2023 People Powered Climate Democracy Accelerator Program for civil society leaders

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 the areas of clean transportation, renewables, decarbonization and energy efficiency homes, air pollution, agroecology and more.

To be selected for this program governments and civil society organizations/non-governmental organizations are required to work as partners. The program is open to applicants from all over the world, with space for 15 participants.

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.

Eligibility Requirements

Local government officials, staff members and policymakers who want to launch a participatory program for making just climate-related decisions. Please note: If a government organization is the applicant, they 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: If a civil society organization is the applicant, they must be in a partnership with a government institution as they must follow up with the implementation of the action plan.

Program Details

This program consists of four cohorts of 15 government and civil society leaders starting in September 2023 and ending in July 2025. In the first cohort:

Participants can expect to spend an average of two hours per week from September to March 2024. If you are not sure about your availability for the program or if you are not selected this time, the CDA program will accept new applications next year
Participants also will be asked to set aside a few key dates on their calendars to participate in the program’s live sessions.

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 also will be prioritized

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, the interactive, online tool for designing participatory programs.
Practice-oriented live sessions and online courses.
A US$10,000 implementation grant.
The opportunity to apply for an additional $20,000 award for the best project developed by program participants.