Montgomery Joins Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Youth Climate Action Fund to Activate Young People in Driving Climate Solutions

Montgomery, Alabama - Mayor Steven L. Reed announced today that Montgomery, Alabama will join Bloomberg Philanthropies' Youth Climate Action Fund, which will provide capital and capacity to support municipalities in mobilizing young residents ages 15-24 in designing and delivering solutions aligned with citywide priorities.

Montgomery joins the Youth Climate Action Fund alongside 300 new city halls. The scale-up tripling the program's reach since its launch in 2024-builds on results across 34 countries, where 98 municipalities delivered tangibly for residents and improved trust in city hall-helping a new generation believe in government again.

As part of this program, Montgomery opens innovation competitions, inviting young people's ideas, selecting the strongest proposals, and funding them with $50,000 and technical assistance from Bloomberg Philanthropies. Montgomery will then assign staff to support implementation from start to finish, helping young residents lead in carrying their plans through to completion - creating public space, strengthening infrastructure, mitigating disasters, and building resilience.

Municipalities that move quickly to deploy their initial funding will receive an additional $50,000 to support more youth-driven projects and expand participation.

"Montgomery's participation in the Youth Climate Action Fund represents an exciting step toward empowering young residents to shape a more resilient and sustainable future," Mayor Reed said. "By opening the door for local youth to design and implement real solutions, the city is fostering innovation, leadership, and community-driven progress."

Patricia E. Harris, CEO of Bloomberg Philanthropies said the Youth Climate Action Fund is helping city halls around the world work alongside hundreds of thousands of young people to take action on city climate challenges and improve their communities.

"They are showing how local government can be a partner on issues youth and residents care deeply about - and they are building trust along the way," Harris said. "We look forward to expanding on these efforts and inspiring a new generation of civic leaders."

At a time whenparticipation in public life hasthinned, the results from the first wave of Youth Climate Action Fund cities point to a new approach. Survey research of the program's youth participants showed that their trust in local government leadership rose from 61% to 83%-a 22 percentage point increase-while confidence in their own ability to address environmental challenges increased from 65% to 90%. Nearly three in four youth said their city hall values their input on climate policy one of the -issues they care most about.

Participating local governments also changed how they work. More than half established new, formal structures-such as youth councils, advisory boards, and participatory budgeting processes-to sustain young people's engagement. 43% embedded youth input into long-term strategies and policies, while roughly 40% created dedicated staff roles. Nearly all report plans to expand the effort.

As part of the Youth Climate Action Fund, [MAYOR NAME] has launched an open call [HYPERLINK TO THE CITY-SPECIFIC APPLICATION WEBPAGE] for new and ambitious climate efforts led by young people.

Young residents ages 15 - 24 years are encouraged to visit the webpage here [HYPERLINK TO THE CITY-SPECIFIC APPLICATION WEBPAGE] to learn more about the Youth Climate Action Fund, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, and how to submit ideas for the opportunity to receive funding.

To date, more than 300,000 young people across five continents have taken part in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund-working with their city halls to create over 1,600 green spaces, plant over 1.8 million plants and 235,000 trees, develop nearly 5,000 gardens, launch 268 composting stations, and collect more than 405,000 pounds of trash and recyclables-producing visible improvements in their communities and bettering quality of life for residents worldwide. As part of Bloomberg Philanthropies' longstanding work to strengthen local state capacity through itsGovernment Innovation program, the Fund also provides municipalities and their mayors with a model that extends beyond climate-galvanizing partnership with stakeholders citywide to advance progress on pressing problems-and opportunities-for the people they serve.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies:
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg's giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2025, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $4.3 billion.

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Media Contact:
Sam Fuld, [email protected]