What Catalyst California does

Catalyst California is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization headquartered in Los Angeles that advances racial justice through policy research, data analysis, coalition building, and government relations. Founded in 1997 as Advancement Project California and rebranded to its current name in 2022, the organization operates four core program verticals — Educational Equity, Equity in Community Investments, Political Voice, and Reimagine Justice & Safety — and targets low-income communities of color across California, with deep operational concentration in Los Angeles County. Its primary constituents are communities of color, community-based organizations, and California state and local government entities.

The organization's core products are data-driven equity-mapping tools. Race Counts (and Race Counts 2.0) compiles more than 40 indicators across seven issue areas for all 58 California counties. The Justice Equity Need Index (JENI), Justice Equity Services Index (JESI), and LA City Equity Index are geographic quantitative tools that estimate disproportionate criminal-justice burden, service availability, and systemic disparity at the neighborhood level in Los Angeles County. Catalyst California also operates the Budget Power Project (a statewide coalition with California Budget & Policy Center and Million Voters Project) and the Funding Racial Justice training program, which together provide multi-session budget advocacy curricula with Spanish interpretation to grassroots advocates. The organization does not sell these products; they are provided as free public resources for advocates, policymakers, and researchers.

Catalyst California's business model is donation-based: it raises revenue through individual charitable contributions (online, check, wire, securities), workplace giving and employer matching, donor-advised funds (Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, Liberty Hill Foundation), foundation grants (Blue Shield of California Foundation, Microsoft Justice Reform Initiative), bequests, and event fundraising (the Champions for Equity Awards). It does not disclose revenue. Go-to-market is relationship-driven: direct government-relations engagement with California state and local agencies, coalition partnerships across at least eight named multi-organization alliances, and free public access to its data tools and publications through its website.

Name

Catalyst California

Legal name

Catalyst California

Website

https://catalystcalifornia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Catalyst California is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that advances racial justice for low-income communities of color in California through policy advocacy, proprietary equity-mapping data tools, coalition building, and budget advocacy training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Justice Advocacy Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Other Social Advocacy Organizations (813319)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Policy, Research & Advocacy Organizations (Nonprofit) (BPAGADAN)

Keywords

• Racial justice advocacy
• Policy research
• Data-driven equity analysis
• Community power building
• Nonprofit advocacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: Individual donations through online portal, check, wire transfer, and securities donations. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with EIN 95-4835230.
2. Workplace Giving: Employer matching gift programs through workplace giving campaigns
3. Donor-Advised Funds: Grants from donor-advised funds including Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, and Liberty Hill Foundation
4. Foundation Grants: Support from foundations including Blue Shield of California Foundation and other institutional funders
5. Bequests: Legacy gifts through wills and estate plans

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Catalyst California is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that advocates for racial justice in California by combining data-driven research, policy development, government relations, and community power-building. Its core offerings include proprietary equity indices (RACE COUNTS, JENI, JESI, LA City Equity Index), policy reports and briefs, coalition-driven advocacy campaigns, and budget advocacy training programs for community-based organizations serving low-income communities of color.

Product overview

Catalyst California is a nonprofit organization (formerly Advancement Project California) that advocates for racial justice through policy research, data analysis, and community organizing. The organization's product portfolio consists primarily of data-driven interactive tools and training programs. Core products include Race Counts/Race Counts 2.0 (a statewide racial disparity data platform with 40+ indicators), the Justice Equity Need Index (JENI) and Justice Equity Services Index (JESI) for Los Angeles County, the LA City Equity Index, the Budget Power Project (budget advocacy training), and the Funding Racial Justice training program. These products work together as a suite of equity-focused analytical and advocacy tools that combine geographic mapping, indicator analysis, and community engagement to advance racial justice in California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RACE COUNTS: Catalyst California's initiative that uses race as the primary lens to understand inequity in California. The RACE COUNTS website compiles data from more than 40 indicators across seven issue areas, shedding light on racial disparities in each of the state's 58 counties and many of its cities.
• Whole Child Equity Partnership (WCEP)
• OUR LA
• Budget Power Project
• Bold Vision LA

