Catalyst Directory

A Second U Foundation supports formerly incarcerated men and women as they transition home and work to overcome employment barriers and avoid recidivism through rewarding, self-sustainable careers in the fitness industry. Its rigorous coursework prepares participants to pass the personal trainer national certification exam, while emphasizing professional skills like business development and client rapport. Second U credentials graduates’ abilities, which helps them to secure jobs. Participants achieve gainful employment and a sense of accomplishment through their positive contributions to society.

In a time when 40% of Americans see immigrants as a threat to American values, Abara partners with support networks on both sides of the Rio Grande to connect global neighbors and respond to immigrants’ most pressing needs. In collaboration with local peace-builders, Abara aims to uphold the dignity of all while providing support and resources for a binational migrant shelter network. The organization provides immersive learning opportunities, fosters mutual understanding, and inspires meaningful action in pursuit of narrative, systemic, and individual transformation.

ACE Scholarships offers children in low-income families the opportunity to attend the school of their choice. ACE provides scholarships for students in grades K-12, where both the child’s family and the school contribute. Through this approach, all parties involved in a child’s education have “skin in the game,” a vested interest in the child’s success. Nine-in-ten ACE scholars graduate high school, and 74% enroll in college. ACE has awarded more than 42,000 scholarships since its launch in 2000, and since partnering with Stand Together Foundation, has doubled its reach.

Acts Housing makes the dream of homeownership a reality for those with economic and other barriers. Acts Housing gives low-income families the opportunity to build equity, reduce overall housing costs, and get on a path to long-term financial stability providing financial counseling, real estate services, and access to capital that enables families to transition from renting to buying. Many families purchase distressed homes and Acts assists them in transforming the house into a home, improving blocks and neighborhoods in the process.

Adaptive Performance Center serves veterans seeking care and community through physical fitness and peer assistance. More than a gym, Adaptive Performance Center provides workout classes, massages, and acupuncture sessions exclusive to military personnel, healing mental and physical trauma through movement and community support

Advance Peace reduces urban gun violence by employing Neighborhood Change Agents to support high-risk individuals with mentoring, conflict resolution, anger management, and other services. Through its groundbreaking Peacemaker Fellowship, which supports young men involved in lethal firearm offenses, Advance Peace is proving that the cycle of gun violence can be broken by community-driven strategies that provide real alternatives, rather than the threat of incarceration.

Act - Advocates for Community Transformation empowers men and women in underserved communities to fight crime on their street using the civil justice system — existing laws — to make neighborhood safety a normal reality for all. Act equips those closest to the problem — residents — with tools and support to protect their neighborhoods, pairs them with attorneys, and helps them complement the work of police and the city to create tangible, long-lasting change. Through Act’s work, community social cohesion grows, hope is restored, and residents establish collective efficacy, a willingness to intervene, and informal social control for safer, flourishing communities.

Ambition Angels uses technology to equip teens with skills to thrive in college, careers, and beyond. Many young people miss out on opportunities to develop social-emotional and life skills they’ll need as adults. To meet this gap, Ambition Angels delivers free online courses through an app, rewarding participants as they go, and helping them develop a habit of investing in themselves.

America On Tech is committed to decreasing the racial wealth gap in underserved and underestimated communities by creating pathways for students of color into technology degrees and careers. Programs are structured to end cycles of poverty; put students on a path to economic empowerment; enable under-resourced schools to deliver high-quality tech education; advance multiple career pathways; and go beyond education to ensure students are positioned for success. Of AOT students, 85% identify as African American and/or Latino and 56% as women or gender non-conforming.

Using a multi-generational lens, Amplify GR works in defined neighborhoods with residents, community partners, and businesses to preserve and widen pathways that create greater opportunities for neighbors to participate in and benefit from community growth. Amplify GR focuses on advancing economic opportunity and community well-being while ensuring accessibility to mixed-income housing and quality education in the southeast side of Grand Rapids, MI.