Brower Youth Award

Scholarship Sponsored by Earth Island Institute

Intro Earth Island Institute created the Brower Youth Awards for Environmental Leadership in 2000 to honor exceptional young leaders driving environmental change. Each year we present this prestigious award to recognize and support emerging youth leaders. Who is eligible - Young environmental leaders aged 13–22 as of the application deadline are invited to apply. - Applicants must reside in North America, including the United States (and its territories), Canada, or Mexico. - Application deadline: March 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. - The application link can be found at the bottom of this page. Award package Winners receive: - $3,000 cash - A professionally co-produced short film highlighting their work - A sponsored trip to participate in leadership development activities (including airfare, meals, and lodging) Following the event, awardees join a network of more than 100 youth leaders worldwide who continue to collaborate and support one another. How to apply - All applications must be submitted online by the deadline. If you anticipate difficulties completing an online application, contact us well before the deadline for assistance. Applications received after the deadline— including those delayed by technical issues—will not be accepted. - You must personally complete and submit your application; parents, teachers, mentors, or friends may not fill it out for you. - Required items: - A recent photograph of yourself uploaded with your application. - If selected as a semifinalist, you will be asked to provide a letter of support from someone familiar with your environmental work (this recommender cannot be a parent or guardian). Questions or technical concerns? Email bya@earthisland.org well before the deadline for help. Selection process All applications are reviewed by our staff and semifinalists are vetted by a judging panel. Semifinalists will be asked to participate in a video interview and to submit the required letter of support. Every applicant will be informed of their application status. Evaluation criteria Applications are evaluated on the following factors: - Outstanding youth leadership: You should have played a primary leadership role in initiating, organizing, and carrying out your project or campaign. - Issue and approach: Your work should apply innovative or effective strategies to address pressing environmental issues. - Impact, scalability, and replicability: Does the project deliver measurable impact? Could it be adapted or reproduced in other communities or campuses? - Personal commitment and trajectory: What motivates your involvement? How would receiving a Brower Youth Award affect your future work? Guidance and common exclusions - Leadership focus: The Awards emphasize leaders of groups or sustained efforts. While individual initiatives may be considered, priority is often given to those who lead collective actions or ongoing campaigns. - Research and science fair projects: Single-instance or purely individual research projects typically do not align with our selection emphasis unless they are part of broader, sustained environmental efforts involving a larger group. - One-time events: Events such as Earth Day activities or single conferences are usually not eligible unless they produced long-term, measurable outcomes and you have continued to lead follow-up work. Contact For application assistance or questions, email bya@earthisland.org. The online application link is at the bottom of this page.