Bloomberg Youth Climate Action Grants Launched in Evanston and Omaha

Evanston, Illinois, and Omaha, Nebraska, each received $50,000 from Bloomberg Philanthropies' Youth Climate Action Fund to award grants of $1,000 to $5,000 to residents aged 15‑24 for local climate projects. In Evanston, the program will fund at least eight initiatives such as recycling drives, community gardens, park clean‑ups and infrastructure upgrades, with the first round of applications due this Wednesday and a second round due Aug. 27. Mayor Daniel Biss said the city is “putting trust in our youth to lead innovative solutions.”

Omaha’s City Council approved the same grant and also allocated more than $180,000 for a “Beat the Heat: Trees for Neighbors” program to plant shade trees in dense neighborhoods. Mayor John Ewing Jr. highlighted the grant as a key part of Omaha’s Climate Action Plan, noting that “young people are a vital part of that plan.” Applications for Omaha’s youth grants close Sept. 8. Both cities will pair grant recipients with local nonprofit or public sponsors to manage funds and support project implementation.