Catalyst Miami
Catalyst Miami is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1996 that delivers free financial coaching, health-coverage enrollment, worker-owned business incubation, small-business support, children's savings accounts (Future Bound Miami), tax preparation, and policy advocacy to low-income residents of Miami-Dade County, serving 19,105 community members in 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersHomestead, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Catalyst Miami does
Catalyst Miami is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1996 and headquartered in Miami, Florida, that operates an integrated portfolio of direct-service and community-organizing programs targeting low-income residents of Miami-Dade County. Its core offerings span Financial & Health Services (financial coaching, credit building, health insurance enrollment, income-support navigation), the Worker-Owned Business Program (cooperative incubator), Small Business Support (one-on-one technical assistance for micro and small businesses), Future Bound Miami (Florida's first universal Children's Savings Account program for all M-DCPS kindergarteners), free IRS-certified Tax Preparation, an Energy Savings Program (weatherization and utility rebates), and a Policy & Engagement stack (CLEAR/LIGHT/HEAL leadership trainings, Miami Climate Alliance convening, Catalyst to the Capital advocacy trips, Community Champions neighborhood organizing). The organization also extends capacity-building to peer nonprofits via the Florida Thrives program.
The business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than revenue-generating: services are free to income-qualifying residents, and funding streams include foundation and corporate grants (notably a $1M JPMorgan Chase grant in 2021 for community property cooperatives and Kresge Foundation support for climate-justice initiatives), Miami-Dade County contracts (including a $500,000 County Commission grant for universal CSAs), state-level healthcare policy coalitions, and individual donations via Catalysts for Change monthly giving and Give Miami Day. Catalyst Miami reaches its constituents through community-led GTM motion — grassroots organizing, direct service appointments, coalition referrals across 100+ partner organizations, and community events — rather than traditional advertising channels. Operational credibility is reinforced by Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency, a Charity Navigator four-star rating, and a Citizens' 2026 Champions in Action award.
Technology infrastructure is intentionally light: a NationBuilder website platform, standard nonprofit CRM and data-management systems for client intake, and standard office productivity tools — with no proprietary AI/ML components or tech-product revenue lines. Leadership under CEO Zelalem Adefris (appointed April 2023) comprises a CFO, Chief Programs Officer, VP of Policy and Community Engagement, and senior directors across economic justice, grassroots leadership, policy & advocacy, advancement, climate, and small business verticals, supported by approximately 20 additional program staff.
Catalyst Miami firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Catalyst Miami
- Legal name
- Catalyst Miami
- Website
- https://catalystmiami.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Catalyst Miami is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1996 that delivers free financial coaching, health-coverage enrollment, worker-owned business incubation, small-business support, children's savings accounts (Future Bound Miami), tax preparation, and policy advocacy to low-income residents of Miami-Dade County, serving 19,105 community members in 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Catalyst Miami industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Social Services
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)
Keywords
Where Catalyst Miami is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Homestead
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Catalyst Miami business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Foundation and Corporate Grants: Catalyst Miami receives funding from foundations and corporations including JPMorgan Chase ($1 million grant for North Miami community property cooperative), The Kresge Foundation (climate justice initiatives), Citi Community Development (Future Bound Miami), and other institutional funders. These are typically multi-year grants supporting specific programs.
- Government Contracts and Funding: Miami-Dade County funding for prosperity services, County Commission grants ($500k for universal Children's Savings Accounts), and state/federal program partnerships. Services are funded in part by Miami-Dade County.
- Individual Donations: Give Miami Day fundraising, Catalysts for Change monthly giving program, and general donations. The organization has four-star rating from Charity Navigator.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free services for income-qualifying community members |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Catalyst Miami product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Catalyst Miami is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization that provides free direct services and policy advocacy to low-income residents of Miami-Dade County. Its core offerings combine one-on-one financial coaching, health insurance enrollment, free tax preparation, small business technical assistance, worker cooperative development, children's savings accounts, energy savings support, and grassroots leadership training — all delivered free to income-qualifying community members.
Product overview
Catalyst Miami operates as a community economic justice organization offering an integrated suite of direct service and advocacy programs. The core offerings include Financial & Health Services (financial coaching, credit building, health enrollment), the Worker-Owned Business Program (cooperative incubator), Small Business Support (technical assistance), Future Bound Miami (children's savings accounts), Tax Preparation (VITA free tax filing), Energy Savings Program, and Policy & Engagement initiatives (leadership training, advocacy, coalition building). Florida Thrives extends capacity-building support to other nonprofits. These programs are designed to work synergistically — clients receiving direct services are also engaged in policy education and leadership development, creating pathways for collective action.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Future Bound Miami: Florida's first universal children's savings account program, providing CSAs to kindergarten students across Miami-Dade County Public Schools to help children prepare for college or postsecondary education.
- Worker-Owned Business Program
Products and services
- Financial & Health Services A high-touch direct service combining one-on-one financial coaching (budgeting, credit building, savings) with health coverage enrollment assistance (Medicaid, ACA, CHIP) and navigation of income supports (SNAP, TANF). Offered free to income-qualifying Miami-Dade residents. (Note: certain coaching services temporarily paused through May 2026.)
