System Catalysts

Even if you call yourself a system catalyst or aspire to be one, the political system can feel out of reach. But, if you manage to change policies, you can improve the lives of people by the thousands or even millions.  For Graham Boyd, that meant legalizing cannabis to support people of color who are disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. His organization, New Approach PAC, has bee...

Morgan Dixon and her best friend Vanessa Garrison wanted to fix a systemic issue: Black women getting sicker and dying younger due to centuries of racial injustice. But they didn’t go straight to the healthcare system or to the many institutions plagued by systemic racism. Instead, they convinced their community to walk everyday together. Today, GirlTrek is the largest social movement for Black wo...

Apart from your leadership, your donors and board members can also make or break your organization. But nonprofits often don’t know how to best collaborate with them. Ellen Agler, CEO of the END Fund, recognizes that everyone must be part of the solution when tackling ambitious goals. In her case, to end neglected tropical diseases in Asia and Africa. In today’s episode, we’ll learn how involving...

Philanthropy and the private sector haven’t always known how to work together. But today, investors are becoming more concerned about social and environmental impact.  Gary White, CEO of the nonprofit Water.org and the asset manager WaterEquity, seized this opportunity. His organizations have provided access to safe water and sanitation to over 55 million people around the world.  Today...

Implementing government policies and programs that address community needs is essential for systems change. But often, governments don’t have enough funding or reach to make this a reality.  At Community Health Partnership, they see philanthropy as a tugboat to the large vessel of government. CHAP is helping make New Jersey the safest place to deliver a baby .  In today’s episode, we’ll...

To truly change a system, you must know how to work at a grassroots level, as well as with powerful people in government. Cookie Edwards, the Executive Director of The KwaZulu-Natal Network, works to ensure the government in South Africa listens to the needs of communities plagued by gender based violence. In today’s episode we’ll learn how to connect community, philanthropy and government to crea...

Just like scientists sharing research in their quest to solve a complex question, nonprofits tackling the same social issue can benefit from sharing their data. Rosanne Haggerty, President of Community Solutions, has dedicated her entire career to getting people out of homelessness. But it wasn’t until she brought organizations together to share information that she was able to make a dent in solv...

Imagine what we could achieve if every leader encouraged others to become trailblazers in their own communities. Teach for All is a global network of over 60 independent organizations that recruit outstanding graduates who commit at least two years to teach in marginalized communities. Today, through the lens of education, we explore how investing in leadership can accelerate impact.  Featuri...

Collaboration among organizations in the social sector is not as common as one might think, partly because nonprofits often compete for funding. But this week’s story reveals that systemic issues — including slavery — can only be solved through collective action. As a global catalyst, The Freedom Fund has been identifying, supporting and unifying clusters of frontline organizations to combat slave...

Systems change can happen through networks, but it isn’t as straightforward as organizing a group of people with shared values.  When Daniella Ballou-Aares witnessed American democratic values deteriorating, she gathered a group of concerned business and thought leaders to launch the Leadership Now Project. In today’s episode we talk about the power of leveraging networks to reach one’s goals...

When you are born with privilege, there’s a depth of cultural understanding that you can only gain from people who live the issue you’re trying to solve.  When Curt Ellis co-founded FoodCorps almost 15 years ago, he quickly realized that only parachuting AmeriCorp members to underserved communities wasn’t quite right. Today, FoodCorps recruits a majority of people within the communities they...

If you’ve ever put your heart and soul into anything, the thought of losing control over what you’ve created is scary. But when Henry Timms and Asha Curran launched Giving Tuesday, they knew that allowing their idea to grow in the hands of others could be immensely powerful. In 2022 alone, Giving Tuesday raised a record breaking $3.1 Billion dollars in 24 hours. Today, Asha and Henry reveal the st...

Let’s face it: We can’t fix the world alone. There is a new, catalytic approach to solving the world’s toughest problems — one that is grittier, more collaborative and less reliant on a single charismatic leader or silver bullet solution. On System Catalysts, you will hear and learn from activists, philanthropists, and change makers who are bringing more inclusive, connective, system level solutio...