Carnegie Challenge for Civic Leadership: How Young People in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa Can Apply

Have an idea for solving a problem in your school or community? The Carnegie Challenge for Civic Leadership is giving young people in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa an opportunity to turn youth-led ideas and projects into action—with funding, training, peer support and a chance to connect with other young changemakers.

Sometimes leadership starts with something very simple. You notice that students in your community struggle to access useful learning resources. You see young people searching for jobs but lacking practical skills. You notice plastic waste piling up around your neighbourhood. You realise that people in your community don’t know where to find important information.

And you think: “There should be a better way to solve this.” The next question is what you do with that thought.

The Carnegie Challenge for Civic Leadership 2026–2027 is designed for young people who want to move from identifying a problem to taking action.

A Step-by-Step Guide for Young Changemakers in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa

The Challenge is inviting eligible young people in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, the United States and U.S. territories to submit either a new youth-led idea or an existing project aimed at creating positive change in a school or community. The programme offers several funding opportunities, peer feedback, training, live support and opportunities to connect with other young changemakers.

For young people in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, awards range from $250 to $5,000, with an additional $50 Civic Seed Grant opportunity for selected eligible new ideas submitted by the early deadline.

But the most useful way to look at this opportunity is not simply: “How much money can I win?”

A better question is: “What problem do I understand, who can I bring together, and what can we change?”

That is the mindset that can turn an ordinary idea into a serious civic leadership project.

What Is the Carnegie Challenge for Civic Leadership?

The Carnegie Challenge for Civic Leadership is a youth-focused initiative that supports young people who are identifying problems in their schools or communities and working with others to create solutions.

The Challenge welcomes both new ideas and existing projects. That means you do not necessarily need to have an established organisation, a large team or a fully funded project before applying.

You could already be running a community initiative. Or you could have an idea that is still at an early stage.

What matters is that the initiative is youth-led and addresses a meaningful community-based issue while creating a pathway for people to take action.

The official evaluation framework focuses on four areas:

• Dream — the problem, your vision and why it matters.
• Team — how you bring other people into the solution.
• Creativity — what makes your approach fresh or distinctive.
• Changed World — the impact your idea has achieved or could create.

In other words, this is not simply a competition for people with impressive academic records. It is about young people taking action on problems they care about.

Who Can Apply From Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa?

The Challenge is open to young people living in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, as well as eligible applicants in the United States and U.S. territories.

According to the current official eligibility information, applicants must:

• Be between 5 and 20 years old by January 31, 2027.
• Currently reside in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, the United States or a U.S. territory.
• Submit a youth-led idea or project.
• Apply in English.
• Meet the applicable adult-support and consent requirements.

Do You Have to Be a Citizen?

Not necessarily. The official FAQ states that citizenship is not an eligibility requirement. Applicants must meet the residency requirement for one of the eligible locations.

That distinction is important for young people who live in Nigeria, Kenya or South Africa but may have another nationality.

What About Applicants Under 18?

For applicants in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa who are 18 or younger, adult support is required for the application under the current Challenge rules. The Terms and Conditions also require parental or legal-guardian consent for applicants in those countries who are 18 or under.

If you are applying as a young person, make sure your parent, guardian or other required adult understands the process before you begin.

You Don’t Need a Big Organisation to Apply

This may be one of the most important things to understand. You do not need to wait until you have created a registered NGO, secured funding or built a large organisation. The Challenge specifically accepts new ideas as well as existing projects.

Imagine a student who notices that many young people in their community have smartphones but don’t know how to use digital tools to build practical skills.

• They don’t have an NGO.
• They don’t have an office.
• They have no major funding.

But they have an idea:

Create a youth-led programme where students teach one another practical digital skills and build simple portfolios showing what they can do. That could be the beginning of a project.

The applicant’s task is then to explain:

• What is the problem?
• Who experiences it?
• Why does it matter?
• What will you do?
• Who will help you?
• What will change?

Those questions are much more important than simply having an impressive organisation name.

What Does Civic Leadership Actually Mean?

“Civic leadership” can sound like something reserved for politicians, government officials or established community leaders. It isn’t. For this Challenge, a useful way to understand civic leadership is:

Problem → People → Action → Change

You identify something that needs to change. You bring people together. You take action. You create measurable or meaningful change.

For example:

• Problem: Young people in a community have limited access to practical digital skills.
• People: Students, teachers, volunteers and local technology professionals.
• Action: Create a youth-led weekend digital-skills programme.
• Change: Participants develop practical skills and create projects or portfolios demonstrating what they have learned.

The workshop itself isn’t the entire story. The stronger story is what happens because the workshop exists. That difference matters.

What Kind of Ideas Could You Submit?

The Challenge is not restricted to one narrow subject. It is looking for initiatives that address community-based issues, help people take action, strengthen communities and create positive social change.

Depending on your community, an idea could involve areas such as:

1. Education and learning
2. Youth development
3. Environmental action
4. Digital inclusion
5. Community development
6. Civic participation
7. Access to useful information
8. Youth engagement
9. Social inclusion
10. Local problem-solving

These are examples, not a guaranteed list of qualifying categories.

