Building on feedback from biodiversity actors from over 50 countries, a new report exposes the funding crisis blocking youth-led action and offers solutions to reframe risk and future-proof the biodiversity sector
Bonn, Germany (16 June 2026) – Young people are at the forefront of biodiversity conservation, yet they face structural funding barriers preventing their efforts from becoming more influential, sustainable and scalable.
That was the main conclusion of the report “Ecologies of Empowerment: Why and how to fund youth-led biodiversity action,” launched today by the Global Youth Biodiversity Network, The Iris Project, Synchronicity Earth and the Global Landscapes Forum, and supported by the Global Fund for Children and the Youth Climate Justice Fund.
Drawing on responses from 161 youth-led initiatives across 57 countries, interviews with funders and insights from over 100 participants at two workshops, the report paints the most comprehensive picture to date of the funding barriers facing a generation already doing much of the work. Crucially, it provides solutions and recommendations that would benefit the conservation sector globally.
“Too often, youth-led environmental work is treated as risky, informal or too early-stage, when in reality, these projects are deeply rooted in their communities and responding to urgent ecological challenges with very limited support. Our hope is that this research helps funders better understand what young leaders need and what needs to change so that more flexible, accessible and trust-based funding can reach them,” said Millie Edwards, Director, The Iris Project.
KEY FINDINGS
- Youth initiatives are diverse and build inclusive, progressive next-generation leadership. On average, they work across three to four areas simultaneously, from habitat restoration and species monitoring to territorial defense, contributions to policy and more. Three-quarters of them invest heavily in peer leadership development.
- Youth initiatives are powered by volunteers and communities, building strong collective ownership but leading to burnout and exclusion. Of an estimated 21,000 contributors to surveyed initiatives, 93% are volunteers. External funding is an opportunity for these initiatives to become more inclusive and sustainable.
- Youth biodiversity groups bring deep knowledge, skills, drive and strategic thinking to their work, yet barriers to accessing funding persist. These barriers are structural, not capability-based. Complex eligibility requirements, language barriers and unrealistic expectations around existing track records, among other factors, exclude many youth-led, community-rooted initiatives.
- Youth initiatives are financially insecure and rely primarily on small short-term and inflexible grants with high administrative burdens. The vast majority (85%) of youth initiatives lack adequate funding: 44% of surveyed organizations operated on less than $1,000 in 2024, including 20% with no income at all. Of the grants provided, 62% were under $10,000, 58% lasted less than a year and 88% were project-restricted.
- Young people need funders committed to their empowerment. Initiatives seek genuine partnerships with funders that reflect care, openness and flexibility while respecting their autonomy.
“Funding is important, but it matters what kind. We need patient and flexible support that can follow the rhythms of nature and people. Beyond funding, mentorship and intergenerational support is equally important so youth can learn, grow and make mistakes without the pressure to immediately scale,” said Frances Camille Riveira, Co-founder of Oceanus Conservation, and a young marine ecologist participating in the report.
“At a time when over half of the world’s population is under 30, investing in youth is not just about inclusion. It is essential to the scale, ambition and sustainability of our natural world. Without this investment, we risk overlooking some of the most dynamic and transformative actors in the climate and nature space today,” said Nathan Méténier, Co-Executive Director, Youth Climate Justice Fund (YCJF).
Although there can be legitimate risks associated with funding smaller, newer and informal organizations, “Ecologies of Empowerment” reframes the funding question as one of systemic risk and calls on funders to take five critical steps:
- Recognize the risk of a sector without youth regeneration and commit dedicated resources
- Co-design fit-for-purpose funding with young people
- Streamline applications and reduce administrative burdens
- Break the ‘triple glass ceiling’ through core, flexible, multi-year grants
- Support changemakers within their own institutions to shift resources toward youth-led work
“Rooted visions of possible worlds are already being nurtured today in spaces, landscapes, communities and movements led by young people. Supporting youth is an act of belief in the generations that will inherit, shape and steward our collective futures. The invitation to funders is simple: be as courageous in your investments as young people are in their determination to build a more just, regenerative world,” said Eirini Sakellari, Youth Program Coordinator, GLF
“Funding youth shifts power. It signals trust in young people’s analysis of what their communities need, and it builds the leadership that long-term environmental change requires. When we resource youth-led work on biodiversity, we’re not only protecting species and habitats – we’re investing in a generation that will carry this work forward for decades,” said John Hecklinger, Co-CEO, Global Fund for Children.
“This report doesn’t just lay bare the stark realities of the funding landscape for youth-led biodiversity action today, it crucially introduces tangible solutions on how steps can be taken to change it. The findings of this research point to actions that reach beyond youth-led action alone – they would strengthen the entire conservation sector, moving us collectively closer to meeting global climate and biodiversity commitments,” said Helen Tugendhat, Co-Executive Director, Synchronicity Earth.
Watch the digital launch to discover more about youth-led biodiversity action, practical steps to fund and empower youth, and more.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
- For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Kelly Quintero (k.quintero@landscapealliance.org)
- Find the report’s social media assets and more on this Trello board
- Find photos to illustrate your reporting on the GLF Flickr account
- Explore more GLF updates in our media room
ABOUT THE GLOBAL YOUTH BIODIVERSITY NETWORK
Founded in 2010, the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) is a global coalition of young people and youth organizations focused on halting biodiversity loss. Since 2012, it has served as the recognized international coordination platform for youth participation in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD, bringing together over 705 member organizations across 178 countries, representing more than 1.25 million young people. Learn more at: https://gybn.org/
ABOUT THE IRIS PROJECT
The Iris Project is a global youth-led funder, operated in partnership with Global Fund for Children, that moves resources, trust and visibility towards young people protecting and restoring nature in their communities. Since 2022, The Iris Project has supported 28 projects across 20 countries through its annual prize, with 96% coming from the Global South. Its Youth Advisory Board, made up of young environmental leaders from around the world, helps shape the programme, review applications, and mentor prize recipients. Learn more at: https://theirisproject.org/
ABOUT SYNCHRONICITY EARTH
Synchronicity Earth is a UK-based conservation charity funding conservation efforts through seven thematically or regionally-focused programmes and has distributed over £27 million to more than 180 conservation partners. Alongside direct grants, it works to strengthen partner capacity and promote more equitable approaches to conservation philanthropy. Its Chrysalis Youth Fund, co-designed with young people, provides direct, flexible funding to youth-led biodiversity organisations, directing resources to where they are most needed. Learn more at: https://www.synchronicityearth.org/
ABOUT THE GLF
The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) is the world’s largest knowledge-led platform on integrated land use, connecting people with a shared vision to create productive, profitable, equitable and resilient landscapes. It is led by Landscape Alliance – CIFOR & ICRAF in action, in collaboration with its co-founders UNEP and the World Bank, and its Charter Members. Learn more at www.globallandscapesforum.org.
ABOUT GLOBAL FUND FOR CHILDREN
Global Fund for Children (GFC) partners with community-based organisations around the world to help children and young people reach their full potential. Since 1994, GFC has invested nearly £66 million in over 1,500 organisations across 90 countries, reaching more than 11 million children and young people. Learn more at www.globalfundforchildren.org.
ABOUT YOUTH CLIMATE JUSTICE FUND (YCJF)
YCJF is a global youth-led fund dedicated to supporting youth-driven socio environmental solutions through strategic participatory grantmaking, capacity strengthening, and donor influencing. Since 2023, YCJF has committed $8 million in grants to more than 110 youth-led groups across over 50 countries. Learn more at: www.ycjf.org.
