The Catalyst Digital Collaborative aims to harness the power of digital solutions to enhance collaboration, evidence impact, and facilitate financing within the Catalyst Now movement. By adopting an open and collaborative approach, leveraging existing solutions, and integrating them effectively, Catalyst Now can accelerate systemic change and achieve its goals more efficiently.

The Disasters Group aims to empower local communities and scale the GARRD model by Goonj. This cross-sectoral alliance brings together diverse entities for a coordinated, collaborative, and transformative approach to disaster response. Natural disasters are occurring with increasing frequency and severity due to climate change and conflict. And then there is the impact of conflicts on people and the consequences of mass migration. Disasters are generally predictable (if not exactly in scale and timing) and yet they are not well planned and the resources for recovery are constrained. All too often, the international response is late and insufficient for the needs of the people affected; with global funding pressures this situation will only get worse. The world understands that current methods are not effective and channelling more support locally is the way to go… the ‘localisation’ agenda. But little progress has been made. Our analysis shows this is due to lack of trust in the governance of localisation. The Catalyst Now Disasters Group has been working to mobilise social entrepreneurs to design a systemic change based on the vision and mission to: ‘Make Local Central’. The aim is to empower and equip local communities to increase their resilience and take control of their responses to disasters through education, systems, networks and processes. We have a pilot project outline based on East Africa and combining disaster management with a focus on improving agriculture and livelihoods and mobilising communities to be disaster resilient. We are looking for funding to implement and demonstrate our vision.

Esta colaboración tiene como propósito conocer y compartir experiencias sobre los modelos de economía circular que hay en la región, así como buscar abrir espacios para la visibilización de las iniciativas a nivel internacional. La colaboración está activa y está buscando incorporar nuevos liderazgos, La dirección la ha llevado la miembro colombiana Ana María Botero, pero ahora se está incorporando también como co-líder, el venezolano Jhon Esteban de proyecto Cardumen. La colaboración mantiene activo un grupo de whatsapp con más de 40 miembros. Se acepta la incorporación de nuevos miembros. El manejo del castellano es importante para participar. Link al Whatsapp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CKDO8X7BsHvJiC4IL8c6rd Description: This collaboration aims to share experiences related to circular economy models across the region and to promote international visibility for these initiatives. It is currently active, open to new members, and prioritizes Spanish as the common working language. The collaboration has been led by Ana María Botero (Colombia), and recently Jhon Esteban from the Cardumen project (Venezuela) has joined as co-leader. The group stays connected through a WhatsApp chat with over 40 members. WhatsApp link: Join here

Objetivo: Intercambiar experiencias y modelos educativos en la región, y conectar con otras redes de colaboración en el ámbito educativo. La colaboración se mantiene activa y se fortalece con nuevos co-chairs que, junto a Mauricio Canedo, están diseñando una estrategia renovada. Se han sumado David Caballero (México), Jhon David (Colombia) y Mauricio Parilli (Venezuela). Actualmente, el equipo trabaja en la creación del “Laboratorio de Transformación Educativa”, con el fin de atraer nuevos participantes y establecer alianzas estratégicas, como con el programa Escuelas Transformadoras de Ashoka. El grupo tiene un whatsapp con 38 participantes; Pueden unirse al grupo en este link:: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LTWCWZRGcUq31Pb0eRYiB9 Objective: To exchange educational models and experiences across the region, and to connect with other collaboration networks in the education field. The education collaboration remains active and is being strengthened through the involvement of new co-chairs who, alongside Mauricio Canedo, are co-designing a renewed strategy. New co-chairs include David Caballero (Mexico), Jhon David (Colombia), and Mauricio Parilli (Venezuela). The team is currently developing the "Educational Transformation Lab" to attract new participants and build strategic alliances, such as with Ashoka’s Changemaker Schools program. The group has a WhatsApp chat with 38 participants. You can join the group through this link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LTWCWZRGcUq31Pb0eRYiB9

The goal of this collaboration is to transform existing systems of education globally, with proven solutions from social entreprenuers. The collaboration has published a report, Pathways to Transforming Education: https://catalystnow.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Pathways-to-Transforming-Education-Catalyst-2030.pdf

This collaborative initiative empowers African women in rural areas through regenerative agriculture, climate-smart farming, and water harvesting technologies. By providing access to resources, training, and visibility, we enhance their ability to contribute to food security and economic empowerment. Our focus on climate-resilient crops, like beans, supports sustainable agricultural practices while improving household incomes. Through market access and financial support, we are building a future where African women lead in agricultural innovation and climate change solutions.

The Faith-Based Innovation Collaboration is an initiative that aims to bring together faith leaders and organisations working at the intersection of faith and social impact. Recognizing that 85% of the global population identifies with a religion, we acknowledge the influence that faith leaders have in their communities. This interfaith initiative aims to bring together faith leaders, practitioners, and changemakers from religious institutions, Social Enterprises, NGOs, Civil Societies, Universities, and beyond, to co-create solutions that serve both people and the planet by bridging faith and social enterprise, fostering interfaith collaboration, and building a network of allies committed to faith-driven innovation and long-term transformation in Africa and beyond. We are also inviting faith leaders to join us to form a Board and Advisory Council to help guide this collaboration and ensure long-term positive impact.

The Fashion Waste Stream Group is creating a toolkit for young leaders, educators, and business professionals to learn about sustainability, circular economy, and its application to fashion waste. Catalyst Now Fashion Waste Stream Group is actively developing a toolkit. Our toolkit is developed for young leaders, educators and business professionals who want to learn more about sustainability, the circular economy, and how it applies to fashion waste. Joining this group will give you a voice in the development of the toolkit. We have made some headway and are working towards a prototype, but there is still much to do. We are approving members who not only have passion, but the commitment to support the project to completion. Would you like to join?

A community of thought and practice leaders who are advancing the field of financing systemic transformations.

Montarmos juntos uma jornada de aprendizado para os membros sobre o uso de IAG para uniformizar o conhecimento e potencializar o Impacto Socioambiental. AÇÕES PROGRAMADAS INICIALMENTE: Trilha de Conhecimento em AI Generativa ⁠Lançamento do estudo da EY com a versão em português. ⁠Demais ações serão definidas pela FT

O objetivo desta colaboração é unir forças para buscar, em conjunto, oportunidades de financiamento tanto no Brasil quanto no exterior. A iniciativa surgiu a partir de uma tentativa coletiva de candidatura ao edital “Families at Heart of Change”. Embora o recurso não tenha sido conquistado, o processo abriu espaço para conversas valiosas e deu início a um movimento de colaboração que segue se fortalecendo.

This collaboration explores the use of game-based learning (GBL) to enhance student engagement and skills. It aims to identify effective GBL models, investigate student preferences, and transform schools into game-based environments. Game-based learning has gained attention as an innovative educational approach that can engage and motivate children and enhance their learning experiences. In this context, there is a need to research and explore students’ choices in GBL and use that data to transform the school ecosystem into a ‘Game-based School’ This participatory action research aims to identify exemplary game-based learning models and investigate students’ diverse needs and interests in utilizing game-based learning in schools’ curricula, pedagogy and developing skills, values, and attitudes. We welcome anyone who would like to contribute their skills and knowledge in: pedagogy and practice; data collection and research; data analysis; grant-writing and fundraising; conducting case-studies, or in our exploration on if and how GBL should be used more widely in schools.