YOUNG Act of 2025

This bill creates a federal grant program to help young people study local plants and animals using modern tools, and to learn about these technologies along the way. The Secretary of Commerce would run the program with help from the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and could offer both funding and technical support to groups running youth biodiversity projects.

Grant money could pay for things like supplies, bus rides for participants, community outreach, and needed collection licenses or permits. Projects that focus on underserved communities would get priority. Within two years of becoming law, the agency must report to Congress on who got grants, how much they received, how the money was used, and how many young people took part. The bill also authorizes $1,000,000 each year for fiscal years 2026 through 2032 to run the program.

• Who is affected: Youth and students; organizations running youth biodiversity monitoring projects; underserved communities get priority.
• What changes: New federal grants and technical help for youth projects that monitor biodiversity and teach advanced technologies. Funds can cover supplies, transportation, outreach, and permits.
• When: Funding is authorized for 2026–2032, and a report is due within two years of enactment.