Bright Spots: Highlights from Catalyst’s 2025 Annual Conference

Our 2025 annual conference, Bright Spots: Igniting Change, Together, brought Catalyst’s community of funders, partners, and changemakers to the ARTS campus in National City for a day of connection, learning, and celebration. Together, we explored the bright spots of our region: the people and ideas sparking creativity, collaboration, and progress in philanthropy.

You can see all of the highlights of the day in our photo gallery here and get a feel for the day with our video recap here. 

From the first note of local musician Alfred Enano to the Kumeyaay blessing that grounded the room, the day began full of energy, curiosity, and a sense of shared purpose. When Mua Sotoa Solia (Aunty Kiki) led the Tapou Samoa Dancers in a celebration of Samoan culture and tradition, the room pulsed with rhythm, history, and the enduring strength of community. Her words set the tone for the day: 

“Hold your fire so that you may warm others” – Aunty Kiki

We celebrated the 2025 Nancy Jamison Fund for Social Justice (NJFSJ) honorees, Ramah Awad and Pedro Rios, through original video features, and officially launched the 2026 cycle of the Nancy Jamison Fund for Social Justice. With $50,000 in unrestricted funding awarded to two leaders advancing racial equity in San Diego County, the fund continues to spotlight transformative work in our region. Nominations are open now open, so make sure to nominate a leader you believe in here before December 31.

Brenda Solórzano, President and CEO of The California Endowment, set the tone as our Grounding Speaker. She invited us to reimagine philanthropy, shifting from the idea of “philanthropists” to givers, centering humanity and relationships over reporting requirements. 

“When we change the conversation to center community and center humanity, there is no limit to what we can inspire.” – Brenda Solórzano 

Our panelists reinforced this approach. Lorenza Fabre Vega urged funders to show up in communities without creating extra burdens for nonprofit staff, while Nyisha Green-Washington reminded us: 

“Stop gatekeeping. We don’t need saviors and we know what we need to do.” – Nyisha Green-Washington 

The conversation highlighted that philanthropy is a practice of trust, collaboration, and seeing community organizers as equal partners. 

Lunch on the outdoor ARTS patio was as nourishing for the mind as for the body. Participants enjoyed fresh cuisine provided by UPAC Neighborhood Enterprise Center, while exploring art created by ARTS youth program participants. A curated local vendor market and a guided walking tour through National City added layers of discovery, from basketball court murals by Allan Manzano to large-scale butterfly sculptures created with the San Diego Museum of Art’s Open Spaces program. 

The afternoon sessions dove into how philanthropy can create impact beyond dollars, highlighting partnerships, trust, and sustainable support. 

• Igniting Change Beyond the Dollars: Funders and grantees explored the “Five T’s” (time, talent, treasure, testimony, ties). Lucy Eagleson of ARTS shared how flexible funding allowed rapid community response and staff well-being initiatives. Susan Nasland of Good Shepherd Ministries highlighted a collaborative, self-led place-based project funded in partnership with Kinship Fund. Panelists encouraged funders to remain open to what nonprofit partners need in real time by asking: what relationships and opportunities do you need to thrive? 

• The Power of Partnerships: Sarah Lyman of Alliance Healthcare Foundation and Roque Barros of Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation shared a $7.5 million asset transfer that redefined trust-based philanthropy in the Imperial Valley. Barros described it as “delight-based” philanthropy, built on friendship and mutual support rather than a funder/grantee hierarchy. 

• Fueling the Fire to Prevent Burnout: Samuel Tsoi of The Nonprofit Institute and Loretta Turner of Do Good Leadership Collective reminded funders that people, not budgets, drive change. They shared actionable solutions, like long-haul grants, sabbaticals, four-day workweeks, wellness coverage, and competitive pay, to ensure nonprofit staff are supported and sustainable. 

The day ended creatively with artist Sew Loka (Claudia Rodríguez-Biezunski) leading participants in a massive weaving project. Each strip of fabric represented individual contributions, which together formed a tapestry of our shared bright spots, and is now on display at National City’s Kimball Community Center. Ballet Folklorico San Diego Dance Company closed the day with a lively celebration of Mexican tradition, leaving participants inspired and energized. 

Bright Spots invited us to look toward what’s working for inspiration and to celebrate the sparks of creativity, care, and collaboration that are moving our communities forward. 

Thank you to the artists, leaders, and funders who made the day come to life, including our Headliner Sponsors Prebys Foundation and JP Morgan Chase, the ARTS team, and the City of National City.  

In the words of Aunty Kiki, may we all ”hold your fire so that you may warm others.” Together, we can keep that warmth shining across our region.