Youth Climate Action Grants
Grants of up to CAD 1,000 help Toronto District School Board and Toronto Catholic District School Board student groups run climate action projects.
Cette fiche est actuellement disponible en anglais.
Run a student-led energy conservation campaign, climate workshop or climate preparedness activity at your school or in your community. The City of Toronto runs this programme with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB). Projects must build local climate action, climate literacy and leadership, or climate resilience.
The grant pays direct project-delivery costs, such as supplies, instructional kits, equipment rental and approved speakers or facilitators. Books need school-board approval. Purchased small equipment must stay at the school or classroom after the project. Food and beverages are limited to 25% of the total grant request. Skilled labour, professional consultant fees and voluntary-service honoraria each have a stated limit of 25% of the total request; providers must be school-board approved. Permit fees, space rental and liability insurance are eligible only for community events and activities.
Eligibility
- Your group must contain at least two TDSB or TCDSB students in junior kindergarten through Grade 12. A staff member from either board must supervise, and students must lead and deliver the project. Classroom projects, clubs, councils, student-teacher collaborations and groups partnering with parent councils can apply.
- Projects must take place in Toronto, meet programme objectives and align with the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy. Follow your board’s policies, use approved vendors and programming partners, and obtain all required principal and board permissions.
- Individual students, teachers acting without students, multiple groups from one classroom, principals, vice-principals, board administration, Facility Services, trustees, approved vendors, businesses, grant-making bodies, community organizations, charities, environmental nonprofits and school groups allied with political parties cannot apply. Previous City grant recipients must have supplied proof of completion, including their final report and expense summary.
- Completed projects cannot receive retroactive funding. A returning group or classroom must offer a new concept or meaningful expansion with new activities, goals or outcomes. Projects cannot duplicate another climate-action concept at the same school. Infrastructure, capital improvements, facility upgrades and beautification without a clear climate or environmental benefit are excluded.
- Costs must be for direct delivery. Projects already approved for funding, including other City grants, research or scientific studies, contingency funding and unspecified miscellaneous expenses are excluded. The grant does not cover routine operations, maintenance, repairs, capital works, items that significantly increase board operating or capital costs, computers, software, phones, internet, accounting, utilities or general insurance.
- Other exclusions include bottled water, single-use takeaway items, decorations, waste-generating promotional items, tablets and electronics, landscaping or beautification materials, playgrounds, furnishings, fencing, armour stone, water-bottle refilling stations and trees. TDSB chicken wire and composters are excluded.
- The grant cannot pay staff or group-member salaries or wages, income-generating activities, unapproved honoraria or stipends, memberships, travel, parking, personal vehicle use, volunteer gifts or prizes, or grants, rebates and incentives to others. Gas-powered equipment and combustion-engine vehicle rental or purchase are excluded.
- Paid newspaper advertising, conference registration, banquets, receptions, general meetings, sports tournaments, alcohol, cannabis, fundraising, political or religious activities, lobbying for businesses, unapproved programming and pre-existing school projects or events are excluded.
How to apply
- Statut
- clôture 30 oct. 2026
- Ouverture
- Clôture
- Conditions de cette période de candidature
- Fresh applicants must submit a project idea by October 30, 2026. Only invited applicants progress to the full proposal deadline of November 30, 2026.
The lead student or teacher should submit a project idea through the City’s online Request for Funding form by October 30, 2026. Review the questions summary first; that PDF cannot itself be submitted. Give the school and lead contact details, participating grades and a short description of the idea. A student applying must have a teacher or staff advisor’s knowledge and support. Confirm that you have read the eligibility rules; if AI helped prepare the application, confirm you checked its accuracy and that it reflects the intended project.
Submit one application per group or classroom: only the first is reviewed if several are sent. A school can submit different projects from distinct groups or classrooms. City and board staff review ideas and give feedback. Only invited applicants submit a full proposal with a work plan, budget and supporting documents by November 30, 2026; incorporate the feedback. An invitation does not guarantee funding.
Proposals are assessed for programme fit, student leadership, community impact, feasibility and budget reasonableness. Applicants are due to hear in January 2027; dates can change. Projects finishing before the end of the current school year receive priority, but completion within one year is considered. Restrictions may apply to previous recipients to distribute funding equitably.
After completion, submit a final report with activities, achievements, outcomes and supporting material such as photos or testimonials, plus a summary of actual expenses and grant use. The City supplies the reporting-form link before its deadline. For accessibility support, accommodation or an alternative application format, email climateactiongrants@toronto.ca.