The Micro-grants program is led by Roots, and made possible by the financial backing and support of the Urban Movement Innovation Fund.

We support initiatives from those who are aged between 18 and 35. At least 70% of the membership of your group should be made up of young people, and those responsible for making decisions in the group should also be between 18-35 years old.

We will be accepting and reviewing applications in four languages: Spanish, French, English, and Arabic. You can access application forms and application packages with the language that you speak here.

No. Your group/organization does not need to be legally registered in order to be eligible to apply. Roots is open and committed to supporting both unregistered groups as well as those that are legally registered as non-government organizations in their countries. However, we will not consider applications from for-profit groups or business ventures.

You can email us at people.power.roots@gmail.com and one of our team members will assist  you with any issues or questions. You can also connect with us on our Instagram @roots.people, our Facebook, and our LinkedIn.

Applications open on March 14, 2025. The last day to apply is April 14, 2025! Please avoid waiting until the last minute to submit your application. We've experienced issues with the form crashing when large numbers of people access it  simultaneously, which also makes it challenging for us to be able to respond to all questions in time for the deadline. 

We understand that grant applications can be complex, and while AI is a useful tool for translations, enhancing formality, and offering additional support, we want to hear directly from you and your community! We will not judge applications based on language ability, formality or structure. What matters most to us is understanding your project and the impact it will have on your community, expressed in your own words. While AI is not prohibited, we strongly encourage you to avoid using AI-generated responses.

Prospective grantees will be notified by June 2025. If you do not apply by the deadline of April 14th, 2025, you won’t be eligible for the program. 

We will not consider applications for:

• Proposals for attending high-profile meetings (such as COPs) or those that focus on building individual profiles.

• Proposals that prioritize personal choice theory of change, or do not have a systemic approach to problem-solving.

• Proposals that prioritize mobilization tactics over strategy, or do not have a clear pathway towards building sustainable power in the community over time (i.e. proposals solely focused on one-off tree-planting or beach clean-up events).

• Proposals that do not have a clear plan for how to meet people where they are, or reach people outside of the echo chamber.

While we believe in the power that an individual person can hold, at this time we will only consider support for youth-led groups who have projects that involve grassroots/local communities. However, we will consider your application if you are an individual working towards starting a collective, a group, or a campaign.

Yes! We will consider applications for both already established groups and initiatives, and those who wish to establish themselves.

Yes. Please provide an estimated budget through this budget template for your project, including any expenses related to equipment, transportation, professional services, research/training, and campaign efforts that this grant would be directed to.

Roots strongly encourages all applications to be submitted through the online form. If you experience any difficulty accessing the form, please write to us at people.power.roots@gmail.com to discuss alternatives. Applications sent through email will not be considered, unless previously agreed with Roots.

Yes, video submissions are required because they really help bring your work to life and give us a better sense of your project. Don’t worry about having professional gear—recording on your phone is totally fine! And if being on camera feels uncomfortable, you don’t have to show your face. Your video will stay private and won’t be shared publicly.

The maximum grant amount available is $10,000 USD per initiative, but please note that funding may be awarded at a lower amount. We aim to support as many groups as possible, so we won’t be able to grant more than what is requested in your application. It’s important that you apply for what you truly need, rather than automatically requesting the maximum amount. We will carefully review each application to ensure that the requested funding is justified and aligns with your project, while also allowing us to support as many impactful initiatives as we can.

We will offer:

• Coaching Program: We will allocate 1 to 2 coaches to successful initiatives according to your project’s needs. Coaches will be there to support you from project inception to implementation, with a six-monthly reporting cycle. They will offer project-specific advice wherever required, including strategic assistance around tactics, communications, public outputs, lobbying, networking, and outreach. 

• Capacity-building: Micro-grant recipients will have access to Roots training and workshops across our core program to boost their capacity around specific needs. These include our organizing, creative storytelling, resilience and wellbeing, and counter-disinformation training, as well as their affiliated communities of practice. We will also provide opportunities for recipients to take on leadership roles within these programs.

• Community-building: Grantees will be integrated into the wider Roots network  and have the opportunity to attend Climate Justice Camps in order to expand their connections with groups in relevant regions or who are working on similar initiatives. 

• Media and social media support: Grantees will be amplified through the Roots social media channels through storytelling opportunities, videos, and posts. We will also offer local media support to help amplify your initiative and your messages.

The funds for your project will be distributed in July, meaning your project should begin after that time. You’ll have up to one year from when you receive the funds to complete it.

Yes! As part of our ongoing support strategy, applications are open to programs that have previously received support from us. Your application will be assessed based on various factors, including the progress of your current project.