Lakewood Kids Climate Grant

1. Brainstorm ideas for a project with your group.
2. Submit application (adult advisor can help; ideas and work should be initiated and completed by the kids).
3. Get approval, adult advisor complete contract.
4. Implement your event/project.
5. Work with adult advisor to complete the event evaluation, submit receipts, and photos.
6. Adult advisor will receive reimbursement. 

Our goals for this Grant Program are:

• to empower the City’s youth to demonstrate that their actions make a positive difference for sustainability.
• to encourage and support new ideas from the City’s youth.
• to engage youth in making the City a more sustainable place. 

During the pilot phase of this project, grant applications will be accepted on a rolling basis starting August 31, 2025 and concluding November 30, or when funds are exhausted, whichever occurs first.  We plan to also have funds available in 2026.

Before submitting your application, please be sure to read all of the rules and guidelines below and/or contact Sustainability@Lakewood.org if you have questions.

1. Applicants must be eighteen (18) years old or younger to apply for the Grant Program.
2. If the Applicant is an individual, the individual must be resident of the City of Lakewood (the “City”). If the applicant is a group, the group must be based within the City and have a majority of members who are City residents. If the applicant is a school group/club/class, the school must be located within the City.
3. All Applicants must have a designated adult advisor (“Advisor”) for their project that is at least eighteen (18) years of age. The Advisor shall be responsible for ensuring the project is completed, that the funds are used to fulfill the requirements of the Grant Program, and that reporting is completed in a timely manner.
4. Grant recipients must complete a follow-up evaluation form that will be provided to them by the City.
5. Grant recipients must include the following information in the follow-up evaluation:
   1. A brief summary of the project, how many people were involved, who was involved, what you did, and how it went;
   2. Whether the project achieved its intended outcomes, and what were the outcomes;
   3. Lessons learned and recommendations that can be used to help other kids groups working on this type of project;
   4. An approximation of how many youth and adults were reached or involved in this project; and
   5. An accounting of how the funds were spent. Original itemized receipts must be uploaded with the follow-up evaluation.
6. Grant recipients must document and share with the City’s Sustainability, Climate and Zero Waste division at least five (5) photos connected to their project/event. These photos may be shared with our larger community or publicity to promote the Grant Program. Please note: Photos showing youths’ faces are not required to be submitted with the follow-up evaluation and will only be used with the permission of parents or guardians. If you have photos that include pictures of youth, we will need a signed photo waiver from each student’s parent/guardian. When grants are awarded we will provide adult advisors copies of the photo waiver form.
7. Grant funds will be provided as a reimbursement of expenses after the project and follow-up evaluation are completed.
8. Funds may not be used for a direct donation to a cause.      

The City’s metrics for grant awards will be based on the project or proposal’s mission, idea, budget, reach, and scope.

• Mission-based: Proposal is an action-based project that is directly related to sustainability, in particular greenhouse gas reduction, in Lakewood, CO.
• Clear idea: The proposal, project, and intended outcomes are realistic and well thought-out.
• Thoughtful budget: How the money will be used makes sense for the project goals.
• Reach: How many people will participate in the project.
• Scope: The project can reasonably be completed with the funds within the timeframe during which the grant is provided.

Applications can be found and submitted online (here). The application information is provided here so you can see the questions before submitting the form online. Kids, teens, and youth clubs, classes, and organizations are encouraged to seek help from advisors/parents in preparing their application and in submitting it online, however, City staff members are looking for the content, thoughts, and planning in the applications to come from and to be in the words of the kids, teens, and youth clubs, classes, and organizations who are applying.

Here are the questions that you will be asked to answer in the online form:

1. Name of Climate/Sustainability Project
2. Names and grades of kids/teens involved in the project;
3. Name of applicant’s school or organization (if applicable);
4. Name of applicant’s group/club/class (if applicable);
5. Address of school or organization (if applicable);
6. Lakewood connection:
   1. If the applicant is an individual, is the applicant a City resident?
   2. If the applicant is a group, is the group based within the City and does it have a majority of members who are also City residents?
   3. If the applicant is a school group/club/class is applying, is the school located within the City?;
7. Describe what your project is all about: What will you do for your project? Describe your final project (include details). How will you know your project is successful? How will you measure the impact of your project?;
8. Project timeline;
9. Provide details about how you will use the funds;
10. Explain why you are excited about this project and what impact you hope that your project will have;
11. How many people do you expect to participate or to be impacted by this project;
12. Grant amount requested (up to $500);
13. Adult advisor first and last name;
14. Adult advisor phone;
15. Adult advisor email;
16. Adult advisor’s relationship to applicant(s) (parent, teacher/school staff, etc.);
17. If this is a school-based project, school principal’s name and email;
18. Any additional information you’d like to include.