Brower Youth Award

Scholarship Sponsored by Earth Island Institute

Earth Island Institute established the Brower Youth Awards for Environmental Leadership in 2000 to honor renowned environmental advocate David Brower, who said, “I love to see what young people can do, before someone old tells them it’s impossible.” It is with this spirit that we recognize the outstanding leadership efforts of young people who are working for the protection of our shared planet.

Eligibility

Youth environmental change leaders ages 13 to 22 (as of April 8, 2024) living in North America (including Mexico, Canada, and some Caribbean Islands) and U.S. territories are encouraged to apply. Our 2024 Brower Youth Awards application opened January 8th. Our application deadline for submission is Monday, April 8, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. The link to the application is at the bottom of this page. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for updates.

Award Details

Each of this year’s six recipients of the Brower Youth Awards will receive a $3,000 cash prize, a short film produced about their work, and flight and lodging accommodations for a weeklong trip to the San Francisco Bay Area.

During their stay in California, the recipients will participate in leadership activities and workshops on coaching, visioning, public speaking and developing media relations. The week of activities culminates in the awards ceremony. The Brower Youth Awards program invests in the winners’ continued success by providing ongoing access to resources, mentors, and opportunities to develop leadership skills.

Application Process

All applications must be completed using our online process. Please notify us well in advance of the deadline if you foresee any problems with submitting an application online.

You must complete your own application. Parents, friends, mentors, teachers, etc. must not complete it for you.

In addition to meeting award eligibility requirements and following all instructions to complete the online application, each applicant must submit:

• a photograph of yourself
• if you are a semifinalist, you will be asked for a letter of support from someone who is familiar with you and your environmental work (cannot be from a parent or guardian)

Please contact us well in advance of the deadline for support with the submission of your application or clarifying questions by emailing bya@earthisland.org. Applications submitted after the deadline due to technical issues will not be accepted.

We review all applications and a panel of judges vets all semi-finalists. If you are selected as a semi-finalist, we will request a video call with you, along with the letter of support from your recommender. All Brower Youth Award applicants will be notified of their status.