Elsevier Foundation Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge 2026: $50,000 in Sustainability Grants

Grant Overview

Got a Green Chemistry Idea? $25,000 Sustainability Grants Could Make It Happen for Global South Projects

Sustainability grants targeting climate action have never been more crucial than they are today. The Elsevier Foundation Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge represents one of the most prestigious sustainability grants available to researchers worldwide, handing out $25,000 each to not one, but TWO winning projects that use green chemistry to fight climate change in developing regions. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me. And honestly? If you’ve got a chemistry-based solution to environmental problems, this could be your golden ticket to actually making a difference while getting some serious cash for your work. Environmental projects grants like this don’t come around every day, so you might want to pay attention.

What really sets this Challenge apart from other sustainability grants? It’s all about that dual focus climate action (that’s SDG 13 for all you UN nerds out there) AND gender equity (SDG 5). Pretty cool, right? They’re not just looking for projects that help the environment; they want ones that also tackle social issues.

Donor: Elsevier Foundation

Focus: green chemistry, climate action, sustainability, gender equity, developing countries, research funding

Region: Global South (developing countries, low and middle income countries)

Eligibility:
– Individuals and organizations implementing projects in developing countries
– Projects must use green and sustainable chemistry solutions
– Must address sustainability challenges in the Global South
– Must include a gender component in design or implementation
– Must have a local implementation partner for projects in the Global South
– Early-stage projects where the prize represents most of the needed budget
— Projects cannot be primarily educational without strong scientific green chemistry component
— Prize money cannot mainly fund expensive equipment or personnel

Benefits:
– Financial Award: $25,000 USD each for 2 winning projects
– International recognition at the Elsevier Green & Sustainable Chemistry Conference
– Networking opportunities with global sustainability leaders
– Platform to showcase innovative solutions to climate challenges

Deadline: October 1, 2025

So What Makes This Challenge Special Anyway?

Most sustainability grants get bogged down in endless paperwork and vague impact metrics. This one cuts straight to results. The Elsevier Foundation has been running this program long enough to know what works, and they’ve streamlined the process around one core question: can your chemistry actually solve problems where they matter most?

The judges aren’t looking for academic exercises. They want solutions that a community in Nigeria, Malaysia, or Nepal can actually implement. When past winners developed natural biopesticides, eco-restoration techniques, and wastewater treatment systems, they weren’t just publishing papers – they were changing lives.

Q: Do I need a PhD to apply?
A: No. Organizations and individuals both qualify.

Q: What counts as the “Global South”?
A: Low-and-middle income countries as defined by World Bank classifications.

Q: Can I apply for multiple years?
A: Yes, but you’ll need different projects.

Most sustainability grants out there? They’re focused on one thing: environmental outcomes. Not this one. The Elsevier Foundation gets it—true sustainability isn’t just about saving trees or reducing carbon. It’s about people too. That’s why they insist on projects that advance both climate action AND gender equality. Smart, right? Past winners include some incredible women scientists. Dr. Pooja Singh created sanitary napkins from waste materials. Dr. Mokgadi Hlongwane developed bioinoculants to help small-scale farmers deal with climate change. These aren’t just lab experiments—they’re real solutions making real differences in communities across the Global South. And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?

The Nitty-Gritty: What Judges Actually Want

Okay, so who’s judging this thing? Some seriously impressive experts in sustainable chemistry from around the world. And they’re looking for specific stuff in your proposal. First off, you need to clearly explain WHY your problem matters. Like, really matters. Not just “climate change is bad” but “THIS specific problem in THIS specific community needs solving NOW.” And here’s the thing—your solution HAS to use green chemistry principles. This isn’t just any environmental project. It’s gotta be chemistry-based. With climate finance reaching USD 1.46 trillion in 2022, there’s growing recognition that innovative approaches like those supported by this Challenge are crucial for addressing our planet’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Sure, the official criteria mention “innovative green chemistry solutions” and “gender equity components.” But after analyzing past winners, three patterns emerge that separate funded projects from forgotten applications:

First, specificity trumps ambition. Winners don’t promise to “revolutionize agriculture.” They develop precise solutions like bio-based pest control for specific crops in defined regions. They name their implementation partners. They provide exact budget breakdowns showing how $25,000 becomes measurable impact.

Second, the gender component isn’t just a checkbox. This challenge advances both Climate Action (SDG 13) and Gender Equity (SDG 5), meaning your project needs to demonstrate how women benefit directly from your solution – either as implementers, beneficiaries, or leaders in the process.

Third, they prioritize problems over solutions. Start with a sustainability challenge that keeps communities awake at night, then work backward to your chemistry. Not the other way around.

