Spaces to connect, learn, and collaborate.

Join Catalyst staff and outside experts for the first of our four-part Fundamentals 101 series covering the “nuts and bolts” of Philanthropy. This series will provide attendees with comprehensive insights into various philanthropic practices, along with opportunities for networking and collaboration. Key Topics Covered: Types of Philanthropy and Foundations: Learn more about the many different … Continue reading Fundamentals Academy Session 1: Trust-Based Philanthropy

So-called immigration enforcement systematically strips wealth from communities, shutters businesses, and destabilizes local economies. Yet, the economic dimensions of this economic violence remain largely invisible. Los Angeles small business owners, entrepreneurs, and workers are feeling this effect firsthand. Local leaders are responding with innovative approaches to capturing economic harm—combining quantitative spatial data on foot traffic … Continue reading Funding the Evidence: Building the Economic Record as a Strategy toward Economic Justice

Join this informative webinar to hear from the Level Up campaign creators and pledge signers who are advancing a new normal in philanthropy. You’ll leave the webinar inspired by those who have already taken the pledge, and with tips for advancing the Level Up pledge commitments both within your institution and across the philanthropic sector. … Continue reading Leveling Up Philanthropy! Join the Campaign Successfully Advancing A New Normal in Philanthropy

Join us in partnership with Impala for a deep-dive training session focused on using data to save time and inform grantmaking strategy. Discover how to analyze your own portfolios, benchmark against peers, and explore key funding trends shaping philanthropy in San Diego and Imperial Counties. During this webinar, you'll learn how to: Uncover funding gaps … Continue reading Catalyst Data Hub and Impala Training Session for Foundations

A complete census count begins with an accurate address database to ensure each person is counted. The Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) process allows states, counties, cities, and tribes to review, update, and improve the Census Bureau’s master address list. This first step is the foundation of the Census, ensuring that everyone receives a … Continue reading Understanding the LUCA Process and How it Impacts an Accurate 2030 Census

Advocacy is a powerful way for funders to extend the impact of their grantmaking. While funding often responds to immediate needs, advocacy helps shape the policy environment that influences long-term outcomes. Used thoughtfully, it allows dollars to go further and supports more durable change. This session introduces advocacy as a practical tool that funders—and their … Continue reading Fundamentals Academy Session 2: Advocacy 101

Join Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties and Impala for a practical training session focused on using the Philanthropy Database and the Catalyst Data Hub to support your fundraising strategy. Discover how to find aligned funders, explore who is funding peer organizations, and use regional data to better understand the philanthropic landscape in San … Continue reading Catalyst Data Hub Training Session for Nonprofits

This gathering in Sacramento will bring together funders from across the state and beyond to reconnect, recharge, and rebuild — with time to strengthen relationships, gain inspiration, and explore philanthropy’s role in shaping California’s future. Why Sacramento? Sacramento is a meeting ground where California’s diverse regions converge — politically, economically, and culturally. It’s a hub … Continue reading Smart Growth California’s 2026 Funder Summit

Join Catalyst’s first 2026 gathering of the Corporate Members Community of Practice, a corporate-only spaces will provide a space to facilitate learning, share best practices, and foster connections among CSR professionals in our region. Our first meeting will include an overview of how corporate funders can utilize our newly launched Catalyst Data Hub, an open-access … Continue reading Corporate Members Community of Practice

In collaboration with Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA), Catalyst members are invited to a community conversation about GIA’s National Conference coming to the San Diego–Tijuana region in October 2027. Join us for an in-person gathering to connect with fellow arts and culture funders and help inform the themes, content, and regional stories that will be … Continue reading Preparing for the GIA 2027 Conference: San Diego–Tijuana Funders Roundtable

As the nonprofit and philanthropic landscapes continue to shift, philanthropic leaders are being called to navigate complex decisions, evolving expectations, and increasing pressure to ensure their structures and practices reflect their values. During this discussion with Marcus Walton, President and CEO at Grantmakers in Effective Organizations (GEO), we will discuss how philanthropic governance and leadership … Continue reading Leadership for This Moment: Member Lunch with GEO’s Marcus Walton

This session offers a timely update on how communities statewide are responding to ICE deployments, with a regional focus on Los Angeles, Orange County, the Inland Empire, and the Central Coast/Ventura. Participants will examine how enforcement patterns, community response, and funding needs have shifted since June of 2025, explore lessons from other regions, and discuss … Continue reading National Lessons, Regional Action: Preparing for ICE Deployments