Catalyst Now Awards 2026 Donors Nomination Form

Call for Catalyst Now Awards 2026 Nominations

The collaboration between social innovators and donors remains limited, posing a barrier to systemic change. Yet, some donors are driving transformation, and that’s why the Catalyst Now Awards celebrate those fostering this partnership, highlighting best practices and reshaping how social impact is funded.

The fifth edition of the Catalyst Now Awards will be held in December 2026 at Canada House in London. We need your help to identify those who are transforming the ecosystem. Nominate philanthropists, family foundations, corporations, impact investment funds, international cooperation agencies, venture philanthropy initiatives, family offices, or any other donor organization that deserves recognition.

Learn more at catalystnow.net/awards/

About the Award
This award recognizes organizations that have contributed funding, resources, or strategic support to advance systems change, whether through direct donations, project facilitation, or transformative partnerships.

Donor Award Sub-Categories:

Leader in Trust
Leader in Partnership
Leader in Field Building

Awards Criteria
The evaluation criteria are based on the collective expertise of Catalyst Now members and aligned with the recommendations from our reports: Embracing Complexity, Catalysing Collaborations, New Allies, and An Investigation into Financing Transformation. Each category also includes specific criteria, and all decisions adhere to our General Ethical Framework and Awards Criteria.

Before starting with the nomination, please be aware that:

Non-members of Catalyst Now can nominate a donor, but non-members cannot take part in any other decisions, which remain exclusive to Catalyst Now members.
Catalyst Now Awards Committee chooses the finalists.
Catalyst Now members are not eligible.
This award is only open to donors (including corporate foundations, philanthropists, institutional donors, and family businesses) who have been working closely with social Innovators, towards the SDGs and systems change.
Catalyst Now Awards winners from previous editions may not be renominated. However, the Awards finalists are eligible.
Your nominee should be aligned with Catalyst Now's values.
Your nominee should treat social Innovators with respect, encourage diversity, promote collaboration, and support systems change.
You do not have to submit nominations for every category.
You may submit more than one nomination per category.
Your nomination cannot be processed unless all the questions are fully answered.
All nominations are treated in the strictest confidence.

Please note:

You can preview and edit your answers even after completing the form. However, once you click “done” you are no longer able to revise your answers.
You cannot print a record of your answer after you complete the form, but you can email it to communications@catalystnow.net to receive a PDF file of your submitted form.

PART 1: About the Nominator

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* 1. Please enter your contact information below

First and Last Name

Organisation

Email Address

Phone Number (with country code)

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* 2. Country

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* 3. What is your relationship to Catalyst Now?
Everyone (Catalyst Now members and non-members) can submit nominations for the Catalyst Now Awards 2026. If you are not a member of Catalyst Now and would like to know more about how to become one, click here

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* 4. Please confirm if you have permission from the nominee to nominate them.

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* 5. Were you a recipient of funding from the organisation you are nominating?

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* 6. Did you receive unrestricted funds from the organisation you are nominating? (only if yes to recipient of funding)

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* 7. What was the term length for the funds you received? (only if yes to recipient of funding)

PART 2: About the Nominee
Whom are you nominating?

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* 8. Please enter the Nominee contact information below

First and Last Name

Organisation

Email Address

Phone Number (with country code)

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* 9. Nominee’s Job Title/Role

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* 10. Nominee’s LinkedIn
Please add a URL link of the Nominee’s LinkedIn below:

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* 11. Country

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* 12. Region of the Nominee

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* 13. Website of the Nominee
Please add the URL link of the Nominee’s organisation below:

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* 14. Please enter the details of the point of contact in the organisation that you are nominating. Who can we get in touch with regarding the nominee?

First and Last Name

Organisation

Email Address

Phone Number (with country code)

PART 3: Donors Nomination

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* 15. Nominee’s Profile Summary
Please include a brief summary that gives a good overview of the Nominee’s profile. Who are they? What do they do? What is their role? (max 150 words)

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* 16. Nominee’s Description.
Please explain why your nominee fits the criteria selected above. (max 250 words)

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* 17. How does the Nominee typically find new grantees/investees to support? (Please select one option that best answers the question)

A. They wait for potential grantees/investees to be connected to them, such as through referrals.

B. They put out a call for proposals/applications.

C. They actively search for potential grantees/investees (e.g. mining conferences or websites, connecting with those doing complementary work, engaging the community they aim to serve).