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.1B in state funding for community schools secured
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Budget Power ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition initiative with California Budget & Policy Center and Million Voters Project to support BIPOC Californians in engaging with public budgeting processes to win equitable investments.
• OUR LA CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiracial alliance of LA-based movement-building organizations united in advancing structural reforms including Independent Redistricting Commissions in response to the 2022 LA City Council audio scandal.
• Whole Child Equity PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition advocating for holistic policies and programs centering needs of young children and families facing systemic inequities, co-chaired with The Children's Partnership.
• PUSH LA CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPromoting Unity, Safety, and Health in LA coalition seeking to end decades of racially biased policing by LAPD, co-convened with Community Coalition.
• Bold Vision LAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative initiative with youth organizing and youth development organizations to strengthen youth power landscape in LA County, including grants to 13 youth-serving organizations.
• Alliance for Community Transit-Los Angeles (ACT-LA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-sector coalition working to improve affordable housing, public transit, and community safety that successfully won $122M for Transit Ambassador pilot program.
• ACLU of Southern CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-produced three-part series of local reports on sheriff's departments in LA, Riverside, and Sacramento counties revealing racially biased patrol activities.
• The Children's PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit advancing children's health equity, co-chair of Whole Child Equity Partnership with Catalyst California.
• Community CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Justice Equity Alliance that developed JENI, co-convenor of PUSH LA coalition.
• LA VoicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Justice Equity Alliance developing the Justice Equity Need Index (JENI).
• Justice Equity AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition including Catalyst California, Community Coalition, and LA Voice that developed the Justice Equity Need Index (JENI) for LA County.
• L.A. Community Action NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Justice Equity Alliance contributing to JENI development.
• Homeboy IndustriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Justice Equity Alliance contributing to JENI development.
• Communities in SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Justice Equity Alliance contributing to JENI development.
• Californians for Safety and JusticeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Justice Equity Alliance contributing to JENI development.
• Pillars of the CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoutheast San Diego organization advocating and organizing for people harmed by the criminal legal system; joint producer of End Gang Profiling report with Catalyst California.
• Equity Alliance for LA's KidscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition advocating for equity-centered policies in LA Unified School District, protecting $700M annual SENI investments.
• Child Care Providers Union (CCPU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnion of childcare providers that reached historic two-year contract agreement with State of California of nearly $1 billion with Catalyst California support.
• Make LA Whole CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition that supported development of LA City Equity Index with Catalyst California.
• People's Collective for Environmental JusticeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developed Funding Climate and Racial Justice curriculum with Catalyst California for Inland Empire training.
• Congregations for Organized Prophetic EngagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Inland Empire climate and racial justice training collaboration with Catalyst California.
• Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in campaign finance reform study in Orange County with Catalyst California and California Common Cause.
• California Common CauseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in campaign finance reform study in Orange County with Catalyst California.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Liberty Hill Foundation: Los Angeles-based progressive foundation that funds (and accepts donor-advised fund grants from for Catalyst California). Operates a community power-building grantmaking model similar to the funding ecosystem Catalyst California is embedded in, and shares the same Southern California donor-advised-fund donor pool.
• Californians for Safety and Justice: Justice Equity Alliance partner working on criminal-justice reform policy across California. Closely comparable to Catalyst California's Reimagine Justice & Safety program—shared advocacy wins on sheriffs' reform, prosecutorial accountability, and reinvestment in community supports.
• Greenlining Institute: California-based racial equity policy and research organization producing indices and policy briefs (e.g., Race, Economic Equity Index) similar to RACE COUNTS. Directly comparable as a research-driven, statewide advocacy group targeting communities of color through data tools, coalitions, and legislative advocacy.
• Public Counsel: Los Angeles-based legal advocacy organization serving low-income communities through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community engagement on equity issues. Comparable as a Los Angeles-based public-interest advocacy organization pursuing systemic change for communities of color, though with a legal-practice backbone rather than a data backbone.
• California Budget & Policy Center: Direct coalition partner on the Budget Power Project. Both organizations produce budget analyses and policy briefs to inform equitable state investments, share training programs (BIPOC budget advocacy), and target the same California legislative constituencies—making it a peer rather than just a partner.
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California: Asian Americans Advancing Justice SoCal combines civil rights advocacy, research, and demographic data to influence California policy on communities of color. Directly comparable model of combining racial-equity data with legal/policy advocacy and coalition work in Los Angeles.
• Faith in Action California: Faith-rooted, multiracial community organizing network operating in California on budget justice, criminal justice, and immigrant rights—parallel to Catalyst California's power-building model and similarly reliant on coalition mobilization for legislative wins.
• The Education Trust-West: Education Trust-West conducts data-driven research on equity gaps for students of color and advocates for California legislative and local-district reforms. Directly comparable to Catalyst California's education equity work, including billiumetric indicator analysis (analogous to RACE COUNTS).

Broad incumbents

• ACLU of Southern California: Direct publishing partner on sheriff's-department accountability reports. ACLU SoCal operates as a larger, broader civil-rights advocate with overlapping LAPD/LA County criminal-justice datasets and advocacy, though spanning broader liberties than Catalyst California's racial-justice specialization.
• Advancement Project (national): Catalyst California was the California affiliate of the national Advancement Project until the 2022 independent transition. Operates as a broader racial-justice umbrella with national scope while Catalyst California focuses on California, making it the closest same-family incumbent.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/catalystca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/catalystcalifornia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Catalyst California