The Runners-up
The Iris Prize Runners-up
$3,000
The Stem Prize Runners-up
$2,000
The Seed Prize Runners-up
$1,500
In adition to their grants, each runner-up will receive an invitation to join CoalitionWILD’s 6-month Leadership Development and Capacity-Building EXCELerator program and monthly group peer-to-peer mentorship sessions.
The Iris Prize 2026 Shortlist
How we choose our winners.
Each year, The Iris Prize recognises outstanding youth-led individuals and teams protecting and restoring nature and supporting the rights of those who defend it, with three winning projects and six runners-up.
In 2026, ten young environmental leaders across nine prize-winning projects were recognised through The Iris Prize. We received more than 1,300 applications from young people in 108 countries, with 91% coming from the Global South.
Prize recipients receive flexible funding alongside tailored support designed around their needs, including mentorship, capacity-building, peer learning, connections and access to specialist support. Our aim is not only to fund their work, but to help young environmental leaders strengthen their projects, build resilience and continue growing their impact over time.
Find out more about our support for prize recipients here.
Judging this year’s Iris Prize was a powerful reminder that the most transformative climate solutions often come from those closest to the challenges. These young leaders are not waiting for permission; they are creating change, and their creativity, courage and commitment are exactly what the world needs to tackle the climate and nature crises. It was a privilege to be part of this year’s judging panel, and I’m looking forward to seeing how this funding can help these groups scale up their work.