D. Other (please specify)

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* 18. To what extent does the Nominee seek out information on the systems underlying the issues they care about? (Please select one option that best answers the question)

A. They do very little research on the underlying systems.

B. They do some research, but it is not exhaustive or sufficiently representative.

C. They rigorously research the underlying systems and, to the extent possible, make sure to check that their understanding reflects reality.

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* 19. To what extent does the Nominee use practices that help navigate the complexity of systems change (e.g., intentionally conducting and learning from experiments)? (Please select one option that best answers the question)

A. They do not use any such practices.

B. They use some practices some of the time, but this is not the norm.

C. Many of their practices were designed with the complexity of systems change in mind.

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* 20. To what extent has the Nominee implemented a MEL (monitoring, evaluation, learning) plan to help adapt their strategy over time? (Please select one option that best answers the question)

A. They have not yet drafted a plan.

B. They have drafted a plan but have not made much progress in implementing it.

C. They have made good progress in implementing their MEL plan (e.g. robust MEL processes and capacity are in place).

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* 21. Please select the category for your nomination

Leader in Trust

Leader in Partnership

Leader in Field Building

Catalyst Now Awards 2026 Donors Nomination Form

Call for Catalyst Now Awards 2026 Nominations

Question Title

* 1. Please enter your contact information below

Question Title

* 2. Country

Question Title

* 3. What is your relationship to Catalyst Now?Everyone (Catalyst Now members and non-members) can submit nominations for the Catalyst Now Awards 2026. If you are not a member of Catalyst Now and would like to know more about how to become one, click here

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* 4. Please confirm if you have permission from the nominee to nominate them.

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* 5. Were you a recipient of funding from the organisation you are nominating?

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* 6. Did you receive unrestricted funds from the organisation you are nominating? (only if yes to recipient of funding)

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* 7. What was the term length for the funds you received? (only if yes to recipient of funding)

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* 8. Please enter the Nominee contact information below

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* 9. Nominee’s Job Title/Role

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* 10. Nominee’s LinkedIn Please add a URL link of the Nominee’s LinkedIn below:

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* 11. Country

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* 12. Region of the Nominee

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* 13. Website of the NomineePlease add the URL link of the Nominee’s organisation below:

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* 14. Please enter the details of the point of contact in the organisation that you are nominating. Who can we get in touch with regarding the nominee?

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* 15. Nominee’s Profile SummaryPlease include a brief summary that gives a good overview of the Nominee’s profile. Who are they? What do they do? What is their role? (max 150 words)

Question Title

* 16. Nominee’s Description. Please explain why your nominee fits the criteria selected above. (max 250 words)

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* 17. How does the Nominee typically find new grantees/investees to support? (Please select one option that best answers the question)

Question Title

* 18. To what extent does the Nominee seek out information on the systems underlying the issues they care about? (Please select one option that best answers the question)

Question Title

* 19. To what extent does the Nominee use practices that help navigate the complexity of systems change (e.g., intentionally conducting and learning from experiments)? (Please select one option that best answers the question)

Question Title

* 20. To what extent has the Nominee implemented a MEL (monitoring, evaluation, learning) plan to help adapt their strategy over time? (Please select one option that best answers the question)

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* 21. Please select the category for your nomination

* 3. What is your relationship to Catalyst Now?
Everyone (Catalyst Now members and non-members) can submit nominations for the Catalyst Now Awards 2026. If you are not a member of Catalyst Now and would like to know more about how to become one, click here

* 10. Nominee’s LinkedIn
Please add a URL link of the Nominee’s LinkedIn below:

* 13. Website of the Nominee
Please add the URL link of the Nominee’s organisation below:

* 15. Nominee’s Profile Summary
Please include a brief summary that gives a good overview of the Nominee’s profile. Who are they? What do they do? What is their role? (max 150 words)

* 16. Nominee’s Description.
Please explain why your nominee fits the criteria selected above. (max 250 words)