Funding

Free · Grant

Program dates

TBA

Fellowship•Remote

Dawn Project Climate & Health Challenge 2026

The Dawn Project

Application Deadline

Closed · July 31, 2026

Reopens ~Jul 2027

Official Page

The Dawn Project is a Nigerian environmental organisation that uses writing, art, music and performance to make climate change feel immediate to young people, and it has run a creative competition every year since 2020. The 2026 edition is the Climate & Health Challenge, built around the theme “Our Climate, Our Health, Our Responsibility: Every Action Matters”, which asks entrants to show how a changing climate affects the air people breathe, the food they eat and the health of the communities they live in. Entries are made online in five categories: writing in three age bands, creative design at any age, and music at any age. Anyone anywhere may enter at any level of skill, and the competition page sets no entry fee. Prizes are cash awards in Nigerian naira, and outstanding work may be featured on major media platforms, with participants recognised as Climate Change Ambassadors. The 2026 round closed on 31 July 2026 and the submission page now states that entries are closed; a 2027 edition has not been announced.

Benefits & funding

  • Writing, ages 7–13: 1st ₦50,000, 2nd ₦30,000, 3rd ₦25,000.
  • Writing, ages 14–17: 1st ₦100,000, 2nd ₦50,000, 3rd ₦25,000.
  • Writing, 18 and over: 1st ₦300,000, 2nd ₦150,000, 3rd ₦100,000.
  • Creative design, all ages: 1st ₦300,000, 2nd ₦150,000, 3rd ₦100,000.
  • Music, all ages: 1st ₦300,000, 2nd ₦150,000, 3rd ₦100,000.
  • Consolation prizes in addition to the placed prizes, and a Lucky Dip draw that early entries are entered into.
  • Winning entries are reviewed by experts and outstanding work may be featured or published on major media platforms.
  • Participants can be recognised as Climate Change Ambassadors; the organisation also runs a separate tiered Green Ambassadors network for sustained youth leadership.
  • Every entrant receives a personalised shareable participation card after submitting.
  • Entry is free; the competition page sets no submission fee. It does not state how prize money is paid or whether payment can be made outside Nigeria.

Eligibility

  • Open to all individuals regardless of background, location or skill level; the competition page states no nationality or residency restriction.
  • No overall age limit. Age bands apply only to the writing categories (7–13, 14–17, 18 and over); creative design and music are open to all ages.
  • No degree, field of study or work experience requirement.
  • Entries must be original, unpublished work created by the entrant.
  • Writing entries must not exceed 200 words and may be an essay or a poem.
  • Creative design entries may be artwork, graphics, illustrations or other designs on the theme; music entries must be a song composed and performed by the entrant.
  • Every entrant must complete the online registration form and accept the competition terms and conditions.
  • Work must be clearly labelled with the entrant’s name, age, school or occupation, and contact email.

Can you apply?

Open to all applicants

No nationality, residency, education, or experience limits are listed.

We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.

Application process

  1. 1
    Go to the competition portal at dawnproject.org and complete the online registration form.
  2. 2
    Choose a category: writing (7–13), writing (14–17), writing (18+), creative design (all ages), or music (all ages).
  3. 3
    Prepare the entry to the category guidelines — 200 words maximum for writing, an original design on the theme, or an original song composed and performed by the entrant.
  4. 4
    Accept the competition terms and conditions.
  5. 5
    Click Submit Your Entry and upload the work through the portal: JPEG or PDF for writing and creative design, MP3 for music.
  6. 6
    Label the file with name, age, school or occupation, and email address.
  7. 7
    Submit before the deadline. Early submissions are entered into the Lucky Dip prize draw.
  8. 8
    After submitting, collect the personalised participation card and share it with the hashtag #DawnProjectClimateHealth. Entries are reviewed confidentially and the organisers contact entrants by email as judging progresses.

Program timeline

  1. Launch date given for the 2026 competition cycle

    Apr 2, 2026

  2. Submission deadline for the 2026 round

    Jul 31, 2026

  3. Judging

    entries reviewed confidentially, entrants contacted by email as judging progresses; no results date published

  4. Next edition

    not announced; the competition has run annually since 2020