The better question is: What meaningful problem can young people help solve?

A project doesn’t have to sound revolutionary. It needs to demonstrate that you understand the problem and have a credible way of involving people in doing something about it.

What Will the Judges Look For?

This is where applicants should pay close attention. The Challenge uses four major evaluation criteria:

1. Dream: What Do You Want to Change?

The first question is about your vision. What problem or opportunity have you identified? Why does it matter? What change do you want to see?

The Challenge also looks for a personal insight, experience or “aha” moment that helped inspire the initiative.

Don’t simply write: “I want to improve education.”

Explain what you have actually observed. For example:

“Students in my community often have access to smartphones but lack practical guidance on how to use digital tools to develop skills they can demonstrate to employers or further-education institutions.”

Now the reviewer can see the problem.

2. Team: Who Will Help Make It Happen?

You don’t necessarily need a large team. In fact, the official FAQ says you do not need a teammate to apply.

However, “Team” is one of the evaluation criteria, so applicants should demonstrate how they intend to bring other people into the work.

Think about:

• Who will participate?
• Who can help?
• Who will benefit?
• What roles can other young people play?
• How will people become part of the solution?
• Civic leadership isn’t about doing everything yourself.

It’s about helping other people contribute.

3. Creativity: What Makes Your Approach Different?

Creativity doesn’t necessarily mean inventing something that has never existed.

It could mean:

• Adapting an existing solution to your community.
• Finding a different way to involve young people.
• Using available resources creatively.
• Combining two existing ideas.
• Experimenting and learning from what doesn’t work.

The official criteria specifically recognise creativity in the idea itself, how it is delivered, how people are engaged and how resources are used.

4. Changed World: What Difference Will You Make?

This is about impact. If your idea is new, explain its potential. If your project already exists, show what you have achieved.

For example: Instead of: “We want to help students.”

Say: “We have already trained 35 students, 24 completed their first digital project, and we plan to expand the programme to three additional schools.”

Evidence makes an idea more credible.

For a new project, you don’t need to pretend you already have results. Instead, explain what you believe will change and how you will know whether it is working.

A Simple Framework for Building Your Application

Before you start filling out the application, try answering these five questions.

1. What Is the Problem? Describe the specific problem. Avoid making it so broad that nobody can realistically solve it.

2. Who Is Affected? Identify the people experiencing the problem.

3. Why Do You Care? Explain what you have personally seen, experienced or learned that made you want to act.

4. What Will You Do? Describe the actual project. Don’t hide your solution beneath inspirational language.

5. What Will Change? Explain what success would look like.

This simple structure can turn: “I want to empower young people.”

into: “Students in my community struggle to find reliable information about career opportunities. I want to create a peer-led career information network where students learn how to identify legitimate opportunities, develop job-search skills and share useful resources with other students.”

The second idea is much easier to understand, evaluate and potentially develop.

How Much Funding Is Available?

For young people in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, the Challenge currently has several funding levels. According to the official Challenge page, the awards are distributed equally across the three countries.

That means the overall pool for these three countries includes 66 awards. The six highest-level Civic Leadership Awards are worth $5,000 each.

But there is another funding opportunity that applicants should know about.

Early Applicants Can Be Considered for a $50 Seed Grant

Young people in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa with new ideas have an additional reason to apply early.

If you submit an eligible new idea by the early-entry deadline of October 10, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CAT, you can be considered for a $50 Civic Seed Grant.

The Challenge says 25 eligible applicants from each of the three countries will be selected for the seed grants.

Importantly, receiving or being considered for this early funding does not replace the main Challenge. Eligible early applicants continue to be considered for the awards available after the final deadline.

What Else Can You Gain?

The money is only one part of the opportunity. Eligible participants will also receive:

1. Peer feedback through the Challenge platform.
2. Access to on-demand training.
3. Live support sessions.
4. Office hours.
5. Opportunities to connect with other young changemakers.
6. An opportunity to become a certified Ashoka Youth Venturer, subject to the applicable criteria.

That last point is particularly interesting for young people thinking about their future. A young person who can eventually demonstrate:

“I identified a problem, organised people, launched an initiative, learned from feedback and created measurable results”

has something valuable to show in future university, scholarship, employment or entrepreneurship applications. That is career evidence, not just a certificate.

What Happens If You Receive the Award?

For Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, participants receiving awards of $250 or more may be considered for an in-person convening in Kenya during the week of July 26, 2027.

The official information says eligible travel and participation costs—including airfare, accommodation, ground transportation and meals—will be covered by Ashoka for those invited to the convening. Chaperone travel is also provided for eligible participants under 18, subject to the Challenge rules.

However, this should not be understood as a guaranteed trip for every applicant.

The official wording is that qualifying award recipients will be considered for a spot, and a total of 30 Challenge winners from Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa will be invited.

When Is the Deadline?

There are two important dates for applicants in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.

Early-entry deadline

October 10, 2026

This is the deadline for eligible new ideas to be considered for the $50 Civic Seed Grant.

