Bellevue School District students will present sustainability projects and help peers apply for climate grants at a summit at City Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
The student-planned Sustainability Summit runs from 3 to 7 p.m. at Bellevue City Hall, 450 110th Ave NE, according to the district's EcoLearn Project page. Students, staff, families and community members are welcome.
The final hour, from 6 to 7 p.m., is a hands-on workshop where young people can develop climate project ideas and get help applying for the city's Youth Climate Action Fund, a new grant program backed by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
The Youth Climate Action Fund offers microgrants of $1,000 to $5,000 for youth-led climate projects in Bellevue.
The city received $50,000 from Bloomberg Philanthropies to distribute through the program. Bellevue is one of 300 cities worldwide participating in Bloomberg's initiative.
Bellevue residents ages 15 to 24 can apply in teams of at least two.
Projects must focus on one of five areas in the city's Sustainable Bellevue Plan: climate change, energy and buildings, mobility and land use, waste and materials management, or natural resources.
Eligible projects include research, public education campaigns, community events and physical infrastructure installations.
In a city news release published in September, Mayor Mo Malakoutian said, "Give young people some trust and a little funding, and they can surprise you."
The earlier portion of the summit, from 3 to 6 p.m., features BSD student teams sharing school sustainability projects and exploring partnerships with community organizations. The district's Sustainability Design Team, a student group that connects green teams across BSD schools, organized the event.
Applications for the Youth Climate Action Fund are due Nov. 5. All projects must take place in Bellevue and be completed by March 30, 2027. Questions about the grant program can be directed to [email protected]. Registration and summit details are available at the EcoLearn Project page.
