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Catalyst Grants

Mercy Mansi looks to a brighter future for her community in South Africa.

Our Catalyst Grants Program is the way IDEX finds and selects new organizations to receive small grants. Because partnership entails a significant commitment over 3 to 6 years, we choose partners carefully, with confidence that the partner organization operates in an accountable, democratic, and transparent way in working towards lasting social change for marginalized communities. Learn more about our selection criteria.

Catalyst Grantees receive approximately $5,000 for a project lasting 6 to 12 months. The small grant affords IDEX a low-risk opportunity to work with an organization works before selecting them for a longer-term relationship.

Current Catalyst Grantees

South Africa (Summer 2009)

After careful review, IDEX has recently selected six grassroots organizations in South Africa to each receive a one-year $5,000 Catalyst Grant. We hope to able to choose new partners for a longer-term commitment from this pool by June 2010.

All of the selected groups work in underserved communities across South Africa and develop local initiatives to end poverty that also empower women, build local economies and care for the environment. We are excited to announce the following grantees:

Angus Gillis Foundation

Angus Gillis builds self-sufficiency in communities that have faced poverty and ill health. Angus Gillis runs a health program and works with communities on food gardens, income-generating activities, and leadership development and self-reliance.

Biowatch

Biowatch is an environmental organization that strives to prevent biological diversity from being privatized for corporate gain. Biowatch trains community groups to grow their own food in organic and sustainable ways that allows people to control their food supply.

Nyangazezizwe Community Information and Training Center

Nyangezezizwe was founded by a group of indigenous women to alleviate poverty through supporting indigenous healers. Nyangazezizwe works to improve health services, and sustainable community driven programs and services.

Rural Education, Awareness & Community Health

REACH raises awareness on the issues of sexual harassment and sexual violence, especially in rural farming communities. REACH provides support services to address and assist those whose lives are affected by these social problems.

South Durban Community Environmental Alliance

SDCEA is a coalition of communities that are seeking to end pollution caused by large industry in South Durban. SDCEA trains people how to measure pollution and advocate for greater environmental protections.

Whole World Women Association

African refugee women in Cape Town founded WWWA to empower refugee women and children. WWWA organizes leadership and societal integration training, promotes HIV/AIDS awareness, provides legal assistance for refugees, and protects their rights. WWWA also educates South Africans about refugees.

Mexico (Winter 2008)

International Renewal Resources Institute

Working in Queretaro, Guanajuato, and Michoacán, Mexico, IRRI provides training to community groups in rural and urban areas all over Mexico on renewable energy and appropriate green technologies for food security and water access and conservation.

With 5 ongoing projects in Mexico City – water conservation, solar energy, rooftop gardens which includes Ecatepec, an urban slum without access to water – IRRI is helping to develop integrated sanitation, water system and rainwater capture. They also have 12 ongoing projects in rural areas of Jalisco, Yucatan, Chiapas, Queretaro, Guanajuato and Michoacán focusing on solar water heaters, permaculture, mushroom-cultivation, and rainwater capture.

IDEX selected IRRI for their innovative approach to implementing green technology, community leadership development with a focus on women, and conservation of natural resources.

Coodinadora El Molino

Coodinadora El Molino (The Windmill Coordination) is a grassroots organizations made up of 17 civil associations and cooperatives working to promote food security through its urban sustainable agriculture program, and women’s and youth empowerment through personal development workshops.

They conduct their work in the large settlements in the southern area of Mexico City. These are large neighborhoods where poverty is predominant and lack of access to potable water is a major challenge. Currently they are working with 5 neighborhood settlements to provide housing (5,000 homes), daycare centers, and women’s empowerment programs.

IDEX selected El Molino for their holistic approach to local challenges, effective organizing and local leadership and their focus on many interrelated themes: food security, women’s empowerment, youth development, and health issues.

Ñepi Behña

Based in Hidalgo with project areas in la Sierra and Valle de Mezquital, Ñepi Behña (Women of Dignity) works with over 650 indigenous women to build gender equity and empower them to lead sustainable livelihoods through savings and credit groups, sustainable energy technologies and fair trade artisanship.

They have programs to install rainwater capturing tanks and wood-saving stoves, and have started a 400-member savings and credit association. With their Fair Trade Artisanship program, they have started to provide technical assistance to a 250-member indigenous cooperative selling agave plant fiber to the Body Shop and provide training in quality control, financial planning, and computer skills.

This cooperative is now launching a fair trade brand to sell natural bath and beauty products in urban Mexico in coordination with indigenous cooperatives in Chiapas and elsewhere. They have also started a sexual and reproductive rights program.

Ñepi Behña was selected for their strong potential for growth and their impressive collection of programs all focused on women and indigenous communities.