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What
We Do
Our Manifesto
The world has entered an era of converging crises, and we need a different way of solving problems. Dalberg Catalyst exists to tackle at the root some of the most pressing societal and planetary challenges of our time.
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We take on these challenges with agility and tenacity, doing what it takes to drive transformational change.
We can’t do this alone; we act alongside vision-aligned partners to collectively push for that change.
With humility, we build momentum for bold ideas – through analysis, strategy, co-creation, coalition-building, and advocacy. What we’ve set out to do is hard. But we believe it’s what’s required to bring about the seismic shifts the world needs.
Our Approach
Together, we build momentum for bold ideas.
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Over the past four years, we have co-created more than 20 initiatives across 25+ countries - including several that are global in impact.
Prior to deciding whether to take on a particular problem, we assess its significance, persistence, and whether there is sufficient dynamism for us to try and tackle the root.
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All our initiatives incorporate the following key ingredients:
A seasoned leader-of-leaders with experience orchestrating collective efforts
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A holistic problem-solving approach that considers the entirety of the system.
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Coalitions of mutually accountable changemakers working from a common playbook.
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A foundation of trusted evidence, including perspectives from those closest to the issues
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Our Perspectives
Stanford Social Innovation Review - Funder-owned strategies often reinforce donor-grantee power imbalances and focus on short-term measurable gains, thereby limiting philanthropic impact. Global and systemic challenges can be addressed more effectively with strategies that are collectively owned.
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Illustration by Juan Bernabeu
Our Progress
As we reflect on the 5-year anniversary of our initiative portfolio, our team at Dalberg Catalyst is pleased to share key lessons we’ve learned as practitioners of systems work for societal change. This report synthesizes the five-part learning series we shared on social media in early 2025, presenting insights at each level of our theory
of change.
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If you'd like to learn more, you can also read our previous learning report, which reflected on 4 years of learnings (from 2020-2024).
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Read more here.
