ECLIPSE

When youth and communities align, real change begins.

We connect schools, community organizations, and local leaders to K–12 learning opportunities for real world action. Through tailored curriculum, educator support, and hands-on experiences, we build strong youth leadership ecosystems and community partnerships.

Rooted in environmental justice, civic engagement, and stewardship, ECLIPSE supports a future where young people help make the decisions that affect them most.

Why ECLIPSE?

Many systems were built without young people in mind. As a result, they are often left out of leadership and local decision making.

At the same time, young people care deeply about their communities and the environment. They bring ideas, energy, and lived experience, but they do not always have clear opportunities to lead or be heard.

ECLIPSE was created to change that.

It helps schools and communities work together so young people are not just learning about issues, but actively participating in shaping what happens next.

How ECLIPSE Works

ECLIPSE provides the structure and support needed to turn youth interest into real participation and leadership.

We work alongside schools and community partners to make this possible in practice.

For students, this means:

• working on real environmental and community challenges that affect their lives
• collaborating with local partners to design and carry out projects
• sharing ideas with decision makers and taking part in local conversations
• building skills, confidence, and a stronger sense of connection to their communities

For educators and partners, this means:

• curriculum that connects learning to local issues and priorities
• coaching and support to guide student-led, project-based work
• partnerships that bring real world experience into the classroom
• shared responsibility so this work is sustainable over time

Together, this creates the conditions for youth leadership to take root, grow, and remain part of how communities learn, plan, and take action.

Being in these spaces shows our students that their voices matter beyond their school; it shifts how they see themselves as leaders and how we show up as educators for them.

PARTICIPATING EDUCATOR

View Our Ecosystem

See the real-world impact of our work in action. Our interactive ecosystem map highlights the communities, partnerships, and initiatives driving meaningful change at the intersection of climate and democracy. From local leadership efforts to broader systems-level progress, this map brings transparency to where and how we’re making a difference. Explore the stories, regions, and outcomes that show what’s possible when communities are empowered to shape their own climate future.

Invest in Climate Democracy

Your gift. Your community. A future that holds.

Climate change isn't only an environmental problem. It's a democracy problem. Often, decisions are made without local voices at the table. That results in lost trust, and the tools to develop a response go missing right when they are needed most.

The Climate Democracy Initiative rebuilds those tools. Your gift funds the training, programs, and partnerships that support intergenerational voices in rural and small communitites. Together, we support local voices shaping decisions that affect their own lives — from the classroom to the county commission.

CDI is a 501(c)(3) public charity. Your gift is tax-deductible. (EIN: 92-0943342)

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