UN Environment is calling for applications for the Young Champions of the Earth Prize 2019. The deadline for this opportunity is the 31st of March 2019. Winners will receive US$ 15,000 of seed funding, US$ 9,000 in funding for communication of their work and many more benefits like attendance in a high-level UN meeting and mentoring services.
Who can apply for the Young Champions of the Earth Prize 2019
To be eligible for the applicants must be Young Champions of the Earth Prize 2019 between the ages of 18 and 30 on 31 December 2019. People who work at certain UN Agencies and their families are excluded from the process. Only one application per person per year is possible. If you have already applied in 2018, you can apply again this year.
The Young Champions of the Earth Prize 2019 recognizes young people who want to change the world for the better and have innovative and inclusive ideas for doing so. In total, seven winners will be chosen, one from Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America, West Asia, and two from Asia and the Pacific.
How to apply for the Young Champions of the Earth Prize 2019
To apply for the Young Champions of the Earth Prize 2019, you have to fill out an online form on the homepage. Here, you have to give information about your big idea and your biography. Furthermore, you need to address the sustainability of your idea (environmental, social and financial) and how you would spend the grant money on the implementation of idea. You also need to explain, how you already tried to implement your idea and why you think you are the right person to do so. Finally, you need to give contact details of someone who is willing to give you and your project a recommendation.
Your application will be judged based on the following criteria:
- The positive impact your big idea could have on the environment (planet) and society (people), and its financial viability (prosperity).
- Evidence that you are a curious, courageous, and strong individual
- Your demonstrated commitment to the idea
- The strength of your reference’s endorsement
Young Champions of the Earth Prize 2019 – some final tips
When you apply for the Young Champions of the Earth Prize 2019, make sure that you thoroughly answer all the questions in the application form and leave no important information out.
Sustainability on all levels is of core importance for the UN Environment. Make sure you demonstrate that you thought about all dimensions of your big idea and not only about the environmental one. Inclusivity is also of core importance.
Refer back to the Sustainable Development Goals in your application, as you know that the UN agencies endorse these strongly.
As the reference you give is very important, chose wisely. Chose someone who is really on board with your idea, but can also be considered as a good judge. Someone in a high position who barely knows you, but has a big name, might not be a good choice. Similarly, your colleague who loves the idea but is on a similar level as you might not be either. Chose someone who can judge you and your work as a senior, but is also passionate about it.
For further information please see this link.
Best of luck with your application.
Do not miss this article about how to write a winning proposal for Youth Projects: