CALL FOR APPLICATIONS 2026 NOW OPEN
LOCAL ACTIONS
Powering youth-led road safety & sustainable mobility solutions
Got an idea to make the streets in your community safer, greener and fairer? Local Actions gives young leaders seed funding, expert support and a global network to turn that idea into real change.
India · Kenya · Mexico | Deadline: 15 November 2026, 23:00 CET
AT A GLANCE
WHAT IS A LOCAL ACTION
Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among children and young people aged 5–29. The Global Plan of the Decade of Action for Road Safety recognises young people as key stakeholders in driving road safety action and advocacy.
In response, YOURS – Youth for Road Safety created Local Actions, a programme supporting youth-led grassroots projects that address urgent road safety and sustainable mobility challenges in local communities. These initiatives are conceived, led and implemented by young people, turning evidence-based ideas into tangible solutions that reduce road traffic crashes and injuries while improving safety, accessibility and sustainability.
Aligned with the YOURS Strategy 2026–2030 and the Decade of Sustainable Transport Implementation Plan (2026–2035), this edition recognises road safety as an essential foundation for safe, sustainable and inclusive mobility systems, with meaningful youth participation in decision-making.
The 2026–2027 edition is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS).
What winning projects receive
Seed funding
Up to 5,500 USD per project. The budget must cover all planned activities, and administrative costs may not exceed 5% of the total.
Technical support
Help to set realistic, SMART objectives and build a full Project Plan covering operational, advocacy and financial goals.
Access to technology
Free access and guidance to a community engagement app to identify and report road safety conditions, plus data reports that show where safety concerns are most frequent.
Mentorship
Connection with experts in areas such as stakeholder and community engagement, communication, advocacy, urbanism, infrastructure, fundraising, and data collection and management.
Partnerships
Access to local networks and potential partners, opening doors for scaling up and long-term sustainability.
This year’s themes
Sustainable, Inclusive and Active Mobility (SIAM) solutions
Integrating walking, cycling and other low-carbon modes of transport into urban mobility systems, reducing dependency on private vehicles and improving road safety for all. Projects should promote equitable access to safe and sustainable transport options that include everyone.
Motorcycle Safety
Motorcyclists, especially young riders, face extreme risks on the road. Projects should promote quality helmet standards and consistent helmet use, advocate for 30 km/h speed limits and traffic-calming measures in high-risk areas, and push for stronger safety regulations.
Safe Street Design
Unsafe streets put everyone at risk, particularly pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users. Projects should use real data evidence to redesign dangerous streets and make them safer for all road users, with pedestrian-first infrastructure, traffic calming and inclusive street transformations.
TIP! Choose only the theme that is most relevant to your project. It shows how clearly you know your project’s strengths.
Which category fits your solution?
Advocacy for policy change
Inform and influence inclusive policy changes by targeting the decision-makers who set laws, regulations and standards. Outcomes could include policy analysis, accessibility audits and recommendations to increase investment in safer, more sustainable and accessible transport.
Community mobilisation & awareness
Bring together a wide range of stakeholders to raise awareness of sustainable mobility and of active, safe and accessible public spaces. Projects can include capacity building, training and awareness campaigns, but must deliver concrete outcomes on specific issues. Projects focused only on education will not be funded.
Improving cities’ infrastructure and public spaces
Redesign urban environments to be more inclusive, accessible and safe, promoting permanent, equitable infrastructure changes in collaboration with local stakeholders.
Innovation, data & technology
Use data and technological tools to drive sustainable mobility solutions. These projects must prove internal technical capacity or partnerships.
TIP! Your project may touch several categories, but select only one primary category that best reflects its scope.
ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES
Projects must be implemented in one of the countries listed above, and there must be an in-country implementing team.
Priority Cities/States:
Mandatory requirements
- Be an official member of the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety, aged 18 to 35. Not a member yet? Register here. it is free to join.
- Implement the project in India, Kenya or Mexico, with an in-country implementing team.
- The project leader must be available for an Onboarding Meeting and the Local Actions Residency Programme. (Residency Programme is hosted for three weeks in January-February 2026, with up to 6 online sessions, estimated 12 hours total time commitment including homework). Other team members are welcome but not required.
- Confirm a partner organisation who will support the project's implementation. The partner must provide a registration certificate and/or Articles of Association in the country where the project takes place, plus a letter confirming its commitment.
Ways to earn extra points
- Implementing the project in one of the priority cities.
- Including certificates from completed YOURS Academy modules.
- Submitting before 5 November 2026, 23:00 CET (early birds).
- Including artistic or cultural elements, such as street interventions, graffiti, videos or competitions.
- Engaging multiple sectors, such as local governments, universities or other organisations.
Mandatory components are non-negotiable.
Key dates
- 15 October 2026 Call for applications opens (deadline 15 November, 23:00 CET)
- 5 November 2026 Early bird submission (extra points)
- 15 November 2026 Final deadline 23:00 CET
- 16 November – 4 December 2026 Evaluation
- 7 – 11 December 2026 Due diligence
- 15 & 16 December 2026 Pitch days
- January 2027 Winners announcement
Ready to apply? Follow these steps
Read the guidelines
Go through all the criteria in the full guidelines and visit the Application Platform for extra instructions.
