Mayor Bhalla and City of Hoboken announce 2025 Youth Climate Action Fund recipients

Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla and the City of Hoboken today announced 17 recipients of this year’s Youth Climate Action Fund, awarding each youth-led project a $5,000 microgrant to implement innovative, community-centered climate solutions. Funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, this year’s total of $85,000 in grant funding supports a variety of youth-led projects.  

“Once again, Hoboken’s youth are showing us what climate leadership looks like,” said Mayor Bhalla. “Through their creativity, determination, and bold ideas, they’re driving real change and making a tangible impact across our square-mile community. The City is proud to support the next generation of climate champions, and we thank Bloomberg Philanthropies for making their projects possible.”

The Youth Climate Action Fund empowers local youth aged 15 to 24 years old to design and lead climate-related initiatives. This year’s projects address a wide range of environmental issues, including reducing light pollution, promoting composting, developing clean energy prototypes, and running educational campaigns to spur change. This is the second round of awards. The City first participated in 2024 awarding 11 youth-led projects $50,000 through Bloomberg Philanthropies.

The 2025 Youth Climate Action Fund recipients are:

• ‍The Eel Mop Project – Jacob Tennenbaum ‍
• Light Pollution Reduction – Anya Vasudevan ‍
• Computers 4 People – Dylan Zajac ‍
• Fusor Prototype – Martin Gendell ‍
• ChargeSafe – Daniel Coppola ‍
• Recycle Coach @ Stevens – Olivia Conner-Bennett ‍
• The Stevens Sorting Project – Fiona Shi ‍
• Pollination Education – Hershey Revolinsky ‍
• LeanPath @ Stevens – Olivia Conner-Bennett ‍
• Everything is Climate Change Film Festival – Julia Saltzman ‍
• Residential Compost Bins @ Stevens – Lia Mehr ‍
• Climate Action Week @ HoLA – Lisbeth Acosta ‍
• Clothing For Care – Ekansha Tabhane ‍
• Recycle My Battery – Mihir Parcha ‍
• Repair Café – Julia Saltzman ‍
• Sustainable Bites – Myckie Weng ‍
• These Words Save Birds – Otys Train

A diverse selection committee made up of educators, community leaders, City staff, and members of the Youth Advisory Council evaluated and selected the projects for funding.

This year’s projects include:

• A prototype nuclear fusion reactor
• A film festival raising awareness through the arts
• Composting and waste sorting programs at schools
• A pollinator education campaign
• Battery recycling and community repair events
• Tools to track and reduce food waste
• Public awareness projects tackling light pollution and climate literacy
• A project to design an eel mop to monitor migrating glass eels in the Hudson River  
• A project to design fireproof, secure charging stations for e-bikes and scooters to promote clean transportation while protecting public safety
• A sustainable fashion initiative that transforms donated garments into custom, high-quality clothing for individuals in need, to address both clothing insecurity and textile waste

To learn more about each project, visit www.hobokennj.gov/resources/youth-climate-action-fund.

The Youth Climate Action Fund is made possible through a global initiative led by Bloomberg Philanthropies in partnership with United Cities and Local Governments and the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University. C40 Cities and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy are collaborating as learning partners. The program supports youth-led climate solutions through grant funding and technical assistance at no cost to taxpayers.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies:

Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2024, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $3.7 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, and X.  

‍