential equipment or other capital investments that do not exceed 50% of the total project budget

Ineligible Expenses

• Services or expenses already covered by an existing City initiative, general rent or utilities, or nonprofit incorporation fees

• Scholarships, direct support to individuals or families, speaker honoraria, or one-time speaker fees

• Partisan political activities, campaigns, fundraising, lobbying, or voter registration

• Commercial activities, capital campaigns, endowments, or payments to government officials

• Events unrelated to youth climate action or regranting funds to another organization or individual

Submit the online application and required itemized budget no later than 11:59 p.m. Central Time on October 9, 2026. Before beginning, applicants should be prepared to provide:

• A project name, location, description, and explanation of the community need

• Contact information for at least two youth project leads ages 15-24

• A project timeline that ends on or before April 15, 2027

• An explanation of how young people will lead the project and make decisions

• A confirmed or prospective sponsor organization, or a request for help identifying one

• At least one measurable output and one measurable outcome, including numerical targets and tracking methods

• An itemized budget totaling between $1,000 and $5,000

• Any necessary permissions, approvals, or optional supporting materials

City staff will review applications for completeness. The City Lead and the Youth Climate Action Fund coach will verify eligibility before proposals advance to an independent selection committee of at least three members. Committee members may not be directly or indirectly affiliated with applicants or proposed projects.

Reviewers will consider:

• Youth leadership and meaningful decision-making

• Alignment with Montgomery's climate focus areas

• Community need and benefit

• A realistic plan, timeline, partnerships, permissions, and budget

• Clear outputs, outcomes, numerical targets, and tracking methods

• Eligible and appropriate use of funds

• Youth learning and development

• The project's contribution to a balanced portfolio of themes, communities, and approaches
  
  

The program is intended for young people ages 15-24 who live, attend school, work, volunteer, or are otherwise connected to Montgomery. Each project must be proposed, designed, and led by at least two young people.

Youth applicants may apply as a group, club, school team, or organization. However, grant funds cannot be paid directly to an individual. Each project must identify an eligible nonprofit, school, public agency, or other qualifying sponsor organization to receive and administer the funds.

No. Every project must be designed and led by at least two young people ages 15-24.

Yes, when the equipment is essential to the youth-led project. Equipment and other capital costs cannot exceed 50% of the project budget.

Reasonable participation supports, such as food per diems or gift cards, are eligible when they facilitate youth participation and do not make up most of the grant.

All project activities must be completed by April 15, 2027.

Yes. The City will provide at least one co-design or information session covering local priorities, eligibility, budgeting, and project development. Session details will be announced.