LA CROSSE, Wis. (WEAU) – La Crosse has launched the Youth Climate Grant Program. According to La Crosse environmental planner, Lewis Kuhlman, the program will give people between the ages of 15-24 microgrants of $1,000 to $5,000 to help take on climate change.
“The Youth Climate Action Fund is a program through Bloomberg Philanthropies. They gave $50,000 to 100 cities across the world to implement programs like this. Some of the other nearby communities that are participating are Madison and Dubuque, Iowa,” says Kuhlman.
Kuhlman says applicants can help with small solutions like clean up events and planting trees or gardens. They can also do bigger things, like educational outreach opportunities for homeowners and businesses.
“Giving young people the tools and education they need to take on this sort of work, they can help educate other people and help homeowners and business owners identify energy efficiency improvements,” says Kuhlman.
While Kuhlman and the city come up with plans to help with the city’s climate, Kuhlman hopes that some applicants for the program can come up with new ideas to make the area more sustainable.
“I think the more people we can get involved and the more outside the box thinking we can use, the better. If it’s just me working on projects, I have ideas about where to go. But having more people, especially young people with a lot of enthusiasm and new ways of thinking, I think is really helpful,” says Kuhlman.
Applications are now open until the end of July.
For more information on how to make an application for a microgrant, you can visit here.
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