Young people can win a scholarship and an exclusive 6-month transformative journey of training and mentoring with experts from Nestlé and UNESCO if applying and being admitted to the Global Youth Grant Scheme initiative entitled “Youth Impact – Because You Matter”, with a focus on environmental sustainability and climate action.

Within this project, 100 grants of USD 8,500 each are available globally, with 20 grants designated for each UNESCO region: Africa, Arab Region, Asia and Pacific, Europe and North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

In 2023, UNESCO launched the Global Youth Grant Scheme and an associated Multi-Donor Special Account, to provide young people with the resources and skills they need to develop and implement innovative solutions and achieve positive social impact in their communities.

Nestlé and UNESCO are supporting through this Grant Scheme 100 young people from all world regions, aiming to support young people to help their communities through climate action and environmental sustainability initiatives.

To apply, candidates must submit at this link their project proposal before 8 April 2025, 23:59 CET! Applications submitted after this deadline will not be considered.

YOUTH IMPACT – BECAUSE YOU MATTER – For Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action is an initiative led by UNESCO in collaboration with Nestlé, powered by the Nestlé Youth Entrepreneurship Platform. It seeks to support young people to help their communities through climate action and environmental sustainability initiatives, by providing them with resources and skills necessary to implement their innovative projects.

“A highly qualified future workforce and a more resilient supply of raw materials are essential to Nestlé’s long-term success,” said Laurent Freixe, Nestlé CEO. “We’re facing the challenge of feeding a growing population while addressing the cause and effect of climate change. These are critical challenges that require decisive actions. That’s why we are supporting young changemakers in solving them.”

Youth Impact: Because You Matter will provide trainings, and mentoring programs to the grantees that are tailored to their needs and priorities. Those trainings will be developed in part by Nestlé’s Youth Entrepreneurship Platform (YEP), which will also serve as the central hub through the six-month capability-building program.

The program aligns with Nestlé’s broader Nestlé needs YOUth initiative, which has helped ten million young people access economic opportunities over the past decade. It also reinforces the company’s long-term commitment to youth as part of its revamped strategy, which includes support for young people to develop future-ready skills by 2030, to foster the next generation of employees, agripreneurs and food entrepreneurs.