Youth Accelerator Grants (YAG) 2024 – Call for Proposals
The Youth Accelerator Grants (YAG) 2024, an initiative of the Youth Congress for Sustainable Americas (YCSA), are now open for applications! We invite young leaders to submit innovative projects that create positive social and environmental impacts. With a total funding of $3,800 USD, including two prizes of $2,200 USD and $1,600 USD, this program supports initiatives aligned with YCSA’s values of social justice, sustainability, and cross-border collaboration.
Deadline for submission: October 31, 2024.
For more details on eligibility, categories, and the application process, please review the Terms of Reference and submit your proposal through our Submission Form. For any questions, contact Juan Felipe Pinto Castelblanco at juan@biennialoftheamericas.org.
WHO WE ARE
In 2017, a partnership between the Biennial of the Americas and the Nature Conservancy launched the Youth Congress for Sustainable Americas (YCSA) as a means to connect young leaders working towards sustainable goals across the Americas, stimulating and fomenting Climate Action Initiatives.
Our mission is dedicated to uniting young leaders from all countries across the Americas, fostering collaboration and solidarity in our collective pursuit of sustainability. We come together as a diverse and inclusive community, transcending borders, to address the urgent climate crisis and promote a just and sustainable transition. This commitment to diversity extends to our executive committee and the recruitment of new members, ensuring that our organization reflects the rich tapestry of voices and perspectives within our region.
In envisioning a future for the Americas that is ecologically thriving, socially just, and economically equitable, the YCSA strives to become a catalyst for transformation. Our vision is grounded in collaboration, innovation, and respect for indigenous wisdom, aiming to inspire a paradigm shift towards sustainability within the next decade.
Today, the YCSA has more than 70 young environmental leaders from countries all over America (North, Central, and South) and the Caribbean, growing more resilient each day. The YCSA represents a broad-based citizenry composed of young leaders, community activists, and professionals committed to forging new forms of cooperation and leadership for a sustainable future.
As an organization, we directly impact SDGs 4, 9, 11, 13, and 17. Our delegates, along with our campaigns, meetings, scholarships, and programs, including the Youth Accelerator Grant (YAG), extend our influence to other SDGs. Together, we're driving positive change across multiple dimensions of sustainable development.
WHY WE DO IT
Unsustainable Economic and Social Systems
Current systems often prioritize short-term gains over long-term sustainability, leading to resource depletion and social inequality. The YCSA challenges these systems by supporting initiatives that promote sustainability, equity, and economic fairness.
Pervasive Environmental Contamination
Pollution from plastics, chemicals, and waste harms ecosystems and human health. The YCSA addresses this by empowering youth to create and implement strategies for pollution reduction and environmental protection.
Escalating Climate Change
Climate change is intensifying, causing severe weather, rising sea levels, and ecosystem disruption. The YCSA tackles this by uniting young leaders to drive climate action and develop solutions to mitigate these impacts.
HOW WE DO IT
YOUTH cONGRESS fOREST
As part of YCSA's collaboration with Seamos Bosques, participants engaged in activities focused on tree harvesting and mapping in 2019. This initiative aimed to enhance environmental conservation efforts by integrating technology and community engagement. The Youth Congress significantly contributed to restoration and biodiversity by planting 100 trees as part of Seamos Bosques. You can view the CO2 absorption projections and the biodiversity impact in the Seamos Bosques report in the following document. Additionally, you can see the map of the Youth Congress forest by clicking the button below.
CO2 absorption projections. YC Forest 2019
Seamos Bosques impact report 2023
YOUTH ACCELERATOR GRANT (YAG)
In 2020, the Biennial of the Americas launched the Youth Accelerator Grant (YAG) to provide direct support to YCSA members, offering seed capital for sustainable programs. Through a rigorous competitive process, projects are submitted to our Sustainable Initiative Kickstarter and meticulously evaluated at the local level, focusing on their potential impact on the community.
Outstanding YCSA members receive small, project-based grants through an internal review process, empowering these sustainability leaders to make a tangible difference in communities across the Americas. Building on this momentum, in 2021, funding was allocated to support 3 delegate initiatives, and in 2022, an impressive 4 delegate initiatives with significant impact were successfully funded.
yag IMPACT REPORTS 2021 & 2022
(Click the images to read the reports)
EVENTS AND CAMPAIGNS
The YCSA has actively participated in joint campaigns with TNC, such as the 2019 campaign #elvalordelanaturaleza (https://www.caracoltvcorporativo.com/novedades/el-valor-de-la-naturaleza ), where delegates from 7 countries including Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, and Canada came together. Additionally, the YCSA has organized other events to foster dialogue, such as the Escazú Agreement, and to share experiences among different delegates. These engagements reflect our commitment to collaboration and the exchange of knowledge in our pursuit of a more sustainable future for the Americas.
