Exciting opportunity to connect with changemakers worldwide: Apply now for the 2026 SDSN Youth Membership Program!

Ednah Carrick June 12, 2026

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Closing Date: 15 July 2026

Exciting opportunity to connect with changemakers worldwide: Apply now for the 2026 SDSN Youth Membership Program!

Become part of a global community driving sustainable development.

Applications are now open for the SDSN Youth Membership Program! If you’re part of a youth-led or youth-focused organization, this is an opportunity to connect with changemakers worldwide, collaborate across regions, and amplify your impact.

The SDSN Youth invites institutions and youth-led or youth-focused initiatives to join a global problem-solving network for sustainable development. Participation in the SDSN Youth’s Global Youth Networks initiative is open to universities, research institutes, civil society organizations, science-oriented foundations, and other institutions that have deep expertise in one or more areas related to sustainable development, and that commit a substantial amount of their own technical and research work towards finding and/or implementing solutions for sustainable development worldwide or locally in their communities.

There are no costs associated with membership in the SDSN Youth. Any institution interested in joining the SDSN is invited to complete the online form and submit it to the SDSN Secretariat through the official web portal. The form contains questions about your institution, its sustainable development activities, and your proposed involvement with SDSN Youth. Based upon a review of the material received, the SDSN Youth Global Networks Team will appoint organizations to join.

Applications for which SDSN Youth cannot verify the information will be automatically rejected. Applications should be submitted in English; however, submissions in other languages won’t be rejected.

Global Membership Program

Joining the SDSN Youth is free and happens at the institutional level. Membership allows your institution to work with SDSN Youth and its unique network of problem solvers to contribute to practical solutions for sustainable development.

Applications for the SDSN Youth Membership Program openened on June 1st. Here’s the estimated timeline for that application process:

Call for applications from June 1st to July 15th.
Review of candidates throughout July-September
The admission and integration process where members are notified whether they have been accepted or rejected will finalize by late September-early October

For more information about membership requirements and opportunities, and to understand what the SDSN Youth team provides, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

If your question is not answered in this document, please contact [email protected]

Benefits

Join a Global Network

Access a diverse community of like-minded member institutions and national and regional networks, all dedicated to empowering youth and advancing sustainable development.

Engage in Collaborative Opportunities

Participate in exclusive events, projects, solutions, and access tools and outputs designed to support youth-led action in sustainable development under the SDSN Youth umbrella.

Promote SDGs Advocacy & Awareness

Create a meaningful impact by acting as a leader in your community, advancing the SDGs, and contributing to SDSN Youth’s publications and outputs to empower and mobilize youth worldwide to implement sustainable solutions.

Who can apply for SDSN Youth Membership?

Organizations eligible for membership include youth-led or youth-serving groups such as university clubs, student societies, grassroots NGOs, research hubs, and networks where young people are actively driving change in education, innovation, advocacy, and action for sustainable development.

For organizations that are not youth-focused, SDSN Youth invites you to explore the SDSN membership program at https://www.unsdsn.org/our-networks/become-a-member/

How to apply?

To become a member of the SDSN Youth, please submit an application via the online application form. Applications received by email or later than the submission deadline will not be considered. Organizations may apply twice a year (January and June).

Please review the timeline for the current application process above.