Call summary :

Climate change is a global issue affecting every aspect of our modern society, from declining agricultural productivity, rising sea levels, drought, forest fires and catastrophic flooding. To tackle the climate crisis, governments have a mandate to enable and encourage citizens, civil society, activists and more to participate in shaping and implementing climate policies. By expanding public participation and bringing marginalized voices into decision-making, governments can create climate-focused policies that are equitable and responsive to community needs. People Powered is looking for government and civil society leaders to form a new cohort of innovators interested in launching participatory programs to shape climate policy in areas such as clean transportation, renewables, decarbonization and energy efficient homes, air pollution, agroecology and more.

To be selected for this program, applicants must be governmental institutions, civil society organizations or non-governmental organizations. The program is open to applicants from all over the world, with space for 15 participants per cohort.

The Climate Democracy Accelerator (CDA) is a six-month, practice-oriented training and support program that prepares members to plan and implement an inclusive and participatory process for a just climate transition. Participants will develop a project to implement a climate-focused participatory program that addresses the needs and voices of local communities. Selected applicants will have access to a dedicated mentor to guide the development of their program, along with:
- Step-by-step resources such as the Participation Playbook, our interactive, online tool for designing participatory programs.
-Practice-oriented live sessions and online courses.
- A 10,000 USD implementation grant.
- The opportunity to apply for an additional 20,000 USD award for the best project developed by program participants.

Eligibility

- Local government officials, staff members and policymakers who want to launch a participatory program for making just climate-related decisions. Please note: Government institutions applying must have a partnership with a civil society organization/non-governmental organization, as the grant recipient must be a non-governmental entity.

- Civil society organization staff members and/or climate advocates who want to implement a participatory program focused on climate in partnership with a government institution. Please note: Civil society organizations applying are strongly recommended to work in partnership with a government institution, as they must follow up with the implementation of the action plan.

Applications from organizations or governments based in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean are especially encouraged. People Powered or Open Government Partnership members will be prioritized.

People Powered cannot give funds to volunteer groups or recently incorporated civil society organizations through this program. To receive funding, your organization needs to
- Demonstrate at least one full year of operations and successful fundraising to support such operations prior to being short-listed for the program.
- Have paid staff as well as a board of directors or advisory committee.
- Be registered as a non-profit organization in the country of operations.

Funding

Successful applicants will receive a 10,000 USD implementation grant at the end of this program. To receive this grant, the conditions below apply. Please review these requirements and make sure you will be able to provide this information. The below applies to civil society organizations only, as they will be the recipients of the funding. Government institutions applying for the CDA program must ensure that their civil society partner meets the below eligibility requirements.
- Provide financial statements or audited accounts for your organization. We usually only ask for 12 to 24 months of financial statements (for example, your current fiscal year and your previous fiscal year).
- Provide evidence of your organization’s charitable or non-profit status. For example, your legal registration form or articles of association (also called ‘bylaws’).
- Complete a tax form that People Powered needs to provide for its own tax purposes as an organization making grants to others. We will send this to you for completion as part of due diligence.
- Have a valid organizational bank account and be able to provide your bank information to People Powered in order to receive the grant.
- If you are a government body or organization, we will ask for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the civil society partner who will receive the grant.