Earth on Us Recognized Nationally as 1 of 16 Lead to Change Awardees

August 19, 2026 | National recognition

On August 19, National 4-H Council publicly announced the 2026 May Lead to Change Implementation Grant cohort, recognizing Earth on Us as one of just 16 youth-led projects selected from across the country.

We first shared the exciting news in June after learning that Earth on Us had received a Lead to Change Implementation Grant. This national announcement marks another meaningful milestone, placing Earth on Us alongside youth-led projects from universities and organizations across the United States.

National 4-H shared that it was “incredibly inspired by their ideas and projects to better their communities.” We are honored to be part of this national cohort and grateful for the opportunity to continue expanding Earth on Us through environmental education, hands-on activities, and youth-led community outreach.

Since receiving the grant, we have already begun putting the funding into action by creating and distributing educational materials, supporting outreach at county fairs and community events, and helping more young people engage with practical environmental actions in their own communities.

We are deeply grateful to National 4-H Council and the Lead to Change program for supporting youth-led community projects, as well as to the University of Minnesota Extension 4-H Youth Development team, our mentors, partners, board members, volunteers, and participating 4-H communities for helping make this work possible.

This recognition is an exciting step in the continued growth of Earth on Us, and we look forward to sharing more of what the Lead to Change grant makes possible over the coming year.

See the National 4-H announcement on Instagram