Climate action workshops & funding

Clean Climate Action Grants are available to youth across Nova Scotia in grades primary to 12. Youth may apply individually or as a group. Project groups can be made up of friends, a school class, a club/team, or another community youth group.  

Projects must take place within Nova Scotia.  

Youth must have a teacher or other adult mentor (age 19+) identified in the application process. This individual will be responsible for receiving funds, supporting youth actions, and communicating with Clean on project activities.   

Any fundraising done in conjunction with this grant must also further climate action efforts. 

You can apply for a maximum of $500 towards your climate action project. There is no minimum application amount.  

Yes! Youth-led climate action projects can be wonderful opportunities for cross-curricular learning and achieving Nova Scotia’s Essential Graduation Competencies.

Across different grade levels and courses, youth-led climate action projects can help meet specific curriculum outcomes related to environmental science, sustainable development, citizenship, and social action. 

Here are some examples of youth-led climate action projects that you could take on with the help of a Clean Climate Action Grant!  

• Plant a pollinator meadow in your neighborhood or on your school grounds using plant species that are native to Nova Scotia.  
• Reduce the need for single-use items by purchasing reusable cutlery, dishes, mugs, or hand towels for your school or a local community center.  
• Host a clothing swap, start a mini thrift store at your school or teach other youth how to up-cycle old textiles (such as clothing, sheets, and towels) into useful new items. 
• Organize a local food showcase where you cook a community meal for your school or neighborhood featuring local, in-season food items grown here in Nova Scotia.  
• Create beautiful artwork with climate-related messages to spread awareness in your community. Paint a mural (with permission) on the side of a local building or host an art show. 
• Make a ‘zine’ about climate action and the environment. Work with friends & classmates to gather creative entries for your zine, like art, poetry, recipes, creative writing and photos. 
• Purchase public transit passes and host an event to promote public transportation. You could teach others how to use transit safely and ride the bus or ferry together as a group. 
• Set up outdoor compost bins in your school yard or an indoor vermicompost (worm composting) system at your school to turn food waste into rich soil for gardening. 
• Lead a nature walk, group bike ride or other outdoor recreation activity to help people in your community connect with nature and learn about active transportation.  

Youth participants in grades primary to 12 should be involved throughout the process of envisioning and implementing the climate action project. The degree of youth leadership on the project will depend on the age and maturity of the youth involved.  

Elementary-aged children can help brainstorm project ideas, vote for their favorite and think through the project steps. They can also be highly involved in the hands-on implementation of the project. The adult mentor may need to submit the online application and develop the project budget.  

Junior high and high school-aged youth may come up with their own project ideas, think through the steps required and write their own draft responses to the application questions. Support and advice from the adult mentor may be required for creating the budget and finalizing the application responses.   

Email youth@cleanfoundation.ca to receive your free teacher & student application guides to read the full application process.

Here’s a short summary of what’s required in your application: 

• Project title and description 
• Benefits of the project 
• Summary of the step-by-step action plan 
• List of items to be purchased  
• Contact information for adult mentor 
• Information about the youth group 

Apply online using this form. 

Note: Applications will not be reviewed until after the nearest deadline. If your action project is seasonal or time-sensitive and cannot wait until the deadline, please reach out to youth@cleanfoundation.ca. We will be happy to work with you to find a solution.

If you have further questions about Clean Climate Action Grants, please reach out to youth@cleanfoundation.ca.  

We’d be happy to schedule a 30-minute virtual meeting with you to provide more information about the program, talk through your project ideas and offer advice for your application.