Final application deadline

January 31, 2027

This is the final deadline for the Challenge.

Applicants should always verify the exact time and time zone shown on the official application platform before submitting.

How to Prepare Before You Apply

Don’t open the application form and start writing randomly. Spend some time developing your idea first.

Write down:

1. The problem: What exactly is wrong?
2. The people: Who is affected?
3. Your connection: Why do you care about this issue?
4. Your idea: What exactly do you want to do?
5. Your team: Who can help you?
6. Your action: What will you actually do first?
7. Your impact: What should change?
8. Your evidence: What have you already done, if anything?
9. Your resources: What would funding or training allow you to do?
10. Your measurement: How will you know that the project is working?

If you can answer these 10 questions clearly, you will have a much stronger foundation for the application.

You Don’t Have to Apply Alone

Another useful feature of the Challenge is the support available during the application process.

The organisers are providing information sessions, live support sessions and office hours for applicants in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. The official FAQ also says applicants can save their applications as drafts and continue working on them before submission.

That means you don’t have to try to produce your final application in one sitting.

• Start early.
• Write a draft.
• Get feedback.
• Improve it.
• Then submit.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Applying only because of the prize money – Money can help your project, but a strong application begins with a meaningful problem.
• Choosing a problem because it sounds impressive – Don’t select an issue simply because you think judges will like it. Choose something you genuinely understand.
• Being too general – “Changing Africa” is not a project. “Helping 50 secondary-school students in my community develop practical digital skills” is much easier to understand.
• Making yourself the entire solution – Leadership involves bringing people together. Show how others can participate.
• Claiming impact you cannot prove – Don’t invent numbers. A small project with honest evidence is stronger than a huge project built around unsupported claims.
• Confusing activities with impact – “We will organise a workshop” describes an activity. “We will train 50 students and measure how many complete a practical project afterwards” begins to describe impact.
• Waiting until the last day – Technical problems, incomplete information or a missing consent step can create unnecessary pressure. Start early.

A Simple Example of a Strong Youth-Led Idea

Consider a fictional student in Nigeria who notices that many students in their community have smartphones but limited access to practical digital-skills education.

Instead of simply saying: “I want to help young people learn technology.”

The student could develop:

• Problem: Students have limited access to practical digital-skills training.
• People: Students, teachers, volunteer digital professionals and other young people.
• Action: An eight-week peer-led digital-skills programme.
• Output: Participants complete practical projects and create simple portfolios.
• Measurement: Track participation, project completion and continued use of the skills.
• Longer-term goal: Create a model that can be repeated in other schools.

The idea doesn’t need to be enormous. It needs to be understood, youth-led, actionable and capable of creating meaningful change.

Is the Carnegie Challenge Worth Applying For?

For an eligible young person in Nigeria, Kenya or South Africa who has a genuine community idea or youth-led project, yes—it is worth serious consideration.

But don’t approach it simply as another grant competition. Think of it as an opportunity to practise something much bigger: turning an idea into evidence of leadership.

You identify a problem → You understand why it matters → You involve other people → You take action → You learn → You adapt → You create results.

Even if you don’t receive the largest award, the experience of developing a real initiative can give you something valuable for the future. You can use the project as evidence of leadership in applications for universities, scholarships, fellowships, jobs and other opportunities.

That is why the most important question isn’t: “Can I win $5,000?”

It is: “What problem can I help solve?”

InsightRegion’s Take

The Carnegie Challenge is particularly interesting because it doesn’t ask young people to wait until they become adults before they start making a difference.

It treats young people as potential problem-solvers, organisers and community leaders now.

If you have an idea, don’t worry that it isn’t perfect. Start by understanding the problem. Talk to people affected by it. Think about what you can realistically change. Bring others into the process. Then build from there.

A strong application doesn’t have to describe a project that will change the entire world. It needs to show that you have identified something that matters—and that you are prepared to do something about it.

Your idea may start small. The leadership you build from it doesn’t have to.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted online through the official Carnegie Challenge platform. Before applying, read the current eligibility requirements, evaluation criteria, deadlines and Terms & Conditions carefully.

Official Carnegie Challenge for Civic Leadership — Apply Here

You can also review the official FAQ for detailed information about eligibility, adult support, deadlines, awards, application procedures and available assistance.

Official Carnegie Challenge FAQ

And read the official Terms & Conditions before submitting your application.

Official Challenge Terms & Conditions

Important: Opportunity requirements, dates and award arrangements can change. Always confirm the latest information on the official Challenge platform before submitting.

Quick Facts

Opportunity: Carnegie Challenge for Civic Leadership 2026–2027
Eligible African countries: Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa
Age: 5–20 by January 31, 2027
Application language: English
Early-entry deadline: October 10, 2026
Final deadline: January 31, 2027
Early Civic Seed Grant: $50
Top award in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa: $5,000
New ideas accepted: Yes
Existing projects accepted: Yes
Adult support: Required for applicants 18 or younger in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa
Official platform: Ashoka Changemakers

Information verified against the current official Carnegie Challenge materials.