WWF-US Youth Conservation Leadership Award
Offered by World Wildlife Fund-US
About this scholarship
The WWF-US Youth Conservation Leadership Award recognizes an individual age 18 to 30 whose community leadership is producing meaningful environmental results in the United States. The selected leader receives $5,000 for academic or professional development connected to the conservation work described in the application. Formal college enrollment is not required: the award is designed around demonstrated leadership and impact rather than a particular degree, major, or GPA. WWF highlights projects addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, wildlife conservation, habitat protection, food waste, and community resilience, while allowing other conservation issues that create practical value for people and nature. Applicants should explain their own leadership role, the environmental challenge their initiative addresses, the people or place served, results already achieved, and how the award would strengthen their continued development. The application is submitted through WWF's official Microsoft form for the 2026–2027 cycle. WWF's current announcement identifies a single $5,000 award and an application deadline of September 18, 2026. Previous recipients have worked in climate justice, local environmental policy, Indigenous knowledge, science, environmental education, and grassroots conservation, illustrating that eligible leadership can come from nonprofit, academic, advocacy, research, or community settings.
Eligibility
- Be a resident of the United States
- Be between 18 and 30 years old during the 2026–2027 award cycle
- Be personally leading or making an outstanding contribution to an environmental or conservation initiative
- Show how the work benefits a community and contributes to conservation solutions in the United States
- Propose to use the $5,000 for academic or professional development related to the applicant's conservation work
- Complete the official WWF-US online application by September 18, 2026