Bloomberg Philanthropies awarded the City of Minnetonka a $50,000 grant. The grant is part of the organization’s Youth Climate Action Fund, a program designed to mobilize young people between the ages of 15 and 24 to develop and implement climate action solutions.

“The city is deeply honored to have been selected for this global opportunity,” said Ally Sutherland, Minnetonka’s sustainability coordinator. “The city is passionate about empowering innovative youth leaders to get involved with programing, and with the Youth Climate Action Fund grant, the city will be able to directly support young people as they create tangible climate projects in Minnetonka”.

Since 2024, the Youth Climate Action Fund has partnered with nearly 100 municipalities across five continents. This year, Minnetonka is one of only 300 cities around the globe to be selected for the program, and one of only 56 U.S. cities.

In the coming months, Minnetonka will redistribute portions of the grant as “microgrants”, funding between $1,000 to $5,000 to support climate action projects. Eligible youth-led organizations will be able to apply for funding, including youth clubs or groups, youth-serving organizations or sponsor organizations, such as educational institutions, museums or community organizations.

The city sees this program as an opportunity to bolster its Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, a document finalized in 2024 looking to address the challenges posed to Minnetonka due to climate change. “Our climate action goal of 63% reduction in per capita emissions by 2030 is among the most ambitious in the state, however, the city cannot achieve these goals alone. Rapid action across all sectors is required. Youth-led projects supported by the Youth Climate Action Fund will create measurable community impact by demonstrating practical climate actions and reinforcing the urgency of collective climate action.”

The city plans to open requests for microgrants in September. More details about the program are coming soon. Follow the project at www.minnetonkamatters.com/youth-climate-fund.