By Thais Lopez Vogel, VoLo Foundation
Every year, people ask us what Florida Climate Week is about. The answer is simple: It is about people.
It belongs to the communities, organizations, educators, students, local leaders, innovators and everyday Floridians who are taking action to build a stronger, more resilient future.
As we opened applications to host events in FCW 2026, I want to extend a personal invitation: help us shape this experience.
At VoLo Foundation, we serve as the convener of Florida Climate Week. Our role is to create the space and invite people together. What happens next belongs to you.
Looking back at 2025, the strength of this collective effort becomes clear: More than 1,800 participants came together across 83 free events, turning a week into a statewide moment of collaboration, education and solutions.
FCW is not a top-down event. It is a bottom-up movement.
We don’t arrive each year with an agenda. Instead, we open the doors and invite Floridians to bring their ideas, expertise and solutions. The result is something no single organization could ever design on its own.
The climate challenges are diverse, and so are the people working to address them. Some are restoring ecosystems. Others are advancing clean energy, promoting sustainable agriculture, improving public health, educating future generations, strengthening community resilience or developing innovative technologies. Many are simply helping their neighbors understand the issues and become part of the solution.
Floridians come together to learn, connect, share and inspire one another. The conversations are important, as is the sense of community that emerges when people realize they are not working alone.
Florida Climate Week is free and open to everyone because we believe everyone has a role to play in creating a sustainable future.
Today, we are inviting nonprofits, universities, businesses, community groups, local governments and individuals to host an event as part of FCW 2026.
Whether you propose a workshop, panel discussion, community gathering, educational presentation, volunteer activity, field experience, art event or something different, we want to hear from you.
You can host an in-person event anywhere in Florida or contribute a virtual session that will be shared with audiences across the state. You bring the idea; we help shape it.
We do not know exactly what Florida Climate Week 2026 will look like yet, and that is exciting, because it will be shaped by people and organizations who care enough to step forward. It will be built by the communities already doing the work.
For eligible 501(c)(3) organizations, stipends are also available to support participation.
So, if you have expertise, share it. If you have a project, showcase it. If you have a voice, use it.
FCW belongs to all of us, and together we can make this year’s celebration the most dynamic and impactful yet.
We invite you to join us and help write the next chapter.
Welcome to Florida Climate Week 2026.
Thais Lopez Vogel is the cofounder and trustee of VoLo Foundation, a private family organization that exists to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education and improving health. VoLo Foundation is a financial supporter of The Invading Sea. This piece was originally published at https://volofoundation.org/news/florida-climate-week-belongs-to-you/. Banner photo: A beach cleanup that was part of Florida Climate Week 2025 (Photo credit: JC Campos).
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