This presentation provides information about Catalyst, a program run by the Royal Society of Arts that provides small grants and non-financial support to Fellow-led ideas for tackling social problems. Catalyst offers initial grants between £1,000-£2,000 and additional grants up to £5,000 each year. It also provides non-financial resources like skills matching and networking support. To qualify for support, ideas must offer solutions to social problems, be sustainable long-term, and involve passionate teams including at least one RSA Fellow. Interested Fellows can get feedback on ideas from local networks or online groups, apply through the Catalyst website, or volunteer skills through the RSA SkillsBank.

1. Presentation for a
Catalyst-themed
workshop
Introduction
This presentation and accompanying notes
aims to help Fellows run events to come up
with and collaborate on new ideas to tackle
social problems

2. Four questions
about Catalyst
- what is it?
- what does it support?
- exactly what are its criteria?
- what can you do next?

3. What is
Catalyst?
thersa.org/catalyst

4. A process for awarding small
grants and non-financial
support through Fellows to
support new Fellow-led ideas to
tackle social problems
1 What is Catalyst? thersa.org/catalyst

5. Grants:
• Initial grants of £1,000-£2,000
• Additional grants of £5,000
Each year we award a total of £100,000
to Fellows’ projects
1 What is Catalyst? thersa.org/catalyst

6. Non-financial resources:
• Regional teams find local Fellows who can give expertise
• SkillsBank matches to Fellows who have volunteered time
• Staff target Fellows via our database
• Subject expertise from RSA staff including signposting to
other funds available
• Help to raise awareness via newsletter, blog & Journal
Fellows are encouraged to apply to Catalyst for non-
financial resources even when grants are not needed
1 What is Catalyst? thersa.org/catalyst

7. What does
Catalyst
support?
thersa.org/catalyst

8. Reap + Sow, Kate Welch and Rebecca Howard,
Durham www.reapandsow.org.uk
2 What does Catalyst support? thersa.org/catalyst

9. Saturday Arts Academy, Sharon Turner,
Chattanooga, Tennessee
2 What does Catalyst support? thersa.org/catalyst

10. Plan Zheroes, Maria Ana Neves and Chris Wilkie,
London, www.planzheroes.org
2 What does Catalyst support? thersa.org/catalyst

11. Exactly what
does Catalyst
support?
thersa.org/catalyst

12. Idea:
• does it offer a solution to tackle a pressing
social problem?
• is it a totally new idea or applying something
in a new setting?
• can it be sustained in the longer-term?
3 Exactly what does Catalyst support? thersa.org/catalyst

13. People and other resources:
• does it have a passionate and relevantly skilled and
experienced team*?
• can it involve the wider Fellowship in the development or
delivery of the project?
• is it in its early stages of development?
• does it need to deliver activities that would be difficult to
deliver without the help of Catalyst?
• does it have a feasible and economical plan for delivering
those activities?
* must have an RSA Fellow as part of the team leading the project
3 Exactly what does Catalyst support? thersa.org/catalyst

14. What can you
do next?
thersa.org/catalyst

15. If you want to help:
• register in the RSA SkillsBank and we will match you to
ideas that need your experience and expertise
www.thersa.org/skillsbank
• find Catalyst-supported projects that match your
interest via the list of all Catalyst projects at
www.thersa.org/catalyst
• if you want to help a specific project, mention the name
of it when you register in the SkillsBank
4 What can I do next? thersa.org/catalyst

16. If you have an idea:
• talk to Fellows at your local network meetings (now!) to get
feedback and start collaborating by getting in touch with your
Regional Team www.thersa.org/fellowship/where-you-are
• post your idea onto a relevant group on the Fellows online
social network www.rsafellowship.com
• complete the Catalyst application form via
www.thersa.org/catalyst – after the deadline, staff and
Fellows will give applicants feedback and a chance to amend to
make the strongest possible case to the Catalyst panel
4 What can I do next? thersa.org/catalyst

17. For the application form or more
information, please visit
www.thersa.org/catalyst
If you have any other questions email
fellowship.fund@rsa.org.uk