Catalyst Now announces 2026 Awards Finalists
Catalyst Now announces 2026 Awards Finalists Championing Trust-Based Philanthropy and Ecosystem-Building
The Catalyst Now Awards recognise funders and philanthropic organisations that go beyond conventional grantmaking to strengthen the relationships, ecosystems and conditions that enable social innovators to advance lasting, systemic change.
This year’s finalists represent a range of approaches to philanthropy, united by a commitment to rethinking the relationship between funding and impact. From field building and meaningful partnerships to more enabling compliance practices and trust-based funding, they demonstrate how funders can help create the conditions for change to take root, connect and endure. Catalyst Now will also honour Gary Lubner with a Special Recognition Award, recognising his leadership and commitment to philanthropy and systemic change.
The 2026 Awards received 72 entries, with finalists selected following a review and due diligence process led by the Awards Committee. The selection recognised organisations whose approaches demonstrate a meaningful contribution to advancing systemic change and rethinking how social innovation is funded and supported. The winners in each category will be announced at the Catalyst Now Awards 2026 ceremony on Thursday 5 November 2026 at Canada House, London.
The 2026 finalists
The finalists are listed alphabetically within each category.
Leader in Field Building: Donors strengthening the ecosystem for systems change by building collective capacity and enabling conditions for social entrepreneurs to thrive.
- Anglo American Foundation
- H&M Foundation
- IDIS
- Social Impact Partners Limited
Leader in Partnership: Donors who address power dynamics, listen to systems change leaders, and simplify support to co-create lasting impact.
- Blood: Water
- Greenwood Place
- Mortenson Family Foundation
Leader in Transformative Compliance: Donors who fund proximate actors’ projects and transform compliance practices, committed to continuous learning.
- Imago Dei Fund
- Livelihood Impact Fund
Leader in Trust: Donors who commit to long-term engagement through multi-year unrestricted funding, relinquishing control.
- KPMG Global Services Delivery platform
- VelezReyes+
The Catalyst Now Awards Committee
- Matthew Bishop, Co-chair
- Sohini Bhattacharya, Co-chair
- Karen Spencer, Committee member 2026
- Okezie Kelechukwu, Committee member 2026
- Salomão Lima, Committee member 2026
Catalyst Now congratulates all the finalists and acknowledges the nominees, jurors, and collaborators whose contributions continue to advance a more connected and collaborative approach to social change.
Learn more about the finalists and the awards process, and join us on Thursday 5 November 2026 at 2:30 PM (GMT) to watch the ceremony live on YouTube.