They also want projects that can be replicated and scaled up. Big time. If your idea is so niche that only one village in the middle of nowhere could ever use it? Probably not gonna win. They’re looking for innovations that could potentially be benchmarks new ideas in development get preference over projects that are already pretty advanced. Oh, and you’ll need to show how your approach is novel. That means doing a quick literature review of what’s already out there. This emphasis on innovation really sets it apart from many other climate funding opportunities that might play it safer with more established approaches.

Gender Component: Yeah, It’s Non-Negotiable

Every proposal HAS to clearly describe the gender dimensions of the research and how the project will promote gender equality. Period. What does that mean exactly? Could be ensuring women are involved in implementing the project. The World Economic Forum points out that green chemistry aims to replace non-renewable, harmful resources with renewable, safer materials making it perfect for tackling both environmental and social sustainability challenges. And that’s exactly what this Challenge is all about.

Q: What kinds of projects actually win this thing?
A: Past winners have done some pretty cool stuff—biodegradable packaging from agricultural waste, natural preservatives from guava leaves, wastewater treatment using volcanic rocks, bioinoculants for climate-resilient farming. Real-world solutions, you know?

Q: Can students even apply for this?
A: Absolutely! They accept applications from both individuals and organizations—students, researchers, entrepreneurs, whoever’s working on green chemistry solutions.

Q: Do you need to be from some big university or institution?
A: Nope! The Challenge welcomes applications from anyone, though they do prefer early-stage projects where the $25,000 would cover most of what’s needed to get it off the ground.

Past Winners: The Projects That Actually Got Funded

Looking at previous sustainability grants awarded through this program reveals exactly what the foundation values. Pooja Singh created eco-friendly sanitary pads that solved both environmental and health challenges for women in rural communities. Mokgadi Hlongwane focused on climate resilience research that communities could implement immediately.

Notice the pattern? These weren’t laboratory curiosities. Each project addressed urgent local needs using chemistry that communities could understand, adopt, and maintain long-term.

The Application Timeline You Need to Know

Unlike many sustainability grants with rolling deadlines, this challenge follows a precise schedule:

Submission Phase: July 7 – October 1, 2025. Your window is exactly 86 days. Use them wisely.

Review Phase: October 1 – October 30, 2025. Expert reviewers evaluate all submissions during this intensive month-long period.

Finalist Selection: Announced January 15, 2026. Only five projects advance to final presentations.

Winner Announcement: May 20, 2026 at the Green & Sustainable Chemistry Conference in Dresden, Germany.

That timeline means if you’re selected as a finalist, you’ll have four months to prepare your presentation. Previous finalists recommend using this time to gather additional pilot data and refine your implementation strategy.

Q: What happens if my project gets shortlisted but doesn’t win?
A: You can request a participation certificate and gain valuable feedback for future applications.

Q: Are there networking opportunities beyond the prize money?
A: Yes, all finalists attend the Dresden conference with full access to the sustainability research community.

Don’t Make These Mistakes (Seriously)

Look, I’ve seen a lot of applications in my time. And some mistakes just keep popping up. First up? Not taking the gender component seriously. People treat it like a box to check rather than something integral to their project design. Big mistake. Second? Proposals that are basically educational projects without any real green chemistry science. That’s not what this Challenge is about.

Another common issue? Budgets that rely too heavily on the prize money for equipment or personnel costs. The Challenge specifically says not to do that. They want the money going to actual project implementation, not overhead. Remember, the global green solvents market alone is projected to hit USD 5.9 billion. Your proposal should show how your project fits into these bigger trends and sustainability initiatives. Think bigger picture, people!

What Winning Projects Actually Look Like

Let’s talk about some winners, shall we? Dr. Altantuya Ochirkhuyag from Mongolia won in 2024 with her project creating wastewater treatment blocks from volcanic rocks. Why did it work? She tackled a real water pollution problem in her community using materials that were literally lying around everywhere. That’s the kind of place-based innovation the Challenge loves.

Q: Should I include preliminary results in my application?
A: Yes, but early-stage results are preferred over advanced developments.

Q: How detailed should my implementation timeline be?
A: Specific enough to demonstrate feasibility, flexible enough to adapt to local conditions.

Then there’s María Alejandra Flórez-Restrepo from Colombia. She won the same year with mycelium biomaterials from forest fungi. Genius! She combined cutting-edge biotech with traditional knowledge, creating a circular economy solution that also helped protect forests. These examples show how winning projects often hit multiple sustainability goals at once. That’s what makes them so attractive to the grant reviewers. It’s not just about one thing—it’s about the bigger picture.

