The Impact Challenge
The Impact Challenge backs rangatahi to take climate action in Aotearoa.
We want to put funding, resources and decision-making into the hands of rangatahi who want to bring a future of climate action into reality. We asked rangatahi:
Do you agree with our vision for the future of Aotearoa?
Do you have an idea that will help us reach this future?
Our Vision for Aotearoa co-created by 150 rangatahi at Festival for the Future 2023
Design by Caleb Ihe of Kanuehi Creative
The Impact Challenge backs your ideas and bring this vision to life!
We are invited applications for funding pots of up to $1000. There will be additional funding for the Bay of Plenty and Northland thanks to extra funding from these regions.
Criteria for submitting an application:
All projects must be youth-led (open to rangatahi 14-30)
All projects must have a clear climate action/justice and/or community resilience focus and show a link to our Impact Challenge vision for the future of Aotearoa - visual provided
All applications must demonstrate how the project will benefit the community and Te Taiao
All projects must have a clear project idea, plan and budget submitted along with a 90 seconds pitch video or a paragraph of up to 500 words explaining the project.
To apply for a Climate Action Impact Prize, please fill in one of the forms below by 9am on Monday 30th September.
A note on our selection process.
To weave the spirit of community and collaboration into the Impact Challenge, we will be adopting a participatory decision-making model for the allocation of the prizes.
All those who submit a proposal will be expected to vote in round one - it is an honour to have your work assessed by others so you owe it to others to do the same for them. If it is a group application - one member from the group will be able to submit their judging scores on behalf of the group. Depending on the number of applicants we envisage this taking 1-2 hours depending on the amount of applications. You will only be required to watch and vote on your top 5 from the pitch videos.
Judging process
Group one - everyone who applies gets to vote by watching the pitch videos
Group two - applications will be judged by a panel and scored on the criteria below.
The judging criteria will be:
Viable Plan (e.g. is the plan credible, can they pull it off, is it a good idea)
Viable Budget (e.g. can they do what they say they're gonna do for the budget available),
Alignment with Vision (e.g. does the idea/project align with our crowdsourced vision - attached)
Considerations when judging:
These judging considerations were developed by rangatahi as part of our participatory process in 2023
Prioritising projects that work toward unity and kotahitanga
Funding projects led by people directly impacted by climate damage / those on the frontlines
Funding projects that weave in Indigenous knowledges and Mātauranga Māori
Considering depth > breadth (e.g. not about number of people reached but depth of impact)
Considering if the projects are likely to be funded elsewhere
Prioritising projects that are community oriented and intersectional in their approach
Pitch Video / 500 word paragraph
Please note pitch videos do not need to be elaborate - please feel free to keep them very simple. Any of the following are fine:
Video of you talking about your idea to camera
Video of something else with your voice talking about your idea
Pictures with voice over
Presentation/slide with voice over
The pitch videos are merely a tool for getting your idea across so please be clear and concise - the filming, editing etc are not important. If you would rather send in a written paragraph explaining your idea that is also fine - maximum 500 words.
Impact Prizes will be open to all rangatahi to submit ideas. Young people who have taken part in the Impact Challenge through micro-grants will have access to support through hosted sessions to upskill and aid their application - these will take part during the month that applications are open.