Hear from C3 partners, grantees, and the broader community of practice about how catalytic capital is fueling transformative work. For more catalytic capital news visit the Catalytic Capital Beat at ImpactAlpha.
In a recent piece for Impact Alpha, Ceniarth outlines the five levers of its impact-first deals and points to recent investments as examples. “There are rarely free lunches or win-wins,” write Diane Isenberg and Greg […]
Beating the Drum for Impact-First Investing, Ceniarth Shares its Catalytic Dealmaking Read More »
As a companion to a recent report, C3 teamed up with All for Impact and AVPA for a webinar about the need for, and experience with, catalytic capital for SMEs in Africa. The conversation includes
Webinar: How to Unlock Catalytic Capital for African SMEs Read More »
In a new podcast from Women Changing Finance, C3’s Urmi Sengupta discusses the importance of catalytic capital, including how it attracts even more financing for climate justice, place-based investing and small business development. She also
Women Changing Finance: Exploring Catalytic Capital with Urmi Sengupta Read More »
Grant Guidance With this call, the C3 Grantmaking program seeks to support practical, action-oriented solutions that address persistent, field-wide challenges in both the supply and deployment of catalytic capital across sectors and geographies. The goal
2026 Grant Call: Accelerating Supply & Deployment Read More »
Toniic reports on a recent gathering of impact investors working to move beyond the theory of collaboration and tackle practical barriers. “The path forward requires building on this momentum,” Toniic wrote of its event, which
Trust and Courage: Unlocking Collaboration for Catalytic Capital Read More »
What does it take to make SME finance work across emerging markets, and in Africa in particular? In a guest article for Next Billion, researchers from Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P) and Triple Jump discuss what
Backing First-Time SME Finance Vehicles in Emerging Markets Read More »
Catalytic capital is “the means by which rural African entrepreneurs, often operating in fragmented markets and overlooked by conventional investors, can become more resilient,” writes Small Foundation’s Karina Wong, in ImpactAlpha. “Many constraints in rural
Why Catalytic Capital Matters Now Read More »
Capital gaps are often viewed in simple terms as a shortage of money. But, as Prime Coalition’s Anna Goldstein and Alban Yau write in ImpactAlpha, scarcity is rarely the whole story. “A deeper challenge often
Catalytic Capital Is a Surgical Tool to Fill Capital Gaps Read More »
“As with any overlooked and under-capitalized opportunity set, there are both rational and structural reasons why more capital isn’t flowing to support transitions to employee ownership,” writes Margot Kane, chief investment officer at Spring Point
Overcoming the Mindset Barriers that Keep Investors Away from Employee Ownership Read More »
“As the largest generational transfer of business assets in U.S. history unfolds, with more than $10 trillion expected to change hands as baby boomers retire, millions of small and mid-sized businesses employing tens of millions
Catalytic Capital Can Do More Than Fill Gaps—It Can Reshape Our Economic System Read More »
“To stand up its strategy to unlock rooftop solar financing for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises in India, New York-based Encourage Capital has found that, in addition to investing, it had to build lender capabilities,
A Case Study in Unlocking Lending to Small Businesses to Accelerate Solar in India Read More »
In Impact Alpha, One Acre Fund’s Clémence Michelsen and Brian Heese outline the impact of catalytic capital on the organization’s efforts to close the financing gap facing smallholder farmers in Africa. One Acre Fund is
We asked some of our partners what is energizing their participation in C3 and how they view the role of catalytic capital in an increasingly uncertain world. The Lemelson Foundation points to the “urgent need
In Their Own Words: The Lemelson Foundation Read More »
As part of a series of comments from C3 funding partners, Blue Haven Initiative explains its support for C3 and for field-building, while also pointing to opportunities for impact investors, particularly family offices, to support
In Their Own Words: Blue Haven Initiative Read More »
In the third of a series of comments from some of C3’s newest partners, Builders Vision offers insight on C3 and what is needed from impact investors at this moment. Why join C3? At Builders
In Their Own Words: Builders Vision Read More »
In the second of a series of comments from some of C3’s newest partners, Soros Economic Development Fund offers insight on C3 and on what is needed from impact investors at this moment. Why join
In Their Own Words: Soros Economic Development Fund Read More »
2025 has presented a new set of challenges (and opportunities) for investors, fund managers and organizations focused on impact. We asked some of C3’s newest partners to offer their insight on how impact investors should
In Their Own Words: Small Foundation Read More »
The Soros Economic Development Fund (SEDF) is the latest funder to add its support to the Catalytic Capital Consortium (C3). SEDF joins 10 other philanthropic investors that are helping C3 strengthen the global community of
SEDF Joins C3 Funding Cohort Read More »
C3 recently sat down with Priya Krishnamoorthy, founder and CEO of 200 Million Artisans, to talk about how catalytic capital is helping grow the handmade sector in India. She notes that lessons learned in India
Growing India’s Handmade Sector and Beyond: A Q&A with 200M Artisans Read More »
Three new funders have joined the Catalytic Capital Consortium (C3) to accelerate momentum around the building of a stronger community of practice for the field of catalytic capital. The Ford Foundation, the Sorenson Impact Foundation,
New Funders Join C3 Read More »
The Catalytic Capital Consortium (C3) is moving forward with a new chapter of work to expand the flow of catalytic capital for funds, initiatives, and enterprises addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. We are doubling
A recent episode of the Money + Meaning podcast features a conversation with several C3 partners discussing the initiative’s progress and future plans for building the field of catalytic capital. Participants include Urmi Sengupta (MacArthur
A Call for Catalytic Capital to Bridge Impact Funding Gaps Read More »
Writing in Impact Alpha, C3’s Urmi Sengupta takes a look at the future of the initiative, pointing to early indicators of success and detailing how new funders are helping extend C3’s work. “A strong catalytic
Harnessing global momentum for catalytic capital Read More »
CHICAGO (October 24, 2024)—Leaders of the Catalytic Capital Consortium (C3) today announced the next chapter of the C3 Grantmaking initiative: the extension of a collaborative program working to build the catalytic capital community and increase
Six New Partners Join the Catalytic Capital Consortium Read More »
Banner Photo: SME workshop/courtesy of Ashesi University.