Why Location Matters More Than You Think

This challenge specifically targets sustainability grants for Global South implementation, but not all developing regions are equally competitive. Applications from Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America tend to receive priority, particularly for projects addressing water, agriculture, or energy challenges.

However, having local partners isn’t just a requirement – it’s your competitive advantage. The strongest applications come from applicants who’ve already established relationships with implementation communities. Your local partners should contribute knowledge, not just provide locations for your solution.

The foundation also favors projects that can scale across similar communities or countries. If your water purification system works in rural Kenya, could similar communities in Tanzania or Uganda adopt it? Scalability thinking transforms good applications into funded ones.

How to Make Your Proposal Stand Out

Want your proposal to rise above the hundreds of others? Focus on showing real-world impact. The judges aren’t interested in theoretical research. They want projects that will actually change things in communities. Include specific metrics for measuring success. Have clear plans for getting the community involved. The EPA says green chemicals either break down harmlessly or can be recovered and reused reducing harm to plants and animals. These are the specific environmental benefits you should highlight in your application.

Be super specific about how you’ll use that $25,000. Show you’ve thought through every aspect of actually making your project happen. And don’t forget to highlight your team’s expertise and any local partnerships that will help with implementation. Philanthropic funding for climate mitigation jumped in 2023, growing faster than overall philanthropic giving for the first time. That shows increasing interest in projects like those supported by this climate action challenge.

Why This Challenge Actually Matters

Let’s be real for a second. The Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge represents something important—a growing recognition that solving climate change needs innovative approaches rooted in science. By focusing on the Global South, the Challenge addresses a harsh reality: developing countries often face the worst climate impacts despite contributing least to the problem. Adaptation finance reached USD 32.4 billion in 2022—three times what it was in 2016. That’s real progress in supporting vulnerable regions.

Q: Can I use grant money for equipment purchases?
A: Only if the equipment directly enables local implementation and isn’t prohibitively expensive.

Q: Are there restrictions on where I spend the money geographically?
A: Yes, funds must be spent on Global South implementation, not domestic research.

The emphasis on green chemistry? This field offers solutions that prevent pollution at the molecular level instead of just cleaning up messes afterward. From reducing toxic chemicals to developing biodegradable materials, green chemistry gives us tools to create a more sustainable future. As the climate crisis gets worse, these innovative approaches become more and more essential for our survival and environmental wellbeing.

Look, putting together a proposal this complex? It’s a lot of work. No question about it. If you’re serious about this and want someone with experience to take a look, that’s literally what we do at Grantaura. Sometimes a fresh pair of expert eyes can make all the difference between winning and coming up short. Just something to keep in mind. CLICK HERE if you want help with your GRANT PROPOSAL WRITING.

Check Your Eligibility

Not sure if you qualify? Use our interactive eligibility checker to find out if you’re eligible for the Elsevier Foundation Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge and other sustainability grants. Just answer a few simple questions about your project and get instant results. Easy peasy.

12 More Sustainability Grants

1. Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund: $1B for Climate Companies: Microsoft’s massive $1B Climate Innovation Fund invests in climate tech companies that already have some market traction. If you’re working on scalable climate solutions, this could be the big one you’ve been looking for.
2. Patagonia Environmental Grants: $5,000-$20,000 for Grassroots Activism: Patagonia’s International Grants Program funds innovative environmental protection projects worldwide, prioritizing measurable impact and community involvement. These sustainability grants support campaigns protecting natural environments and building public engagement around environmental policies, making them ideal complements to chemistry-based climate solutions.
3. $100K Climate Grant: Youth Ecopreneur Programme: The Youth Ecopreneur Programme offers a whopping $100K for young environmental entrepreneurs under 35. If you’re passionate about creating sustainable solutions and still young enough to qualify, this could be your chance.
4. World Sustainability Awards 2025: Global Corporate ESG: Want recognition for your sustainability work? The World Sustainability Awards 2025 honor leaders across 14 categories, giving you visibility and credibility in the environmental space.
5. Sustainability Open Innovation Challenge 6th Edition: This challenge focuses on key sustainability topics like Climate Change, Green Buildings, Sustainable Agriculture, and Sustainable Materials. Perfect if you’re working on innovative solutions in these areas.
6. Caltech Rocket Fund CleanTech Grants: The Caltech Rocket Fund 2025 is a game-changer for cleantech innovators and sustainability-focused entrepreneurs. If you’re developing green technology, this could provide the essential funding you need.
7. Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) 26th Call for Proposals 2025: The CFC specifically seeks proposals from Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island developing states facing sustainability challenges. If you’re working in one of these regions, definitely check this out.
8. InsuResilience Solutions Fund (ISF) Request For Proposals: The ISF focuses on enhancing resilience of poor and vulnerable households in developing countries through climate adaptation projects. If your work helps communities adapt to climate change, this could be perfect.
9. Environmental Projects Grants: Explore tons of environmental project funding opportunities all in one place. From conservation to climate action to green technology, this collection has something for nearly every type of environmental project.
10. Researchers Grants: Find funding opportunities specifically designed for researchers working on sustainability topics. Whether you’re into climate science, green chemistry, or environmental engineering, there’s something here for you.
11. Institutions Grants: Looking for substantial funding for large-scale sustainability projects? This collection features opportunities for research centers, universities, and non-profit organizations implementing big environmental initiatives.
12. Individual Grants: Don’t have a big organization behind you? No problem. Access sustainability grants available to individual researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovators working on environmental solutions and climate action projects.

