The City of Atlanta has been selected for a third consecutive year to receive funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Youth Climate Action Fund, supporting young people as they develop projects to strengthen the city’s climate resilience.
The 2026 award brings Bloomberg Philanthropies’ total investment in Atlanta’s youth-led climate initiatives to $200,000 over three years.
Since Atlanta joined the program in 2024, the fund has supported 30 youth-led project teams and engaged more than 1,500 young people across the metro area. Projects have focused on sustainability, environmental education, climate awareness and neighborhood resilience while advancing the goals of the city’s Climate Resilient ATL action plan.
“Atlanta’s young people are not waiting to inherit the future. They are helping build it today,” Mayor Andre Dickens said. “When young people are given the opportunity to lead, they deliver innovative ideas that strengthen our neighborhoods and make Atlanta more resilient.”
One recipient, 19-year-old Ann Lin, trained 20 high school and college students to collect and analyze water samples from sites along the Chattahoochee River. Her team established what city officials described as Atlanta’s first database tracking microplastics in natural waterways and later held a public forum to share its findings.
The Youth Climate Action Fund has expanded significantly since its 2024 launch. Bloomberg Philanthropies selected 300 cities across six continents to participate in this year’s program.
Atlanta City Council previously recognized the city’s youth participants by issuing a proclamation establishing Youth Climate Action Day.
The Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience will continue working with nonprofit organization 21st Century Leaders to administer the program locally. The partnership connects young people with funding and other resources needed to turn their ideas into community-based climate projects.
