SUSTAIN Champion Awards – youth innovation for water and climate resilience (second call)

                                                                                     Objectives of the Awards                                                                                     

• Identify and support promising youth-led innovations for water and climate resilience (inc. adaptation or mitigation).
• Strengthen the role of youth in shaping local sustainable development pathways.
• Surface grassroots solutions with potential to scale through community or institutional support.
• Elevate diverse voices championing resilient change in SUSTAIN’s communications through storytelling and profiling.
• Advance inclusion across SUSTAIN landscapes and build momentum for youth engagement in Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and Integrated Landscape Management (ILM).

                                                                                             Eligibility criteria                                                                                             

• Be aged 18–30 years at the time of application.
• Be a citizen and current resident of Mozambique or Tanzania.
• Be working on or proposing a locally relevant innovation for water & climate resilience (inc. adaptation or mitigation).
• Be willing and able to participate in follow-up storytelling and monitoring activities.
• Innovations must be at idea, pilot, or early implementation stage (not fully commercialised).
• Both individuals and teams (max 3 people) may apply.
• The call is open to youth-led start-ups or small teams, but not to established consulting firms or fully registered companies.

                                                                                       Scope and focus areas                                                                                       

Eligible ideas and innovations should fall under one or more of the following thematic areas:

• Catchment and ecosystem-based approaches (e.g. watershed restoration, riparian buffers, wetland protection, sustainable land use to improve infiltration and reduce erosion/sedimentation);
• Indigenous knowledge integration into climate action (e.g. integrating customary water management practices into local planning and climate adaptation);
• Climate and disaster risk management linked to water (e.g. drought/flood preparedness, risk awareness, youth-led climate and water advocacy);
• Water management and monitoring (e.g. water quality/quantity monitoring, early warning, decision-support tools, sustainable irrigation and on-farm water saving, recharge and storage solutions);
• Inclusive governance and coordination mechanisms (e.g. strengthening multi-stakeholder platforms, water user associations, local bylaws, transparency and accountability).

Special attention will be given to proposals that: 

• Demonstrate inclusivity (especially of women, youth, and marginalised groups).
• Show potential for replication or scale.
• Are rooted in the SUSTAIN landscapes (e.g., Vanduzi and Báruè districts in Mozambique and Kilombero, Ihemi and Sembawang in Tanzania) or similar agro-ecological contexts.

                                                                                          Support and awards                                                                                          

Selected applicants will receive: 

• A small financial award (max 5,000 - 7,000 USD) to scale or pilot their idea.
• Visibility through IUCN/SUSTAIN’s social media and publications as part of a “Youth Champions” spotlight series.
• Remote mentorship or coaching sessions from SUSTAIN technical partners (subject to availability).
• Opportunity to participate in knowledge exchanges, webinars, or in-person landscape events.

                                                                                          Application process                                                                                          

Applicants will be asked to submit: 

• A short business plan (max 3 pages) outlining the idea, objectives, activities timeline, budget and expected impact (and scale up strategy).
• A brief personal statement on their motivation and background (max 500 words).
• Optional: supporting media (photos, video clips, diagrams).
• A signed declaration confirming age, residency, and commitment to the project.
• The SUSTAIN team and selection panel will shortlist the top candidates, who will then be invited to record an elevator pitch of their idea before the final selection is made.
• Applications will be assessed by a selection panel based on the criteria listed in the ToR.