Finding the right sustainability grants for your project can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. But Grantaura makes it way easier. Our free platform connects you with hundreds of funding opportunities tailored to exactly what you need. Whether you’re working on green chemistry, climate adaptation, or environmental conservation, we’ve got the resources to help you secure the funding you need to make a real difference. And honestly? In today’s world, we need all the difference-makers we can get.

Terms

• Green Chemistry: Basically, it’s designing chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate hazardous substances. For sustainability grants like this Challenge, green chemistry principles are absolutely essential for creating environmentally friendly solutions that address climate change without causing new problems.
• Global South: This refers to developing countries, mostly in Africa, Latin America, and developing Asia, including the Middle East. In sustainability grants, this term identifies regions that face serious climate challenges despite contributing very little to global carbon emissions.
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): These are 17 global goals set by the United Nations to address social and economic development issues. The Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge specifically focuses on SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
• Gender Component: This is a requirement that projects must address gender equality or women’s empowerment somehow in their design or implementation. It makes this Challenge unique among sustainability grants by ensuring climate solutions also promote social equity.
• Climate Action: These are activities and policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change impacts. This Challenge specifically focuses on climate action through green chemistry innovations in developing countries.
• Bioinoculant: A substance containing beneficial microorganisms that help plants grow better and stay healthy. Past winners have developed bioinoculants to help crops adapt to climate change, showing how sustainability grants can support agricultural innovation.
• Mycelium Biomaterials: Materials made from the root structure of fungi, offering sustainable alternatives to traditional materials. These innovative materials represent exactly the type of cutting-edge solutions that sustainability grants aim to support.
• Waste Valorization: This is the process of turning waste materials into valuable products. Many winning projects in this Challenge focus on waste valorization, transforming agricultural or industrial byproducts into useful materials through green chemistry.
• Circular Economy: An economic approach that aims to eliminate waste and keep resources in use for as long as possible. Sustainability grants like this Challenge often favor projects that contribute to circular economy principles.
• Biodegradable Materials: Substances that can be broken down by natural processes into harmless components. Several past winners have developed biodegradable alternatives to plastic, addressing both pollution and climate challenges at the same time.
• Water Resource Management: The planning, developing, and managing of water resources to meet people’s needs while protecting the environment. This is one of the key focus areas for the Challenge among sustainability grants.
• Sustainable Agriculture: Farming practices that meet current food needs without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their own needs. The Challenge supports sustainable agriculture projects that use green chemistry solutions.
• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health: The variety of life in ecosystems and how well those ecosystems function. Projects addressing biodiversity through green chemistry are eligible for this Challenge among other sustainability grants.
• Community Empowerment: The process of helping communities gain control over their lives and environment. The Challenge favors projects that empower local communities through sustainable chemistry solutions.
• Alternative Energy Sources: Energy sources that are renewable and environmentally friendly. The Challenge supports projects developing alternative energy solutions through green chemistry innovations.
• Waste Utilization: The productive use of waste materials as resources. Many winning projects focus on waste utilization, turning what would be discarded into valuable products through green chemistry.
• Environmental Monitoring: The systematic collection of data on environmental conditions. Some winning projects have developed green chemistry tools for environmental monitoring in developing countries.
• Green Technology: Technologies that are environmentally friendly and use resources sustainably. The Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge is one of the leading sustainability grants supporting green technology development.
• Climate Resilience: The ability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to hazardous events related to climate change. Projects that build climate resilience through green chemistry are highly valued in this Challenge.

Author

You know, after years of helping innovators navigate the crazy world of funding, I’ve learned a thing or two about what makes a grant opportunity truly special. The Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge? It’s one of those rare gems that gets me genuinely excited. It’s not just about the money (though $25,000 is nothing to sneeze at). It’s about creating real impact in communities that need it most. At Grantaura, we’ve built this platform to connect passionate researchers and entrepreneurs with the funding they need to turn their green chemistry ideas into world-changing solutions.