Young Innovators Challenge 2026

Background

Since 1997, the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) has championed community-led development and philanthropy, investing in initiatives that empower communities to shape and sustain their own development pathways.

Environmental degradation, climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and unsustainable resource use continue to threaten livelihoods and economic development in Kenya. At the same time, young people are emerging as key drivers of innovative solutions in areas such as renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, circular economy, waste management, ecosystem restoration, and environmental technologies.

Despite their potential, many promising innovations struggle to progress beyond the proof-of-concept stage due to limited access to financing, mentorship, business development support, and strategic partnerships.

In this regard, in 2023 KCDF established the Young Environmentalist Innovation Challenge (YEIC) to nurture action-oriented young people committed to environmental conservation and sustainable development.

Over the last three editions (2023, 2024 and 2025), YEIC has demonstrated the transformative potential of youth-led environmental innovation. The initiative has supported a total of 17 innovators implementing solutions in waste management, renewable energy, clean technology, smart agriculture, environmental monitoring, and circular economy enterprises across Kenya.

About the Young Innovators Challenge 2026

Through strategic partnerships, KCDF has expanded the programme’s reach, enabling more innovators to access critical funding and technical support. In 2026, we are pleased to partner with I&M Foundation to implement the Young Innovators Challenge (YIC).  While the name has evolved to reflect a broader innovation agenda, the Challenge remains committed to supporting youth-led solutions that address sustainable development challenges.

By combining resources and expertise, KCDF and I&M Foundation aim to award a total of 16 innovators (10 organisations and 6 Individuals) in this edition, seeking to strengthen their enterprises and accelerate scalable solutions that contribute to Kenya’s green transition. The finalists will be unveiled in 2027.

Evaluation Criteria
  1. Relevance and Innovation of the Solution
  • The proposed innovation clearly addresses a sustainability challenge and demonstrates creativity, originality, and practical application.
  • The solution contributes to environmental sustainability, climate action, responsible natural resource management, and/or community resilience.
  1. Youth Leadership and Community Impact
  • The innovation demonstrates meaningful leadership by young people in designing, implementing, and scaling the solution.
  • The solution shows potential to generate positive social, environmental, and economic benefits for communities, including improved livelihoods, employment opportunities, environmental stewardship, and community well-being.
  1. Sustainability, Scalability, and Replicability
  • The innovation demonstrates the potential for long-term sustainability beyond the grant period.
  • The solution has a clear pathway for growth, adoption, replication, or scaling to reach more communities and increase impact over time.
  1. Co-Design and Stakeholder Engagement
  • The innovation demonstrates collaboration with communities, learning institutions, partners, or other stakeholders in the design and implementation of the solution.
  • The approach reflects inclusive participation and responsiveness to community needs and local contexts.
  1. Contribution to Program Outcomes

The innovation has clear potential to contribute to one or more of the Challenge outcomes, including:

  • Increased youth leadership and participation in sustainable development.
  • Adoption of sustainable practices and technologies.
  • Growth of youth-led enterprises and innovations.
  • Improved livelihoods and economic opportunities.
  • Enhanced community resilience to climate and environmental challenges.
Awards Categories

Category 1: To award six Young Innovators 

Grant Amount: Up to KES 1,500,000

Eligibility: Individual youth (aged 15–35) with tested and impactful environmental innovations. (i.e an Individual or a group of individuals not formally registered)

 

Category 2: To award 10 Youth-led Organisations    

Grant Amount: Up to KES 5,000,000

Eligibility: Registered youth-led organisations/companies with scalable sustainable solutions. (i.e Civil Society organisations, Company Limited with shares, Company limited by Guarantee e.t.c) 

Timelines

Applications Open: 31st July 2026

Applications Close: 31st August 2026

Information Session: 19th August 2026 @10.00 am

Review & Site Visits: By December 2026

Notification of Awards: By January 2027

Only innovators residing in Kenya and whose actions are implemented in Kenya are eligible to apply

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted via the links provided below:

You will need to submit:

  • A technical application
  • A high-level budget
  • Any supporting documents, such as videos or pictures

NOTE: You can download and complete the application offline using the provided forms and then upload your responses via the submission links below. This ensures you retain a copy for your records.

  1. Group/Organisation Application Form 
  2. Individual Application Form