Creating the Future

What Creating the Future does

Creating the Future is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit "think-and-do tank" headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, founded around 2011-2013 by Hildy Gottlieb and Dimitri Petropolis. Its sole intellectual product is the Catalytic Thinking framework—a question-based methodology intended to shift social change work from reactive problem-solving to visionary, inclusive, and systemic change. The framework rests on four principles: reaching for what is possible rather than reacting to what is wrong, radical inclusion, "collective enoughness" (the belief that participants collectively hold what is needed), and building movements rather than organizations.

The organization delivers this methodology through a portfolio of educational formats centered on the same underlying content: pay-what-you-can self-paced online classes, a weekly podcast featuring change leaders, a weekly eJournal newsletter, live webinars and workshops (including a vertical-specific series for consultants), an ongoing community of practice, and 30+ completed demonstration projects across settings such as the Edmonton Community Summit on poverty. Distribution is deliberately decentralized: rather than centralizing demand, the organization embeds Catalytic Thinking into existing learning, gathering, and inspiration channels via partner educators, facilitators, and content creators. The technology stack is non-proprietary and standard (Zeffy for donation/registration, RSS.com for podcasting, YouTube for video), with no software-as-a-service product and no AI/ML components.

The revenue model is entirely community-funded, deliberately avoiding institutional funding to prevent values-disconnect. Revenue streams include individual donations, one-time and recurring contributions via Zeffy, and pay-what-you-can tuition on self-paced classes (no one is turned away for inability to pay). The organization operates with a small core team (1-10 people, much of it historically donated labor) plus approximately 100 fellows worldwide, and has explicitly set a 10-year mission timeframe ending in 2026, with the final phase dedicated to documenting and disseminating learnings rather than extending organizational life.

Name

Creating the Future

Legal name

Creating the Future

Website

https://creatingthefuture.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Creating the Future is a Tucson-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops and disseminates the Catalytic Thinking framework—a question-based methodology for systemic social change—through self-paced classes, podcasts, webinars, and demonstration projects, serving social change leaders, nonprofit organizations, and educators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Social Change Education

akta.pro primary industry

Change Management & Transformation Leadership (EDABAAAD)

Keywords

• Social change education
• Catalytic thinking training
• Nonprofit consulting
• Capacity building services
• Community facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Tucson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations/Contributions: Supported entirely by people in their community who are affected by their mission - people who love their work and want it to continue, people who have engaged with their education programs. They operate like movements are funded - by people inside the movement. This is a key part of their values, avoiding the disconnect of seeking funding from institutions they aim to change.
2. Self-Paced Online Classes: Pay-what-you-can self-paced classes teaching Catalytic Thinking framework. The registration form shows original tuition amounts with ability to choose different amounts. No one turned away due to inability to pay.
3. One-time and Monthly Contributions: Accepting one-time or monthly financial contributions via Zeffy platform, and checks for those preferring that method.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Creating the Future is a nonprofit think-and-do tank that teaches and disseminates the Catalytic Thinking framework, a question-based methodology for creating transformational, systemic change. It delivers this methodology through self-paced online classes, live webinars and workshops, a weekly eJournal newsletter, a podcast, customized organizational classes, an ongoing community of practice, and 30+ demonstration projects across social change settings.

