Giving away
money is easy.
Giving it away
well is hard.
Catalyst Philanthropy is a strategy and innovation consultancy focused exclusively on maximizing the impact of philanthropic giving.
If we want to solve today’s biggest social problems, we need to think outside the box about how philanthropic capital is mobilized. For too long, the onus has been on the charitable sector to do more, measure better, and work collaboratively. For these things to happen, philanthropy can and must deploy funds in ways that incentivize and enable these objectives.
Catalyst Philanthropy offers concrete strategies and solutions for doing philanthropy better.
We are reinventing philanthropy to more effectively solve social problems in three key ways
1:1 Funder Support
Defining priority areas and scale of giving are the first step, not the last. We help philanthropists and foundations develop actionable strategies that are grounded in a thoughtful analysis of an issue’s unique challenges, barriers and opportunities. We also provide fractional, expert leadership and administration services to deploy and oversee your giving.
Field Capacity-Building
There are a plethora of ideas out there that can influence Canada’s approach to philanthropic giving for the better. We provide curated learning opportunities for philanthropists and foundation staff to advance their practice and inform their funding approaches, with a focus on intermediate and advanced level content.
New Structures & Vehicles
Canada is in dire need of mechanisms that will more effectively direct philanthropic capital to the solving of social problems. We are developing new funding models that will enable philanthropists to direct their giving towards issue areas and solutions (rather than the activities of individual organizations) with a focus on collaborative approaches. We also provide intermediary services to support outreach to and alignment-finding with equity-deserving groups.
Do you believe that philanthropic legacies should be defined not by the amount of money we give, but by the impact we create? Then let’s talk.
Vani Jain
Founder & CEO
Vani is a dedicated and experienced leader with a passion for systems change. Throughout her work in education, mental health, corporate social responsibility and philanthropy, the key thread in Vani’s career is a true passion for meaningful, long-lasting social impact. Vani has a wealth of experience designing philanthropic strategies, first as a Program Director at the McConnell Foundation and most recently as the Founding Executive Director of the Michael McCain family’s Daymark Foundation. She is well-known in the philanthropic and social impact sectors as a leader, changemaker, and trusted partner