The Climate Projects Support Group

Me too, I think this is the bigggest challenge for founders across the world.

What you’re building is deeply needed. Children are often the most affected and the least represented, and that gap is something funders are increasingly starting to recognize.

For funding specifically, consider reframing your work in ways that align with existing priorities:

- Position it under climate education, child protection, and climate justice
- Connect your impact to long-term resilience building
- Document even small outcomes (stories, participation numbers, shifts in awareness)

Also, partnerships can unlock funding, look at NGOs or organizations already working with children, and plug your model into their ecosystem instead of starting alone.

Grace James thanks for your input.Actually it is a great starting point

You can apply for the call for solutions 2026

This is true, i am facing the same too.

This is a structural problem. Child focused climate work is often overlooked because funders tend to support projects with more visible short term results. But your work matters, because inclusion is also impact. Toto Climate Hub is addressing a real gap by making sure children are not only affected by climate decisions, but represented in them.

Hi Laura, you’ve described a challenge that many climate innovators face: bridging the gap between a strong idea and a system that can support it in the real world.

Working with smallholder farmers often requires building trust, strong partnerships, and clear communication with different stakeholders who each have different priorities. The fact that you’re already thinking about adoption, value communication, and long-term sustainability is an important step.

Sometimes, small pilot partnerships with farmer groups, cooperatives, or local organizations can help demonstrate value and build the trust needed for wider adoption over time. Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful reflection. It helps others see they’re not alone in navigating this stage.

Grace James Thank you, I really appreciate this perspective. I agree that trust, partnerships, and clear communication are some of the hardest parts of turning a climate solution into something that lasts. I also think starting with smaller pilot partnerships could be a strong way to demonstrate value and build confidence over time. Your point is very encouraging, especially because it reminds me that sustainable growth often begins with practical local relationships before wider scale.

Hi Laura, I find your initiative closely related with mine "Smart Farming for Resilient Communities" which targets smallholder farmers. The initiative seeks to increase the adoption of climate smart agricultural practices through climate awareness, the establishment farmer-to-farmer peer support networks and mobile-based extension services. Extension service providers are a key stakeholder in creating awareness and disseminating climate knowledge and information because farmers tend to trust their expertise. However, formal extension services remain fragmented leaving small holder farmers outside government extension systems.

Would you be open for us to brainstorm and explore areas of convergence for possible collaboration or peer learning? I see we also facing similar challenges.

Hi Jose, thank you for sharing this perspective. Maintaining the depth of community-driven work while trying to scale or replicate it is a challenge many initiatives face.

Your focus on building real capacities and climate jobs within vulnerable communities is powerful. Sometimes documenting the processes behind the model, how communities participate, how decisions are made, and what outcomes emerge, can help demonstrate the value of the approach to funders and institutions that may not immediately understand community-based models.

It would be interesting to hear how you’re currently capturing or documenting these learnings as the incubation model develops.

Same here.

This is a structural tension many strong projects face. Depth and scale often pull in different directions. The more rooted and community owned a solution is, the harder it becomes to standardize or replicate without losing what made it effective.

What you are really building is not just a project, but a model. And models scale differently. Instead of scaling activities, you scale principles, processes, and outcomes. That allows replication without copying context.

The funding gap you mentioned is also real. Community driven work is often undervalued because it does not always look “technical,” even when it produces stronger long term results. The key is translating your depth into signals funders understand:
Clear outcomes
Pathways to climate jobs
Evidence of local ownership

The challenge is not only proving impact, but framing it in a way that fits existing systems while still protecting the integrity of your work.

Thank you for sharing such a detailed reflection, Faith. The challenge of sustaining projects beyond the pilot phase is common, especially when the impact takes time to fully materialize.

Your point about documenting impact early and exploring small income streams is an important insight. Approaches like these can help projects gradually move toward sustainability while continuing to serve the community.

Agrivoltaics and climate-smart agriculture have strong potential for both environmental and economic benefits, so it’s valuable that you’re already thinking about long-term systems rather than just short-term pilots.

Thank you for sharing this. I really relate to the challenge of maintaining momentum after the pilot stage, especially when community interest is there but long term funding and support systems are still fragile. Your point about translating environmental and social value into language that funders and partners understand is especially important, because that gap can slow down strong solutions. I also think your focus on documenting impact early and building small income streams is very practical. It is encouraging to hear how you are thinking about sustainability not just as funding, but as a system that can keep the work alive over time.

Grace James Thank you for this

Laura Gachanja Thank you for your feedback

It takes time for some people to understand or believe in your concept,but with resources and knowledge we are getting in this bootcamp, things will allign and be better, i am using a different approach now.

Thank you for raising this, Nelly. Behavioral change can often be one of the most difficult parts of implementing climate solutions because it requires time, trust, and continuous engagement with communities.

Many successful initiatives start with small demonstrations or practical examples that help people see the benefits firsthand. Over time, those examples can gradually shift perceptions and encourage wider adoption.

Your work around healthy, toxin-free food sounds very important, and it would be great to hear more about the approaches you’re using to engage the community.

This reflects two interconnected challenges, behavior and resources.

Behavior change is difficult because it requires shifting habits, beliefs, and sometimes immediate convenience. People often prioritize what is accessible and affordable over what is healthier, especially if the long term benefits are not immediately visible. That is why awareness alone is usually not enough. It has to be paired with practical alternatives, accessibility, and trust.

