OUR CLIMATE EDUCATION FUND

Our Climate mobilizes and empowers young people to educate the public and elected officials about science-based, equitable climate policy solutions that build a livable world. Our young leaders are working to win concrete climate policies that eliminate greenhouse gas pollution and spur an equitable transition to clean energy. Our Climate support policies that put a price on pollution and mandate an economy-wide, swift transition to 100% clean energy. Our goals for the coming year include:

Goal 1: Support 250 Generation Z leaders to advocate for policies in line with our policy principles.
Goal 2: Facilitate 400 in-person or virtual conversations with state and federal elected officials while expanding our programing to additional regions of the country.
Goal 3: Launch our “Train the Trainers” project to contribute to our infrastructure of a strong, grassroots base of lifelong advocates for climate and social justice.
Goal 4: Uplift the stories of youth leaders and alumni in frontline communities

Goal 1: Support 250 Generation Z leaders to advocate for policies in line with our policy principles.
Activity 1: Educate and train young leaders using Our Climate’s curriculum in storytelling, advocacy, organizing, environmental justice, and climate policy. Our Fellows and Field Representatives will learn to think critically about proposed policies and acquire the tools and confidence to advocate in innovative and effective ways.
Activity 2: Provide one-on-one support to Fellows through individualized work plans, program evaluations, and personal strengths mapping. Organizers will provide resources and management training to Field Advisors as they mentor incoming Field Representatives.

Goal 2: Facilitate 400 in-person or virtual conversations with state and federal elected officials while expanding our programing to additional regions of the country.
Activity 1: Plan and facilitate 15 storytelling and climate advocacy trainings for young leaders to prepare to meet with elected officials.
Activity 2: Organize 5 youth advocacy events with state legislatures and Congress in coordination with partners to demonstrate strong and diverse youth support for a swift transition away from fossil fuels.

Goal 3: Launch our “Train the Trainers” project to contribute to our infrastructure of a strong, grassroots base of lifelong advocates for climate and social justice.
Activity 1: Debut our “Train the Trainers'' program to four partners such as Power Shift Network and the Alliance for Climate Education.
Activity 2: Train 30 youth leaders in our Train the Trainers curriculum; each will host 2 trainings and educate 600 people.

Goal 4: Uplift the stories of youth leaders and alumni in frontline communities.
Activity 1: Using our storytelling curriculum, organizers will train youth leaders to share their personal climate stories through creative social media campaigns.
Activity 2: Create a short documentary series entitled "Frontline Climate Heroes.” This project will spotlight six youth leaders and alumni in frontline communities who use skills developed at Our Climate to become visionaries and leaders in their communities in the fight for climate, racial, and economic justice.

Our Climate is the only youth-led, national carbon pricing campaign in the country, and we have forged strong partnerships to invigorate carbon pricing efforts with youth engagement and innovative communications. At the national level, OC has partnered with The Years Project to build public awareness of carbon pricing through film and social media, as well as amplify on-the-ground efforts to advance the policy. OC has also forged partnerships with organizations such as Citizens' Climate Lobby, Environmental Defense Fund, Power Shift Network, the State Carbon Pricing Network, and the World Bank Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition. In an effort to incorporate diversity and inclusion into the work, Our Climate has also connected with environmental justice allies such as NAACP, Center for Diversity and the Environment, Green for All, and others.

At the local and state level, OC joins existing campaigns and coalitions to support active policy proposals and plug young leaders directly into local movement. For example, in the Northeast, we have joined state coalitions in New York (NY Renews), Massachusetts (Campaign for a Clean Energy Future), Rhode Island (Energize Rhode Island), and Vermont (Energy Independent Vermont). On the west coast, Our Climate is a member of the Steering Committee for the Washington-based coalition, Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy, and an active member of Renew Oregon.

Our Climate mobilizes and empowers young people to educate the public and elected officials about science-based, equitable climate policy solutions that build a livable world. Through our climate justice curriculum, leadership development, and policy advocacy training, Our Climate equips young leaders to become life-long advocates at local, state, national, and international levels. In 2020 we:

Trained and empowered 1,299 young leaders in storytelling, advocacy, organizing, climate justice, and climate policy.
Facilitated 309 training, digital advocacy, and outreach events to engage youth, especially those on the front lines of environmental impacts.
Co-organized 10 statewide youth advocacy days and held 354 conversations with decision-makers to advance climate policy in collaboration with partners.
Launched “Is It Hot Enough For Ya” conversation series about climate change, activism, and the disproportionate and intersecting impacts of the climate crisis on communities of color; reached 2,000+ people in the 1st season.
Launched a fully redesigned website, which has already generated over 73,500 page views in 3 months.
Updated our policy principles, with input from youth leaders, to explicitly call for climate justice legislation and direct investments in frontline communities.
Diversified our staff, Board, and youth leadership teams; our 2020-2021 Fellowship cohort is majority youth of color.