Announcing the 2026 McNulty Prize Catalyst Fund Awardees
April 14, 2026—The McNulty Foundation and Aspen Institute have announced the recipients of the 2026 McNulty Prize Catalyst Fund, an award given annually to support early-stage organizations with innovative and inclusive solutions to critical issues. A total of $120,000 will be awarded to six recipients working in the United States, South American, India, and Nigeria.
“This year's awardees are breaking cycles that have persisted for generations in their communities, and building new ones in their place. They are reimagining a shared future that serves everyone, and giving us a renewed sense of what’s truly possible,” said Anne Welsh McNulty, president of the McNulty Foundation and trustee of the Aspen Institute.
Their work spans making the US healthcare system work for all, restoring glaciers in South America, expanding civic participation for India’s youth, uplifting Black farmers in rural America, reforesting Nigeria, and promoting healing and community in young boys. Together, they are driving change that will endure for generations to come. Join this year’s awardees on April 28 for an intimate dialogue on how they are building new cycles of trust, accountability, and justice across global communities.
Awarded annually to organizations led by leaders in the Aspen Institute network, the Catalyst Fund supports organizations committed to addressing the structural barriers that face communities worldwide. While each organization tackles distinct challenges, they are all responding to this moment with a shared commitment to centering community and deep knowledge from lived experiences, and addressing root causes of suffering and inequality.
Meet the 2026 McNulty Prize Catalyst Fund Awardees:
Thrive Link | United States
Critical healthcare and nutrition programs remain out of reach for thousands of older adults, people with disabilities, immigrants, and those with limited literacy across the US. Entrepreneur, nurse, and attorney Kwamane Liddell (Aspen Global Innovators Group Fellow) is addressing this gap through ThriveLink, a healthcare technology platform that leverages AI to simplify access to social safety net programs and healthcare resources, mobilizing hospitals, health plans, and communities to ensure that no one is left behind.
Glacier Nation | South America
Around the world, glaciers are disappearing, threatening the water systems that sustain more than 1.9 billion people. Environmental conservationist Marcela Fernández Barreneche (Aspen Colombia) is responding to this crisis through Glacier Nation, a global network that restores high-mountain ecosystems and raises awareness of glacier loss. What began in Colombia has grown into a movement active in more than 12 countries, combining ecological restoration, scientific monitoring, and community engagement.
YouthPOWER | India
India is home to the world’s largest youth population, yet opportunity remains deeply unequal across India’s roughly 800 districts, where most young people will live their lives. Civic and thought leader Ruchi Gupta (Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship) is addressing this gap through YouthPOWER, a flagship platform of the Future of India Foundation and India’s only platform that defines youth opportunity, measures it, and makes it actionable by linking local outcomes to elected representatives and district action.
Freedmen Heirs Foundation | United States
In the US, Black farming families face persistent barriers in accessing the economic infrastructure they need to thrive across generations. Recognizing the unique challenges they face, Seanicaa Edwards Herron (Aspen Food Leaders Fellowship) founded Freedmen Heirs Foundation to build the market and financial infrastructure necessary for farmers historically excluded from opportunity to achieve long-term economic resilience and build generational wealth.
200MillionTrees | Nigeria
Across Northern Nigeria, thousands lose their lives to farmer–herder conflict and malnutrition each year. Multidisciplinary leader Dr. Ibraheem Dooba (Africa Leadership Initiative - West Africa) works across technology, education, agriculture, finance, and media to create solutions that benefit both underserved communities and the environment. He is addressing this crisis with 200MillionTrees, a community-driven initiative that restores degraded land, reduces conflict, and improves nutrition through large-scale tree planting.
Journeymen Triangle | United States
Adolescent boys are falling behind in school, withdrawing from relationships, and navigating the passage to adulthood without the mentorship and community they need to thrive. Youth development leader Jordan Bowman (Weave: The Social Fabric Project) is rebuilding that foundation through Journeymen Triangle, which nurtures boys into men of integrity through intergenerational mentoring circles, intentional rites of passage, and communities of belonging that forge emotional maturity, resilience, and purpose.
About the Catalyst Fund
The McNulty Prize Catalyst Fund recognizes promising ventures led by leaders in the Aspen Institute network with significant early momentum and at critical junctures on their path to creating meaningful change. The Fund boosts leaders and their organizations, awarding $120,000 across six recipients, as well as non-monetary support to reach the next level of impact. Launched in 2017, to date, the fund has supported over 40 recipients from around the world. To learn more, register for a virtual event with the 2026 Catalyst Fund Awardees on Tuesday, April 28 from 11:30am to 1:00pm ET.
About the John P. McNulty Foundation
The McNulty Foundation inspires, develops, and drives leaders to solve the critical challenges of their time. Created in 2008 by Anne Welsh McNulty in honor of her late husband, the John P. McNulty Prize is awarded in partnership with the Aspen Institute and has now recognized over 60 visionary leaders for their courage and lasting impact. The McNulty Prize strategically invests at the critical point between proof of concept and global scale, where few other supporters operate, to position leaders and mid-stage ventures for greater impact. The McNulty Prize and Catalyst Fund are given in partnership with the Aspen Institute to recognize exceptional leadership ventures. To learn more: To learn more, visit mcnultyfound.org.
About the Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute, founded in 1949, is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to igniting human potential to foster understanding and create new opportunities for a better world. With headquarters in Washington, D.C.; a campus in Aspen, Colorado; and an international network of partners, the Institute promotes change through dialogue, leadership, and action. To learn more, visit aspeninstitute.org.