Funded by our 1%
ClimateNOW Prize
Every year, we pool at least 1% of every ClimateDAF and fund one climate project we couldn’t fund alone.
What could we build together?
Moonshots win prizes. Advocates win awards. Meanwhile, thousands of practical, unglamorous climate projects sit waiting for funding.
Let’s get those built.
Plug an abandoned oil well
Build artificial beaver dams to restore a watershed
Destroy 1,000 lbs of refrigerant super pollutants
Examples only.These costs and impact estimates are illustrations, loosely based on real-world projects. The cost and impact of any project on the ballot will vary. All photos are royalty-free. No projects have been selected yet.
How it works
Every year, we run a democratic process.
- 1
Experts source, vet, and verify projects
Terraset, a climate nonprofit, invites applications and checks that each project is real, ready to build and won’t happen without this funding.
- 2
We all vote
Each 1% of your DAF you commit is one vote. Built so that $5k and $500k have the same voice.
- 3
We get to be a part of real change together
The pooled commitments fund the winner every year, and each grant includes a before-and-after film.
Voting
$5k and $500k have the same voice.
Each 1% of your DAF you commit is one vote. Commit more, up to 10% a year, and you get more votes.
Votes follow the percentage, not the dollars. Voting opens each winter in your ClimateDAF account; the winner is announced in the spring.
Prize questions.
What kinds of projects can apply?
Specific projects with a clear before and after.
Plugging an abandoned oil well is the model: a defined job, a finish line, and a result we can measure and film. No general operating support, advocacy, or early-stage research. Just clear problems that we collectively solved, for good.
Who decides which projects make the ballot?
Terraset vets every applicant.
Terraset and Carbon Collective will put out a call for applications every year. Any project from around the world is welcome to apply. Terraset then checks that the project is real, ready to start, and won’t happen without this funding. We all vote on the projects that Terraset has vetted.
How does voting work?
One vote for every 1% of your DAF you commit that year.
The minimum is 1%, so every member gets at least one vote. Commit 5%, and you get 5 votes. Votes follow the percentage, not the dollars.
When is the first prize awarded?
Our goal is to award the first ClimateNOW Prize in April 2027.
Our goal is to open voting in the winter and have the winner selected by the spring.
How is the 1% calculated, and when is it taken?
It’s calculated and withdrawn when the award is announced.
Is the 1% an extra tax deduction?
No. You already took the deduction when you added the money to your DAF.
The 1% is a grant from your DAF like any other, so it doesn’t create a new deduction.
Does anyone take a cut of the prize pool?
A small portion.
We reserve a small portion of the prize pool for creating a video about the project. Terraset may also keep a nominal portion of the prize pool to fund its vetting of the applicants.
How will I know the project actually happened?
Every winning project is filmed before and after.
Terraset follows up on the grant, and we share the film and results with every member.
What if I skip the 1% one year?
You won’t lose your account, but we ask every member to commit.
We strongly believe that collective giving is part of what makes ClimateDAF special. We require a commitment to sign up. But if you change your mind, we may be disappointed, but we won’t kick you out.
Who is Terraset?
A climate nonprofit that evaluates and funds climate impact projects.
Terraset has funded 30 projects that removed or avoided 23,000 tons of CO₂e as of Sep 30, 2026. It vets every ClimateNOW Prize applicant and makes the grant to the winning project.