Funding then becomes the enabler. Without resources, it is hard to demonstrate those alternatives at scale or sustain engagement long enough for behavior to shift.

So the issue is not only educating the community, but creating a system where the healthier choice becomes easier, more visible, and more consistent over time.

I agree completely. Climate denial and climate minimization are major barriers, especially when people experience the impacts but do not connect them to the broader climate crisis. Your point about Africa is also very important, because low contribution to global emissions often leads some people to believe climate action is less urgent for us, even though many African communities are among the most affected. I also strongly agree that climate education must go beyond information and lead to real shifts in mindset, behavior, and local ownership. A bottom up approach that values local knowledge and indigenous solutions is essential if climate action is going to be meaningful and lasting.

Absolutely true Timothy. Many people within our communities still think climate change is a far fetched idea or some conspiracy by the wealthy to control resources so they go about their lives totally unbothered. Also, people don't realize that environmental conservation and better waste management is part of our responsibility as citizens yet we are transferring that responsibility to another person, especially to local authorities because we imagine they should police how we dispose our waste. A lot of targeted awareness campaigns are still needed to shift attitudes and behaviors at the community level for real lasting change to occur.

Hi Yusuf, this is great, 30-60 sec climate-health advise, you hit it very well. I am a wildlife expert with public health background, in my life journey I learned that most rural communities here in Tanzania they do trust health personnel as long as health is concern. So, I believe that approach could work, you might not see its impact today but a legacy. And actually, that could be a very sound evidence to approach donors/sponsors/ or any other collaborators.

This is a smart approach. Working within your daily routine makes the effort more sustainable and reduces the risk of burnout. Those short climate health messages may seem small, but repeated consistently they can build awareness and trust over time. I also think you are right that this can become evidence of impact, because it shows practical action, community reach, and a model that works even with limited resources.

Hello Yusuf, you have designed a brilliant and timely initiative. We often ignore the health implications of climate change. Your idea of dedicating 30-60 seconds to offer free climate advice to patients is a good strategy for a start. That's how you help get the word around and people begin to know the dangers of climate change in their everyday lives. Keep up the good work.

Thank you

Thank you. I will try that. I am having difficulty registering my initiative. Its one of the requirements for the grant. But I will apply regardless

Yusuf Olayinka I think you can apply as a singular individual or informal group. I'd love to be part of this initiative by the way.

Moyosoreoluwa Peter
Thanks to you. I just submitted my application. I pray it gets through and succeeds

I would appreciate that. I will connect with you soon. Thank you

Маруа МУССАУ.Все мы в той или иной мере подвержены влиянию окружающих. Это естественный процесс, который начинается с самого детства. Когда мы видим, как ведут себя другие люди, мы часто начинаем вести себя так же. Это может проявляться в мелочах, например, в выборе одежды или музыки, а может затрагивать и более серьезные вещи, такие как наши убеждения и ценности.

Конформизм и внушаемость: две стороны одной медали.
Задача состоит не только в том, чтобы найти решение, но и в том, чтобы сформулировать цели так, чтобы они были:
Значимыми — отражали реальную важность проблемы для себя, общества и окружающей среды.
Осязаемыми — представлялись в виде конкретных, понятных и измеримых результатов.
Достижимыми — реалистичными с учётом текущих возможностей и ограничений.
Приводящими к реальным результатам — чтобы небольшие изменения в поведении действительно имели практическое значение.
Для решения этой проблемы могут быть полезны следующие подходы:
Использование методологии SMART-целей (Specific — конкретная, Measurable — измеримая, Achievable — достижимая, Relevant — значимая, Time-bound — ограниченная во времени) для формулировки целей.
Постепенное внедрение изменений — начало с небольших шагов, которые можно постепенно масштабировать, чтобы снизить сопротивление и повысить вероятность успеха.
Коммуникация, которая акцентирует внимание на долгосрочных последствиях и коллективном действии, а не только на индивидуальных инициативах.
Использование визуальных и наглядных примеров, которые помогают лучше понять масштабы проблемы и связь между отдельными действиями и глобальными результатами.

This is really valuable, especially because stakeholder engagement is often just as challenging as funding. I think sessions like the one you facilitated are important because the right strategy and the right people can shape whether a climate idea moves forward or stalls. It is generous of you to open space for others to learn and engage.

How do i connect pls

Yusuf Olayinka Your can connect via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sakinat-bello-8b9b4a148?utm_source=share&ut…
or check up my profile for the topic

This is a very important insight. One of the biggest barriers in climate work is not always resistance to the problem, but disbelief in the value of small actions. When people cannot see how simple community efforts connect to larger outcomes, participation becomes weak. That is why framing matters. Small actions create impact when they are visible, repeated, and collective.

You’re raising a very real challenge. One thing I’ve learned is that digital climate work can still create real impact when it is tied to small, practical actions people can take offline in their own communities. It helps to start with simple tools that work in low connectivity settings, partner with trusted local groups even informally at first, and focus on habits that people can repeat easily rather than one time engagement. Sustaining participation usually comes from making people feel part of something visible, consistent, and relevant to their daily lives. Your awareness of these limits is actually a strength because it means you’re designing with reality in mind.