- Worker-Owned Business Program Technical assistance program that helps Miami-Dade residents learn about and create worker cooperatives, offering incubator services, education workshops, governance support, and loan/grant application assistance for cooperative businesses. Targets workers seeking decision-making power, shared profits, and community wealth-building opportunities.
- Small Business Support One-on-one coaching and technical assistance for early-stage small businesses and sole proprietors in Miami-Dade County, covering business modeling, loan applications, incorporation, marketing strategy, permits, and bookkeeping. Free to qualifying local entrepreneurs.
- Future Bound Miami (Children's Savings Accounts) Florida's first universal Children's Savings Account (CSA) program, providing free long-term savings accounts to kindergarten students across Miami-Dade County Public Schools to support postsecondary education; as of 2023, it reached scale to potentially be the largest CSA program of its kind in the country.
- Tax Preparation IRS-certified free tax preparation services for households earning $67,000 or less, persons with disabilities, and non-English speakers, offered during tax season via virtual appointments (Zoom, Wednesdays/Thursdays 12-9pm and biweekly Saturdays 10am-2:30pm), with in-person accommodations available upon request.
- Energy Savings Program Programs helping Miami-Dade residents reduce power bills and access rebates, including weatherization assistance, water rebates, My Safe FL home wind-mitigation grants, and FPL Care to Share emergency utility assistance.
- Policy & Engagement Community organizing and advocacy initiatives including leadership training programs (CLEAR for climate, LIGHT for health, HEAL for housing), Miami Our Way participatory processes, Catalyst to the Capital annual Tallahassee advocacy trips, Community Champions neighborhood organizing, and Miami Climate Alliance coalition building. Targets Miami-Dade frontline communities.
- Florida Thrives Capacity-building community of practice developed with the South Florida Community Development Coalition, coaching local community-based organizations in performance over planning to improve program quality, revenue, and operational efficiency in economic development.
Quantifiable outcome
- Served 19,105 community members in 2025 (up from 16,532 in 2024)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Catalyst Miami
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Catalyst Miami technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Catalyst Miami partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
33 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Future Bound Miami PartnerscoreInitial funding from Citi Community Development, The Children's Trust and United Way of Miami-Dade. Now has more than a dozen partners including Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center, and others. First universal Children's Savings Account program in Florida, potentially the largest CSA program in the country at scale.
- Miami Climate AlliancecoreConvened by Catalyst Miami in 2015. Now comprises 100+ organizations, local residents, and nationwide experts. Dedicated to building urgency, power, and cohesion around climate change and sea level rise. Led to creation of County's Office of Resilience and first Chief Resilience Officer.
- Florida Voices for HealthcoreStatewide coalition partner for Medicaid expansion advocacy. Consumer State Advocacy Project includes partners and community members from across the state, using national healthcare policy as benchmark for increasing access to care.
- South Florida Community Development CoalitioncoreCollaborated to develop Florida Thrives, a capacity-building program that coaches local community-based organizations in performance over planning, particularly related to economic development.
- Sant La Haitian Neighborhood CentermajorPartner in Future Bound Miami and referral partner for prosperity services. Provides services to Haitian community in Miami.
- FIU Jorge M. Pérez Metro CentermajorCollaborated on civic engagement briefs and research projects including Miami's Wealth Gap oral history collection.
- Miami-Dade CountycoreFunding for prosperity services. County Commission granted $500k for universal Children's Savings Accounts. Partner on resilience and climate initiatives including Office of Resilience.
- CLEO InstitutemajorClimate justice partner. Staff member Bereatha Howard serves as Climate Equity Program Coordinator at CLEO Institute.
- Partners for Self-EmploymentmajorEconomic development partner supporting small business and cooperative development in Miami-Dade.
- Florida Policy InstitutemajorState-level policy advocacy partner, particularly for Medicaid expansion and healthcare access campaigns.
- Self Help Credit UnionmajorReferral partner for financial coaching services. Provides safe banking alternatives and lending circles for credit building.
- Beyond the BarsminorOptional referral partnership for clients with criminal records seeking employment support. 501c3 nonprofit building social and economic power of workers with criminal records.
- Hispanic UnitymajorReferral partner for public benefits, affordable health care navigation, and financial coaching services.
- BranchesmajorReferral partner for financial coaching and education services.
- Legal Services of Greater MiamimajorReferral partner for legal assistance related to housing, immigration, and other issues affecting low-income communities.
- PACT - People Acting for Community TogethermajorCommunity organizing coalition partner holding Miami's public officials accountable for fair policies and practices.
- Florida RisingmajorGrassroots organizing partner for progressive policy advocacy in Florida.
- Florida Health Justice ProjectmajorHealthcare advocacy partner for Medicaid expansion and health equity initiatives.
- Sierra ClubmajorEnvironmental advocacy partner for climate justice initiatives.
- Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater MiamimajorHousing and community development partner.
- Overtown Children & Youth CoalitionmajorCoalition partner for Overtown community engagement and youth development.
- Urban League of Greater MiamimajorEconomic justice and civil rights partner.