Design with your team
Make sure it meets every criterion. Applications that don’t follow the guidelines will not be accepted.
Check your local plan
Study your local road safety or sustainable mobility action plan (national or city level) so the project is aligned with what is already being promoted in your area.
Complete in English
All sections of the Application Platform must be filled in English, with all supporting documents uploaded.
Submit by 15 Nov, 23:00 CET
The Application Platform is the only official channel. An automatic confirmation email will arrive after submitting; make sure it reaches you.
Important: Each proposal must involve a team of young people, but it is submitted by one team leader, who is accountable for the next steps. Each applicant can submit one proposal only. If the same proposal is submitted more than once, by the same or different applicants, none of the submissions will be considered.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries can apply this year?
Projects must be implemented in India, Kenya or Mexico, with an in-country implementing team. Projects in Guadalajara, Mexico City, Mombasa, Bengaluru, Maharashtra State, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune receive extra points.
Who can apply?
Official members of the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety aged 18 to 35. Not a member yet? Register here.
Do all team members need to meet the requirements?
The proposal is submitted by one team leader, who must meet the applicant criteria. The team itself must be made up of young people who contribute to the design and implementation of the project.
What support do winning projects receive?
Winning projects receive up to 5,500 USD in seed funding (administrative costs capped at 5%), technical support for project planning, free access and guidance for a community data engagement app, mentorship from experts, and access to local partner networks.
Do I need a partner organisation? Can it be a university?
Yes, a partner organisation is mandatory. It must provide a registration certificate and/or Articles of Association in the country where the project is implemented, and a letter confirming its commitment. Any partner who is officially registered and can provide sufficient project support is eligible -- NGOs, government agencies, enterprises, etc. Universities can also add value as part of a multi-sectoral approach, which earns extra points.
Is support from the local government required?
It is highly recommended. Applicants can include a letter from the relevant city authorities confirming financial and/or in-kind support, along with real contact details to verify it.
Do I need to complete YOURS Academy?
It is not mandatory this year, but certificates from completed YOURS Academy modules earn extra points.
How can I know if I was selected?
After the evaluation, all applicants will be contacted with the status of their application (please check your spam folder as well). If you haven’t received an email by December 22, please email us at coalition@youthforroadsafety.org with the subject “status of my Local Actions 2026 Application”.
Need inspiration for your Local Action?
Not sure where to start? The Local Actions 2026–2027 Guidelines include examples of project ideas across our three themes: Sustainable, Inclusive and Active Mobility (SIAM), Motorcycle Safety, and Safe Street Design.
From safer streets and inclusive mobility to helmet use, speed management and tactical urbanism, these examples can help spark ideas for your own community.
Remember, these are just suggestions! Your project should respond to a real, evidence-based challenge in your community, so feel free to explore creative solutions.
Explore the Local Actions 2026 Guidelines for more inspiration.
How do I submit an application?
Applications must be submitted in English via the official online application platform by November 15, 2026, at 23:00 CET. Each primary applicant/team leader may submit only one project proposal.
Can my project be about education or awareness only?
No. Projects focused on education will not be funded. Community mobilisation and awareness projects are welcome, but they must deliver concrete expected outcomes on specific issues.
Can I choose more than one theme or category?
No. Select only the most relevant theme and one primary category, even if the project touches on others.
How many proposals can one person submit?
One. If the same proposal is submitted more than once, by the same or different applicants, none of the submissions will be considered.
Do proposals need to be in English?
Yes. All sections of the Application Platform must be completed in English.
What is the time commitment if my project is selected?
The project leader must attend an Onboarding Meeting and the Local Actions Residency Programme. (Residency Programme is hosted for three weeks in January-February 2027, with up to 6 online sessions, estimated 12 hours total time commitment including homework). Only the team leader is required for all sessions; other team members are welcome but not required. Projects are then implemented over 10 months, from February to November 2027.
Where do I submit my application?
Only through the Application Platform. Documents sent through other channels will not be considered.
How are projects evaluated?
A team of experts in road safety and sustainable mobility evaluates proposals based on five key areas:
Evidence-based community challenges: Clear identification of a local issue supported by reliable data.
Project scope and feasibility: Alignment with the programme's themes and categories, SMART objectives, realistic budgets, expected outcomes and long-term sustainability.
Local government support: Evidence of financial or in-kind commitment from relevant local authorities.
Alignment with global priorities: Contribution to the Global Plan for Road Safety, the YOURS Strategy 2026–2030 and the Decade of Sustainable Transport Implementation Plan (2026–2035).
Additional approaches: Artistic or cultural components and collaboration with multiple sectors.
The highest-scoring projects will be eligible to pitch their proposals to a jury of experts for final selection.
For detailed scoring criteria, please review the Local Actions 2026 Guidelines.
GET INSPIRED BY PAST LOCAL ACTIONS!
Young people around the world have already turned local road safety and sustainable mobility challenges into meaningful action.
Explore previous Local Actions, discover the projects selected in past editions, and see how youth-led solutions are making a difference in communities worldwide.