Synergy between delegates
Through the process of connecting delegates, examples exist where delegates have embarked on transnational projects, such as the case of Sié Waka, a social enterprise between Mexico and Colombia. Sié Waka is based on a model of citizen co-creation of water quality sensor modules for monitoring and better community decision-making, with a focus on creating channels of accountability with the competent authority and the appropriation of water resources. This initiative demonstrates the synergy between delegates in creating new projects aimed at addressing pressing environmental and social challenges across borders. You can learn more about Sié Waka at www.siewaka.com.
WHAT WE DO
We develop and share ideas to restore environmental impacts.
We give seed funding to entrepreneurs or scholarships for professionals who want to continue their education.
We create opportunities and open spaces of inclusion and representation for youth and indigenous communities.
We contribute with ideas and solutions for a more resilient public and private sector.
We network with board members, governors, and sustainability professionals from different countries of the Americas and the Caribbean.
Here are some of our metrics:
Our programs
Youth Accelerator Grant (YAG): Empowering delegates with seed capital to turn their sustainable ideas into impactful projects.
Scholarships: Providing opportunities for delegates to access education and training, fostering personal and professional growth.
Campaigns & events: offering platforms for delegates to raise awareness, build networks, and advocate for important causes on a global scale.
Cities Summit Sponsorship: Facilitating participation in high-level discussions and exchanges, enabling delegates to contribute to urban sustainability solutions.
Leadership Training/Workshops: Equipping delegates with essential skills, knowledge, and tools to become effective leaders and change-makers in their communities and beyond.
DElegate’s benefits
Funding initiatives and projects: As a delegate of the YCSA, you will have access to funding opportunities for your sustainability initiatives and projects, helping you turn your ideas into impactful actions.
Participate in high-level discussion events: Engage in high-level discussion events with thought leaders, policymakers, and industry experts, providing you with a platform to influence policy and drive meaningful change in sustainability.
Visibility and promotion of your initiatives: Gain visibility for your initiatives through our platforms and publications, allowing you to showcase your work and amplify your impact across the Americas and the Caribbean.
Events to connect and show yourself: Participate in events designed to connect you with like-minded individuals, organizations, and potential collaborators, providing a stage to present your work and expand your network.
opportunities to learn and grow professionally: Benefit from professional development opportunities, including workshops, training sessions, and mentorship programs, to enhance your skills and advance your career in sustainability.
Get to know our leaders in the Americas AND THE CARIBBEAN
Open Call for New Delegates
As young people of the Americas we believe in the unification of our hemisphere, regardless of artificial boundaries and past conflicts. We will thrive on the differences that have divided us, as a nation and people.
The Youth Congress for Sustainable Americas is a mechanism that creates consensus and direct action regarding these irrefutable facts. We seek to transform the Americas, into an example of collective action, in order to solve the present global emergency.
Together we will:
Create a network that becomes the muscle to drive change in our continent.
Connect initiatives and individuals across borders and within countries to accelerate work and change.
Share our expertise and knowledge to design radical and bold solutions.
Use the available science and knowledge to avoid paralysis by analysis.
Visibilize, amplify, replicate and scale up valuable initiatives with transformational potential.
Encourage one another to experiment, support both success and failures, as we take on these unimaginably ambitious transformations.
Undertake collective action with impact across the Americas to engage our fellow citizens.
We might disagree on specific tactics, but we will remain unified in our purpose to build a society that more justly conducts the magnificent ecology we have inherited. We will shape the present as our future legacy.
The power of our community is key in order to reach our goals. We will continue to invite young professionals to be part of the YCSA as a way of understanding their work and guiding them to the right committee in charge of evaluating their proposal.
Join us.
YCSA OVER THE YEARS
Sponsors (Past & present)
Testimonials
Support from Continuum Partners
“We launched the Youth Congress to empower emerging leaders and coordinate action that will lead to measurable progress on climate initiatives. What has resulted is an energized international delegation of young citizens throughout the Americas who are able to amplify the advocacy and behavioral shifts needed to address the causes of climate change. Supporting their community-based projects has proved invaluable.”
- Mark Falcone, CEO, Continuum Partners
Benefits of supporting us
Tax deduction
Donations to qualified NGOs like us are tax-deductible, reducing your company’s taxable income and lowering overall tax liability.
Invitation to be part of events and activities
Gain exclusive invitations to participate in our events and activities, offering networking opportunities and showcasing your company’s commitment to environmental causes.
Help you accomplish ESG goals
Partnering with us helps you meet your Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals. Demonstrating your dedication to ethical practices and sustainability to investors and stakeholders.
Visibility in our publications and platforms
Your company will be featured in our publications and digital platforms, increasing brand recognition and demonstrating your commitment to sustainability.
Enhanced Employee Morale and Retention
Supporting meaningful causes, like us, boosts employee pride and engagement, leading to higher job satisfaction and better retention rates.
Visibility in our events
Your company will receive exposure at our events, reaching a targeted audience of stakeholders, partners, and potential customers who value sustainability.
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Donations & JOINT collaborations
Reach out to our Youth Congress Manager - Juan Felipe Pinto at