CITY OF JACKSONVILLE & THINK BOLD ALL ACCESS PRESENTS
Manatee Tank
A Youth Pitch Competition for Sustainability — pitch your bold idea, win start-up funds, and build something Jacksonville can feel.
- October 24, 2026
- Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens
- Ages 15–24
- $1,000 – $5,000 microgrants
Think Bold Festival & Conference — Bold Mini
Building Bold Ideas — Youth Pitch Development Workshop
Your idea. Your community. Your impact.
This is your chance to learn how to transform your ideas into a winning pitch for Manatee Tank: A Youth Pitch Competition for Sustainability.
- Date
- Saturday, August 29, 2026
- Time
- 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Location
- CB Daily
- 1055 E. 1st Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206
What to expect
- Learn how to turn ideas into action
- Master the art of pitching with confidence
- Collaborate with other young innovators
Who should attend? Ages 15–24
- Middle school students
- High school students
- College students
- Young adults
- Future entrepreneurs
- Creatives
- Environmental advocates
- Community leaders
- Anyone with a bold idea
Part 1 & 2
About Think Bold & Manatee Tank
The Innovation Workshop
This event is an immersive, high-energy experience designed to inspire, educate, and prepare you to become the next generation of environmental innovators and community problem-solvers.
Serving as the official Think Bold Mini experience leading into Manatee Tank: A Youth Pitch Competition for Sustainability, this workshop introduces design thinking, entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, storytelling, and public speaking while empowering you to create bold solutions that address sustainability and resilience challenges throughout Jacksonville.
Rather than simply teaching you how to give a presentation, Think Bold transforms the room into a collaborative innovation lab where ideas are discovered, developed, tested, and elevated. Open your mind, release your innovative thoughts, meet a potential project partner, and get ready to enter the launchpad for the future.
The Competition
The City of Jacksonville, in partnership with Jacksonville University, Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens, and Think Bold All Access, has launched Manatee Tank: Youth Pitch Competition for Sustainability. Funded by the Bloomberg Youth Climate Action Fund, it empowers individuals ages 15–24 — and organizations that serve them — to develop and lead projects that strengthen Jacksonville's sustainability and resilience efforts.
Jacksonville is one of 300 cities worldwide selected for the Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund Program, receiving $50,000–$100,000 in funding and technical assistance.
The initiative combines education, mentorship, and civic engagement through workshops, public information sessions, and project development opportunities. It culminates October 24 at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, where finalists present to a panel of judges — a.k.a. the "Manatees" — for funding and implementation support.
In partnership with
Mark your calendar
Important dates
September 14, 2026
Public Information Webinar #2
Second live info session for applicants.
September 28, 2026
Applications Close
Last day to submit your project application.
October 9, 2026
Finalists Notified
Selected teams are contacted to pitch live.
October 24, 2026
Live Manatee Tank Pitch Competition
Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens.
April 15, 2027
Project Completion Deadline
All funded projects must be finished.
April 22, 2027
Evaluation Summit
Teams report outputs and outcomes.
Pick your lane
Application categories
Trash, Litter Prevention & Community Cleanups
Trees, Gardens, Local Food & Urban Agriculture
Materials, Waste Reduction & Resource Recovery
Wildlife, Habitat & Biodiversity
Water Quality, Conservation & Healthy Waterways
Buildings, Energy Conservation & Efficiency
Environmental Art, Film & Creative Projects
Bikes, Buses, Transportation & Mobility
Extreme Weather, Flooding, Community Resilience & Preparedness
A microgrant project must:
- Be proposed, designed, and led by at least two young people aged 15–24
- Align with the priorities in the Resilient Jacksonville and/or Clean Air NE Florida Regional Plan
- Be completed by Thursday, April 15, 2027
- Operate within a budget of $1,000 – $5,000 using eligible expenses
- Focus on youth leadership and action — equipment and infrastructure costs should not exceed 50% of the budget
Part 3
Project eligibility — all nine must be yes
Every project must meet the minimum eligibility requirements for the Youth Climate Action Fund. Tap each one you can answer yes to — your answers save on this device.
01
Is the applicant an eligible organization?
Eligible organizations are youth-led organizations (youth clubs or groups), youth-serving organizations (adult-led organizations that support young people), and sponsor organizations such as city agencies, educational institutions, museums, or community organizations.
02
Does the entity have formal incorporation or status, a bank account in its name, and the ability to manage the funds?
03
Is the organization a recognized non-profit or charitable entity under local laws (unless a public entity), with clear charitable goals?
Private companies, individuals, and organizations affiliated with political parties are not eligible for microgrants.
04
Is the project youth-led?
Even when administered by youth-serving or other organizations, projects must be proposed, designed, and led by at least two individuals aged 15–24 who actively participate in decision-making and oversight.
05
Is the project aligned with the city's climate action plan or priorities?
06
Will the project be completed by Thursday, April 15, 2027?
07
Does the application include a simple budget showing how funds will be used?
08
Are all of the costs eligible?
09
Do equipment and capital investment for infrastructure improvements represent less than 50% of the project's microgrant budget?
Part 4
Scoring rubric — 100 points
Relevance to Local Climate Action Plan
20 pts- 0–5
- Does not address the city's climate priorities.
- 6–10
- Addresses climate priorities but lacks a clear focus.
- 11–20
- Directly addresses climate priorities with clear focus.
Role of Young People
20 pts- 0–5
- Does not explain young people's role.
- 6–10
- Mentions youth but lacks a clear description of how youth will lead the project.
- 11–20
- Describes clearly how youth will lead the project, including roles and responsibilities.
Innovation
10 pts- 0–3
- Does not come across as new or experimental.
- 4–6
- Has some elements that are new and experimental.
- 7–10
- The project approach is new and experimental.
Feasibility and Planning
20 pts- 0–5
- Does not explain how the project can realistically be completed by April 15, 2027.
- 6–10
- Presents a plan to complete the project by April 15, 2027, but lacks clear focus or has significant risks.
- 11–20
- Presents a clear, realistic plan to complete the project by April 15, 2027.
Budget
10 pts- 0–3
- The budget is not clear.
- 4–6
- The budget raises questions.
- 7–10
- Presents a clear budget.
Impact
20 pts- 0–5
- Lacks explanation about impact.
- 6–10
- Addresses impact but lacks a clear focus.
- 11–20
- Clear explanation of impact with a clear focus. Includes at least one measurable output and one measurable outcome.
Rubric taken directly from City of Jacksonville documents.
Part 4
Example project ideas
| Project | Output (activities) | Outcome (result) |
|---|---|---|
| Organize a series of city park clean-ups | Number of youth-led clean-up events | Number of bags of trash picked up |
| Start a newsletter on city meetings related to sustainability | Number of youth registered for the newsletter | Number of youth attending public city government meetings |
| Create and distribute home rain garden kits at school | Number of rain garden kits distributed | Number of rain gardens planted |
| Start a collaboration to turn food waste into fertilizer pellets | Number of fertilizer pellets created | Number of pounds of food waste repurposed |
Strong pitches include at least one measurable output and one measurable outcome. Put numbers on it.
Part 5
My workbook notes
Use this as your digital notes page during the workshop. Everything you type saves on this device automatically — print it or save it as a PDF when you're done.