About C3

C3 is an investment, learning, and market development initiative to promote greater and more effective use of catalytic capital and enable a more just, equitable, and resilient world.

Our Goal

The Catalytic Capital Consortium (C3) is a collaborative effort launched in 2019 to increase the knowledge, awareness, and use of catalytic capital–a vital form of impact investing that accepts disproportionate risk and/or concessionary returns relative to a conventional investment in order to generate positive impact and enable third-party investment that otherwise would not be possible.
Through both grantmaking and investing programs, C3 is demonstrating the power of catalytic capital as synergistic with other forms of investing across the full continuum of capital (including commercial rates of return) to safeguard the environment, support those most in need, and ultimately to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

C3’s founding Strategic Partners—the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, and the Omidyar Network— jointly funded $10 million in grantmaking to support these aims. MacArthur also made investments totaling more than $123 million to advance the C3 initiative.

C3 is now embarking on its next chapter, partnering with six new impact investment leaders to expand the global catalytic capital community and fuel increased investments to advance the  SDGs. In addition to ongoing support from MacArthur, new funders include Blue Haven Initiative, Builders Vision, Ceniarth, The Lemelson Foundation, Small Foundation, and Walton Family Foundation.

What is Catalytic Capital?

Grantmaking

Supporting field-building work. Funding helps to answer critical questions about the scope of the need for catalytic capital, identify when and how catalytic capital can be most effective, and demonstrate what tools and practices are needed, all in service of building a robust community of practice.

Grantmaking Approach

Investing

Deploying capital to funds and initiatives that demonstrate a powerful use of catalytic capital. Investments are meant to reduce risk, build track records, increase the scale of promising fund managers and set the stage for other investors to participate. The MacArthur Foundation has provided financing for C3-related investments.

Investment Field Partnerships

C3 Funding Partners

Below are the past and new funders of the C3 Grantmaking Program. C3 Grantmaking is housed at and administered by the New Venture Fund (NVF).

Grantmaking Leadership

 A project advisory board and program officer provide oversight and leadership for C3 Grantmaking. MacArthur Foundation’s impact investment team manages investments in impact funds, organizations and initiatives that advance the C3 initiative.

Stacy Xiao

Program Officer, Grantmaking

Stacy leads implementation of C3 Grantmaking’s main approaches: strengthening the evidence base for catalytic capital; advancing practice in the field and working with impact investing networks; and fostering solutions and infrastructure. Contact her at stacy.xiao@newventurefund.org.

Banner Photo: Young Leaders of the Americas fellows/courtesy of Agora Partnerships.

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