The Zayed Sustainability Prize 2025 stands as one of the world’s most prestigious awards recognizing breakthrough sustainability efforts that address today’s most pressing global challenges. As sustainability becomes increasingly vital to global peace, health, and development, this opportunity offers a significant platform for individuals, organizations, and youth-led institutions to scale impactful projects that drive transformative change.
With a total prize fund of USD 5.9 million, the Prize is awarded annually to outstanding initiatives across six key categories: Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, and Global High Schools. Designed to reward innovation, amplify social impact, and inspire sustainable development values, the Zayed Sustainability Prize continues to nurture visionary solutions that contribute to a more equitable and environmentally sound future.
Launched by the United Arab Emirates in honor of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s legacy of sustainability and humanitarianism, this award encourages applicants worldwide to rise to the challenge of creating meaningful change across sectors and geographies.
Whether you are a social enterprise solving healthcare access, a nonprofit building food resilience, a startup democratizing clean energy, or a high school empowering youth to tackle climate change—this is your opportunity to gain global recognition, funding, and the tools to amplify your mission.
Program Details
Organized By:
Zayed Sustainability Prize, United Arab Emirates
Total Prize Fund:
USD 5.9 million
Awarded Categories and Allocation:
Health: USD 1,000,000
Food: USD 1,000,000
Energy: USD 1,000,000
Water: USD 1,000,000
Climate Action: USD 1,000,000
Global High Schools: USD 900,000
(Up to USD 150,000 awarded to one school from each of six world regions)
Program Location:
United Arab Emirates (Awards Ceremony and related events)
Program Themes or Focus Areas:
Healthcare access and equity
Sustainable agriculture and food security
Renewable energy access and innovation
Water conservation and clean access
Climate resilience and carbon mitigation
Youth-led environmental action in schools
Benefits
Winning the Zayed Sustainability Prize 2025 comes with a host of career-enhancing, impact-deepening benefits:
Full funding support tailored to your project’s development and long-term implementation.
Global visibility and media coverage of your innovation.
Invitation to the prestigious awards ceremony in the UAE, with all travel and accommodation costs covered.
Integration into a global alumni network of sustainability pioneers and Leadership Programs.
Winners enter into a collaboration agreement with Masdar, ensuring continuity and real-world impact for their sustainability solutions.
For Global High Schools, the awarded fund must go directly toward implementing the sustainability proposal, enabling students to address environmental issues in their communities.
Eligibility Criteria
The Zayed Sustainability Prize utilizes a rigorous evaluation model based on three core pillars. Applicants must convincingly demonstrate the following:
Innovation (40%)
Your solution should be either novel or a significant improvement over existing alternatives. It must be practical, technically sound, and economically viable.Impact (30%)
Entries should present clear evidence of positive influence—social, economic, and/or environmental—on intended communities or ecosystems. Projects must demonstrate resilience and measurable outcomes.Inspiration (30%)
Your project must uphold values of sustainability and human development, ideally serving as a model that inspires others to take action or adopt sustainable behaviors.
Additional eligibility conditions:
Organizations and individuals may apply under only one category.
Applications may be submitted in one of seven supported languages: English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and Chinese (Mandarin).
There are no fees associated with submitting an application.
Applicants may apply for up to three consecutive years if previously unsuccessful.
Past winners may not reapply under any category.
How to Apply
The application process for the Zayed Sustainability Prize 2025 is straightforward and inclusive. Follow the step-by-step process below:
Visit the official Zayed Sustainability Prize website to access the online submission portal.
Register or log in to the portal to begin your application.
Select the most suitable category for your solution (Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, or Global High Schools).
Fill in all required sections, including project description, impact data, and inspirational value.
Upload supporting documents, visuals, and media that enhance the quality of your application.
Submit your application before the deadline: June 23, 2025, at 5:00 PM EST.
All entries are rigorously assessed by a multi-tiered jury consisting of industry experts, former heads of state, environmental leaders, and academic researchers.
Application Deadline
June 23, 2025, at 5:00 PM EST
No late applications will be accepted, and all submissions must be complete, including attachments and supporting documentation.
Why This Opportunity Matters
At a time when the world faces mounting sustainability challenges—from food insecurity and health inequity to energy scarcity and climate disruptions—this award catalyzes real-world solutions backed by funding, mentorship, and global exposure. The Zayed Sustainability Prize not only invests in existing innovations but also seeds future transformation by elevating models of sustainable development that inspire.
This opportunity is particularly relevant for:
Nonprofits working on scalable community development programs.
Social enterprises blending profit and purpose through technology and sustainability.
Educational institutions fostering the next generation of sustainability champions.
Startups introducing groundbreaking green technologies in underserved regions.
Youth movements seeking international platforms for recognition and impact.
Previous winners of the Prize have gone on to influence policy, expand operations globally, and build cross-sector collaborations with UN agencies, governments, and major corporations.
By applying, you are joining a global ecosystem that advances the SDGs, amplifies inclusive innovation, and invests in human and planetary well-being.
Final Thoughts
The Zayed Sustainability Prize 2025 represents more than just a financial award—it is a powerful endorsement of your commitment to the planet and its people. Whether you’re scaling a solar microgrid project, improving malnutrition diagnosis tools, recycling wastewater for agriculture, or mobilizing students to take climate action, this is your moment to shine on the global stage.
If you are ready to inspire, innovate, and implement impactful change—this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.
Apply now and be part of a global legacy that defines the future of sustainability.