- University of Miami Office of Civic & Community EngagementmajorAcademic partnership for civic engagement initiatives.
- KivaminorMicro-lending platform partner for small business financing support.
- ProsperamajorSmall business development partner, part of national network supporting Hispanic business development.
- Dream in GreenmajorClimate and environmental education partner.
- GirlTrekminorHealth equity partner focusing on Black women's walking movements and advocacy.
- 305 Pink PackminorHealth services partner supporting individuals affected by breast cancer.
- Jessie Trice Community Health CentermajorFederally Qualified Health Center partner for healthcare access services.
- Black to the Future Action FundmajorBlack organizing and political power-building partner.
- Engage MiamimajorCivic engagement and youth voting partner.
- Transit AllianceminorTransportation equity advocacy partner.
- South Florida AFL-CIOmajorLabor movement partner for worker rights and economic justice.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Catalyst Miami competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Branches: Branches is a Miami-Dade nonprofit providing financial coaching, credit-building, small business development, and youth programs to working families. It is a direct referral partner for Catalyst Miami's financial coaching services and competes for the same foundation funding pools targeting asset-building in South Florida.
- Hispanic Unity of Florida: Hispanic Unity of Florida is an integrated services nonprofit in Broward County providing workforce development, immigration legal services, financial coaching, and civic engagement to immigrant families. It operates the same direct-services-plus-advocacy model as Catalyst Miami, targeting low-income immigrant communities in South Florida, and is a documented referral partner.
- Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center: Sant La is a Miami-based nonprofit serving the Haitian-American community with social services, workforce development, youth programs, and civic engagement. It co-leads the Future Bound Miami partnership with Catalyst Miami and operates the same integrated services-plus-advocacy model focused on a specific South Florida demographic.
- Engage Miami: Engage Miami is a Miami-based nonprofit focused on youth civic engagement and voter mobilization. It is a documented Catalyst Miami partner, shares target demographics (young people in Miami-Dade), and overlaps on the community engagement and civic participation programs.
- Urban League of Greater Miami: Urban League of Greater Miami delivers workforce development, entrepreneurship support, housing counseling, and civil rights advocacy for Black communities in Miami-Dade. It is a documented Catalyst Miami partner and competes for similar economic justice and civil rights foundation funding in the same geography.
- PACT (People Acting for Community Together): PACT is a Miami-Dade interfaith community organizing coalition that trains local leaders to hold public officials accountable through collective action. It is a documented Catalyst Miami partner and operates the same grassroots organizing and policy advocacy model in the same geography.
- Jessie Trice Community Health Center: Jessie Trice is a Federally Qualified Health Center serving low-income Miami-Dade residents with primary care, behavioral health, and health insurance enrollment. It is a documented referral partner for Catalyst Miami's healthcare access work and overlaps directly on health enrollment and community health navigation services.
Broad incumbents
- United Way of Miami-Dade: United Way of Miami-Dade is the largest community-based fundraising and grantmaking organization in the county. It was an initial funder of Future Bound Miami and partners with Catalyst Miami on community initiatives, but operates at a much larger scale as a broad intermediary rather than a direct service provider.
- Center for Popular Democracy: Center for Popular Democracy is a national network of progressive community organizing affiliates running state and local campaigns on economic, racial, and immigrant justice. It operates as a larger umbrella for community organizing work that Catalyst Miami and its Miami Climate Alliance coalition resemble at the local level.
Emerging players
- Make the Road New York: Make the Road is a nationally recognized integrated services + advocacy organization serving immigrant and working-class communities through direct legal and social services combined with policy campaigns. It operates the same member-led organizing model that Catalyst Miami is building in Miami-Dade but at larger scale and on the East Coast.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Catalyst Miami social profiles
Digital presenceCatalyst Miami financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Catalyst Miami leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Catalyst Miami funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Catalyst Miami M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Catalyst Miami
What does Catalyst Miami do?
Catalyst Miami is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization that provides free direct services and policy advocacy to low-income residents of Miami-Dade County. Its core offerings combine one-on-one financial coaching, health insurance enrollment, free tax preparation, small business technical assistance, worker cooperative development, children's savings accounts, energy savings support, and grassroots leadership training — all delivered free to income-qualifying community members.
Is Catalyst Miami a public or private company?
Catalyst Miami is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Catalyst Miami founded?
Catalyst Miami was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Catalyst Miami based?
Catalyst Miami is headquartered in Homestead, United States, in the North America region.
How does Catalyst Miami make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Foundation and Corporate Grants are the primary driver. The others are government Contracts and Funding and individual Donations.
Who are Catalyst Miami's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Branches, Hispanic Unity of Florida, Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center, Engage Miami, Urban League of Greater Miami, PACT (People Acting for Community Together) and Jessie Trice Community Health Center. Broad incumbents are United Way of Miami-Dade and Center for Popular Democracy. Make the Road New York is listed as an emerging player.
Does Catalyst Miami have an API?
No public API is recorded for Catalyst Miami.
What industry is Catalyst Miami in?
Catalyst Miami's product category is Community Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAB, Community Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAM, Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8300.