City of Long Beach Announces Awardees for ClimateLB Youth Microgrant Program
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Above: Attendees engage in activities and resources at youth-led events funded by the first round of ClimateLB funds.

Long Beach, CA — The City of Long Beach has announced awardees for the second round of the ClimateLB Youth Climate Action Fund Microgrant Program (Program), which supports youth ages 15-24 in designing, producing and overseeing urgent climate solutions that further the City's climate action goals. Seventeen selected organizations will receive $5,000 in grant funding to support their proposed youth-led reforestation and tree-planting projects, climate education efforts, climate ambassador programs and public art and awareness campaigns.

"This new round of ClimateLB funding has allowed us to double the reach and impact of the program, providing more unique and innovative opportunities for young people to lead sustainable initiatives in their neighborhoods," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "It's inspiring to see the Long Beach youth community taking up the mantle of environmental stewardship and justice, and I look forward to seeing how their projects encourage more people to take further climate action."

The Program application period ran from Feb. 21 through March 17, 2025. The Office of Climate Action & Sustainability (Office) led the selection process and is coordinating award distribution. Panelists consisted of City staff and Public Service Corps and California Climate Action Corps youth fellows serving with the Office. Organizations were scored and selected for their work in supporting youth leadership and the youth community, as well as their focus on implementing innovative climate solutions and centering equity and environmental justice in West Long Beach.

Selected organizations and their awarded projects include:
  • All Means All – "The All-Abilities Tree Planting Project" will focus on planting trees in areas accessible to and frequently used by students with access and functional needs to create more comfortable and healthier environments.
  • California State University, Long Beach Green Film School Alliance – "Introduction to Green and Sustainable Filmmaking" will make sustainable filmmaking easily accessible, achievable and impactful by providing alternative resources through a green filmmaking kit and spreading awareness on compelling statistics.
  • California State University, Long Beach Sustainability Fellows Program – "Youth Leaders Promoting Sustainable Restaurant Packaging" hopes to reduce plastic waste generated by Long Beach restaurants and in turn lower emissions linked to plastic production by encouraging restaurant owners to transition to eco-friendly alternatives.
  • Creative Art Events – "Youth for the Planet: A Climate Mural" will teach youth to measure and track air quality, noise pollution, thermal heat and temperature to create a mural at the Admiral Kidd Park Teen Center that visually represents the information gathered.
  • East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice – "From Trash to Totes" will be led by the YouthlnAction! club at Cabrillo High School. Members will address the environmental issues from fast fashion by practicing upcycling techniques such as sewing, cutting and natural dyeing to create tote bags from repurposed materials.
  • EcoJustice LB – "EcoJustice LB" seeks to make environmental education accessible, engaging and action-oriented through interactive community trainings held in public, collaborative spaces such as libraries and parks.
  • H.E.L.P. of Long Beach (Helping Environmentally Low-Income Properties) – "Helping Environmentally Low-Income Properties" will promote youth volunteerism through an event at a property in West Long Beach to plant trees and native, drought-tolerant plants.
  • Historic Long Beach Dairy Creamery and Friends – "Green Guardians of West Long Beach: Youth Climate Ambassadors" will empower West Long Beach students to become informed climate ambassadors by equipping students with skills to advocate for environmental justice.
  • Latinos in Action California – "Our Climate, Our Canvas: Youth-Led Public Art Initiative" will focus on addressing climate change, environmental justice and community resilience through creative expression at the Latinos in Action Center. This project will engage youth artists, local residents and environmental advocates to design and paint murals that reflect the community's experiences with climate change, pollution and environmental activism.
  • LB Poly Garden Club – "LB Poly Fourth Annual Festival of Gardening and Butterflies" seeks to inspire the school community by hosting annual events like the Festival of Gardening and Butterflies and leading projects such as the on-campus greenhouse.
  • Long Beach Bar Foundation – "Youth Climate Education" will raise awareness, foster environmental stewardship and inspire proactive climate action among young people through the installation of community gardens and hands-on workshops.
  • Love Beyond Limits – "Splash into Sustainability #Learnaquaponics" is a youth-led project that will engage 6th-grade students in hands-on learning experiences to empower them with knowledge about the interdependence of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
  • Museum of Latin American Art – "Planton Movil" will empower ten camp counselors ages 15-17 to lead over 120 kid campers ages 6-13 in a public artistic performance to speak out against the mistreatment of plants and trees, advocate for the accessibility of public green spaces and promote the value of native plants without stigmatizing "alien" ones.
  • Puente Latino Association – "Gen Z: Youth for Change" will support youth to lead a dynamic community event focused on sustainability and climate change awareness that combines creative expression, education and family-friendly activities to inspire positive environmental action.
  • Roof Top Climate Kids – "Roof to Roots: LB Green Transformation" will build a network of youth advocates who can communicate the environmental benefits of green roofs by empowering them to conduct outreach to businesses to design and install a green roof.
  • Youth Leadership Institute – "Voicewaves – Climate Justice Video Series" will equip youth with research and storytelling skills to develop a stop-motion video series to raise awareness about the disproportionate environmental burdens they face in West Long Beach.
  • Youth-Led Climate Education and Ambassadors of Long Beach – "Youth-led Climate Education and Ambassadors of Long Beach" is a student-led awareness campaign centered on environmental justice and climate resilience for marginalized communities that will culminate in a climate education fair.

"The ClimateLB Program sponsors community-led initiatives that center specific climate challenges faced by communities in West Long Beach," said Office Climate Manager Fern Nueno. "This grant helps us better address environmental inequities by empowering residents to take direct climate action. I look forward to seeing what this group of youth leaders accomplishes with the support and creative agency the program provides them."

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The City received a $100,000 grant for ClimateLB, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies in partnership with United Cities and Local Governments and the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University. The Program will aid in fulfilling the City's 10-year community investment plan, the Westside Promise, and also aligns with the goals of the Long Beach Climate Action Plan, Strategic Plan for Youth and Emerging Adults and Racial Equity and Reconciliation Plan.

Funds will be administered to grant awardees by May 31, 2025, and the full grant award must be expended by Oct. 31, 2025.

For more details about the ClimateLB Youth Climate Action Fund Microgrant Program and updates regarding the grant award process, visit the Office of Climate Action and Sustainability website at lbcity.info/climatelb.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.

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