Catalyst Fund Application & Eligibility

The Catalyst Fund, developed and managed in partnership with the Aspen Institute, recognizes ventures at critical junctures on their path to creating meaningful change.

Annually, $150,000 is awarded across five to seven recipients. In addition to financial support, recipients benefit from non-monetary support depending on their needs. Benefits may include opportunities at and scholarships to the annual Resnick Aspen Action Forum, leadership or organizational development consulting, coaching, and community building, as well as opportunities for storytelling, visibility, and networking.

Catalyst Fund Eligibility

Applicants are evaluated based on the following criteria:

• You must be a Fellow of the Aspen Institute, with a venture (or Action Pledge) influenced by your Fellowship experience in some way
• Your venture (or Action Pledge) must be operational and poised to continue for the foreseeable future
• You must hold a leadership role, where you have taken decisive action to lead against a societal challenge
• Organizations must prioritize social impact, whether they are nonprofit, for-profit, or hybrid models, and be able to receive grants

To be considered for the Catalyst Fund, you must be invited to apply by the McNulty Foundation. Please consult your Fellowship Director if you are interested.

Submission Guidelines

Eligible applicants will be requested to respond to the following prompts in our application portal.

Problem & Approach

• Describe the critical issue your venture seeks to address. Include relevant context about the communities or systems affected by this issue.
• Describe your venture’s model of change and how it is distinguished from others.

Impact

• Describe the reach, depth, and scale of your impact on your intended beneficiaries, whether individuals, the community, and/or the ecosystem. Include key metrics and outcomes you are tracking, even if in early stages.
• How do you know that the venture has been accepted and embraced by those it benefits?
• How are you poised to grow or deepen your impact, and how will you know when you are successful?

Critical Juncture

Through the Catalyst Fund, we strive to support efforts that are at a critical juncture where visibility, recognition, and financial support will meaningfully advance your venture. Please share your current inflection point, detail any significant momentum, and your vision for the future.

• How would you describe the critical juncture you are at now? What milestones have you achieved to date, and what milestones do you anticipate in the next year?
• Why is now the right time for support and recognition?
• Critical need is a key criterion for the Catalyst Fund—how would funding and/or recognition make a difference for your venture at this specific stage?
• How is the venture funded now, and how do you envision it will be sustained? What is your vision for the future?

Courageous Leadership

The Catalyst Fund, celebrates bold leaders who have leveraged their expertise and platforms to address the world’s toughest challenges.

• What is your title and role in the venture’s achievements?
• How are you uniquely positioned to address this issue - what lived experiences, talents, resources, etc do you bring to this work?
• In what way is leading this effort a stretch for you? How has your leadership journey been influenced by your Aspen experience?

[Optional] Additional Materials

Supporting Materials.

Please upload as a single .doc or .pdf file, that is up to 7 pages letter-sized (8.5 x 11 inches). You are invited but not required to share existing materials demonstrating your record of success. We strongly encourage you to share existing materials. This may include:

• Financial statements, annual reports, impact reports, or other materials to supporters or investors
• Press coverage and other recognition, photos, or pamphlets
• Organizational charts, theory of change, or strategy/program area summaries
• Existing letters of recommendation or testimonials in support of your venture
• Your CV

Short Video

Encouraged, not required—Youtube or Vimeo links accepted

• If you have one, please share an existing video that shows and tells about your venture.
• We are not looking for professional filmmaking but for a visual way to capture the power of the work.

If your venture is more mature, with an effective model for change that’s now focused on scaling, deepening or institutionalizing, you may want to learn more about the McNulty Prize. Follow this link to learn more about the Prize.