Product overview

Creating the Future is a nonprofit educational organization (a 'think-and-do tank') that operates as a single, unified educational offering centered on the Catalytic Thinking framework. Its portfolio consists of multiple delivery formats for the same core methodology: self-paced online classes (e.g., Introduction to Catalytic Thinking), a weekly podcast with change-leader interviews, a weekly eJournal newsletter, live webinars and workshops, an ongoing community of practice, and over 30 demonstration projects. All programs teach the same question-based Catalytic Thinking methodology aimed at creating systemic social change. The organization does not operate a software-as-a-service product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Catalytic Thinking Framework Proprietary question-based framework for bringing out the best in people in any situation, leading to high-potential, transformational results. It is the foundational methodology taught across all of Creating the Future's programs, aimed at creating systemic, visionary change rather than reactive problem-solving.
• Self-Paced Online Classes Click-and-play online educational classes teaching the Catalytic Thinking framework, accessible 24/7 with lifetime access upon registration. Tuition is set on a Pay-What-You-Can basis via Zeffy, with a 100% money-back guarantee and ongoing faculty Q&A support.
• eJournal (Newsletter) Regularly published newsletter featuring exercises, resources, and community content to help readers apply Catalytic Thinking in their own lives. Shifted to weekly publication in 2025 with archives available for browsing.
• Creating the Future Podcast Weekly podcast featuring interviews with change leaders across various sectors (foundation leaders, scholars, activists) exploring the factors that lead to transformative change. Distributed via RSS.com and other podcast platforms.
• Webinars and Workshops Live online webinar sessions on topics including asset-based resource development, stepping into personal power, and Catalytic Thinking applications for consultants. Includes a dedicated webinar series for consultants and capacity builders.
• Customized Classes Tailored Catalytic Thinking classes designed and delivered to specific organizations and groups, including nonprofits, coalitions, and capacity-building partners, to embed the framework into their existing work.
• Community of Practice An ongoing community gathering for Catalytic Thinking practitioners to strengthen their skills and reflexes through regular collective meetings and shared learning, with periodic live Q&A sessions for class participants.
• Demonstration Projects Over 30 completed demonstration projects conducted across various settings (e.g., Edmonton Community Summit) to demonstrate the power of Catalytic Thinking in creating more inclusive, visionary change. Results are being documented for sharing in the organization's final mission phase.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 people taught in classes, tens of thousands reached through newsletters
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered advisory and platform.

• Dr. Angela EikenberryadvisoryOthersAcademic advisor and board member. Director and Professor, School of Public Policy, University of Connecticut, Hartford CT USA. Supporting the documentation of results from 30+ demonstration projects.
• Dr. Karl WildingadvisoryOthersAcademic advisor and board member. Lecturer in Philanthropic Studies at the Centre for Philanthropy, Kent Business School, Kent U.K. Supporting documentation of demonstration projects.
• ZeffyplatformTechnology or IntegrationPlatform used for donation processing and class registration. Their pay-what-you-can model is implemented through Zeffy's donation form.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Independent Sector: National membership organization representing and advocating for the nonprofit sector. Comparable as a sector-support entity though broader in scope than Creating the Future's methodology focus.
• National Council of Nonprofits: Network of state and regional nonprofit associations serving as a national infrastructure for the nonprofit sector. Comparable as a sector-support organization though broader and more institutional than Creating the Future.

Direct peers

• Center for Community Change: National organization building power of low-income people and communities through organizing and movement support. Comparable as a peer social change organization working on movement infrastructure and community-led change.
• Building Movement Project: Organization that supports nonprofits and social change movements through research, tools, and capacity building. Comparable in focus on supporting social change infrastructure and producing sector-wide research outputs.
• CompassPoint Nonprofit Services: Provides leadership development, consulting, and research for nonprofits. Comparable in offering methodologies, training, and resources to strengthen nonprofit leadership and organizational effectiveness.
• The Whitman Institute: Funds and supports movement-building organizations with a focus on systemic change. Comparable in supporting movement infrastructure and shifting philanthropic practice toward movement-friendly approaches.
• Movement Strategy Center: National support center for movement building that develops strategies and tools for social justice organizations. Directly comparable as a movement-building methodology organization serving social change leaders with proprietary frameworks.
• Movement Generation: Activist organization that builds movement leadership through education and strategy for ecological justice. Comparable as an education-focused movement-building organization with proprietary frameworks and a community of practice model.
• Management Assistance Group: Provides capacity building and consulting to social justice nonprofits. Comparable as a peer capacity-building organization that supports social change organizations with frameworks and methodologies.

Regional players

• Foraker Group: Alaska-based organization providing capacity building, consulting, and training to nonprofits. Creating the Future has spoken at Foraker events; comparable as a peer capacity-building organization though geographically concentrated.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CreatingtheFutureVid/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/CreatingTheFuture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/creating-the-future
• Xx.com/creatingtfuture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Creating the Future