Applications are now open for the 2025 UNESCO-NESTLÉ Youth Impact – Because You Matter Programme. 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.

Themes

Climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies that support local communities

Sustainable food systems

Regenerative agricultural practices

Packaging sustainability innovations

Eligibility Requirements

The project’s primary and direct beneficiaries will be young individuals, youth-led organizations, enterprises, associations, or networks who:

Are identified as “youth” in their respective countries or (in lack of a national definition) within the age range of 18-30 years old from the beginning to the end of the project.

Engage in activism and changemaking initiatives, entrepreneurialism, either individually or as members of entities/associations.

Youth-led organization and networks, seeking impact at grassroots level, with regional, national, local scope, or chapters of international organizations, and based in the country where their proposal will be implemented.

All applications will propose projects that are:

relevant to the Initiative’s themes as elaborated above

implemented within 6 months

local or national in scope

delivered by a team of at least 3 young people with a clearly identified project leader.

Benefits

To this end, 100 project leaders will be selected worldwide to receive:

Grant of USD 8,500 each, and

Training and one-to-one mentorship, throughout their project implementation.

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. 

The 100 grantees will embark on an exclusive 6-month transformative journey of training and mentoring with experts from Nestlé and UNESCO.

Programme Details

Immersion Training: Dive into dedicated workshops focusing on entrepreneurship, project management, and the power of youth-led action, guided by Nestlé experts from around the globe.

Online Contextualized Trainings: Receive contextualized training based on your geographical location and the theme of your project, addressing local challenges and priorities with support from UNESCO regional partners.

Monthly Online Trainings and Gatherings: Gain insight from UNESCO’s and its partners’ know-how on project management and integrating key societal issues in your projects, and experience Nestlé’s Innovation Box, where you’ll learn ideation, consumer validation, prototyping, and how to pitch your ideas with confidence.

One-on-One Mentorship: Benefit from personalized guidance from a Nestlé executive mentor, who will support you through your initiative and beyond.

Application Timeline:

Call for Applications: 18 Mar – 8 Apr 2025

Project Evaluation: 9 Apr – 9 Jun 2025

Award Ceremony: 18 Sep 2025

Capability Building Programme: Aug 2025 – Apr 2026

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the UNESCO-NESTLÉ Youth Impact – Because You Matter Programme