A Global Movement of Social Change Innovators
We are NGOs, social enterprises, intermediaries, funders and other social change innovators, collaborating in this urgent moment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We live in a unique era of human progress. Extreme poverty, malnutrition, violence, and infectious disease have plummeted, while life expectancy, literacy rates, and electricity access have soared. Yet, severe inequalities in income, health, education, and representation disadvantage billions around the world. Meanwhile, humanity’s growing ecological footprint is threatening many of the natural systems we all depend on—such as climate, oceans, land, biodiversity, and fresh water—which are nearing irreversible tipping points. These crises often intersect, creating conditions ripe for instability and conflict.
We may be the last generation alive that can act to reverse these trends. Catalyst 2030 believes that collective action and bold, new strategies are needed to address the crises of our time. Joining forces with communities, governments, businesses, and others, Catalyst 2030 members are working toward changing systems at all levels. Cumulatively, members have already impacted the lives of millions, often with limited resources. Together, we envision the realisation of the SDGs for all.
The Goals
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are a comprehensive plan to achieve a better future for all. The Goals provide a blueprint for eliminating extreme poverty, reducing inequalities, rehabilitating our natural environment, ensuring access to justice, improving well-being, and building the global partnerships needed for sustainable development—all by 2030.
According to the Social Progress Index, at the current rate of progress, the SDGs will not be achieved until 2094—64 years after the deadline set by the UN. The effects of this delay will be devastating for billions.
The Challenges
To accelerate progress toward the SDGs, we need to address fundamental challenges in the social change sector. For example, despite the interconnected and global nature of many problems, individual change agents and institutions can only address one or a few at a time within specific regions. Though their systems change interventions need to be scaled to the ‘size of the problem’, there are limited platforms and mechanisms that weave together powerful networks and partnerships. And while many funders of social change mean well, they often needlessly constrain systems change efforts, such as by providing highly restricted support and shying away from risk. We believe that an optimally functioning sector can become a powerful lever of change.
Our Response
We know that achieving the SDGs will require bold transformations, both in the world and within the social change sector. These will need strong civil society, government and business leadership coupled with unprecedented innovation, learning and sharing of best practices across institutions and countries. Catalyst 2030 was launched to trigger these transformations, at the scale and depth demanded by the SDGs. We are self-organising under three pillars:
1. COORDINATE ACTION
Create the strategies, processes and platforms necessary to coordinate social change innovators across sectors and silos
2. FACILITATE SYSTEMS CHANGE
Facilitate systemic change interventions at local-to-global levels, working in partnership with various stakeholders
3. OPTIMISE FUNDING
Equip funders and investors to support holistic systems change interventions, which require flexible support over the long-term
Stay Tuned!
We’re still in our planning and development phase, while pursuing a few early opportunities that have emerged from within the movement. The Catalyst 2030 website is a work-in-progress and will be regularly updated.
If you would like to receive updates, or are curious about anything else, please let us know through the form. We will reply as soon as possible.