Catalyst Annual Conference 2022

Throughout the day, attendees will have two opportunities to break out into smaller groups to dive deeper into the topics below:  

MORNING SESSION

11:00AM – 12:15PM

Topical Session: Political determinants of health and supporting people’s fight for the right to thrive

Description: If “health” conjures images of sterile rooms, fluorescent lights, and waiting in doctors’ offices, this session is for you. Join the conversation to get energized by a new definition of health that takes into account all the elements of a person’s life that impact their health and how they can have a hand in improving those conditions. In particular, we will discuss civic engagement – voting, volunteering, social organizing – as essential, not only for the health of democracy but for the health of all people. You will gain insight into health-centered community engagement strategies and the key role of advocacy and cross-sector collaboration in demanding resources for disinvested communities.  

Skills Session: Data as a path towards illumination, inspiration, and accountability

Description: Data is a vital part of the funding journey: we want to see proof that our impact is working. However, are there blind spots or poorly lit areas in the collective understanding we have of our own sector? How do the questions we ask ourselves as funders differ from those we ask of grantees and why? One of data’s greatest uses should be as a tool to empower and enlighten. Data can augment our work by helping us build relationships and a more thorough and transparent accounting of how our grantmaking and investments are supporting community-led work. This session explores how funders can build trust and shared value, while also meeting accountability needs when discussing data and metrics with community partners. We’ll see a concrete example of co-designed data collection and how it was used to show and build impact, and discuss how your work could incorporate these concepts.  

AFTERNOON SESSION

1:45 PM – 3:00 PM

Topical Session: Sustaining social change: A thriving ecosystem of land, communities, economies, and organizations

Description: What does sustainability mean to you? Recognizing the connectivity of people and place, this session will explore opportunities to move beyond the notion that sustainability is solely in relation to our environment and the structures and systems we create and perpetuate. How do we move towards stronger relational and regenerative strategies for community health, wealth, and prosperity? Speakers will describe how they have approached a balanced and more equitable conception of sustainability that includes community ownership of land and property, investing in the skills and wellness of people, and what funding looks like in these situations.  

Skills Session: Unlocking the power of transformative narrative change

Description: Oppressive systems and structures continue to exist, not only through policy and politics, but through the power of language, symbols, and culture. Through the power to define and control narratives, public perceptions and norms are created that shape both how we think and how communities are viewed, treated, and funded. Changing these narratives requires altering not just words but attitudes, perspectives, and behavior – and that takes time. The work of social change happens within, and is influenced by, the stories people tell about themselves, their strengths, and their communities. This session seeks to impart the idea that funding work in narrative change is an essential element for social change. It will also require us to rethink our assumptions and understandings about narrative and cultural change to explore how funders can help build a new story that supports our diverse and thriving region.