Award recognizes early-stage organizations with outsized impact.
Contact: Ananya Gouthi
Program Manager, McNulty Foundation
[email protected]
Ben Berliner
Aspen Institute
[email protected]
New York, NY, April 14, 2025– The McNulty Foundation and Aspen Institute have announced the recipients of the 2025 McNulty Prize Catalyst Fund — an award given annually to support early-stage organizations with innovative and inclusive solutions to critical issues. A total of $120,000 will be awarded to six recipients working in the United States, South Africa, the Philippines, and Guatemala. Register now to hear from the recipients in a two-part dialogue on April 30th and May 7th from 12-1pm ET., as they discuss navigating the unique challenges and opportunities of meeting this moment. Now more than ever, we see the need for long-term, deep commitment to co-creating change in community. In response to growing global challenges, the 2025 fund recipients highlight two key focus areas: Health Equity as a critical issue, and Collaborative Action as an essential approach for solving complex problems.Though each organization tackles distinct challenges, they are all meeting this unique moment through a shared commitment to center community, build collaboration with stakeholders, and address root causes of suffering and inequality. “These organizations offer powerful new models for driving change. While they may be at an early stage, they are led by individuals whose deep expertise and connection to their communities mean they are uniquely positioned to make lasting change,” said Anne Welsh McNulty, President of the McNulty Foundation and trustee of the Aspen Institute. Awarded annually to organizations led by Aspen Institute fellows, the Fund aims to support organizations committed to addressing inequities through innovative and inclusive solutions.Meet the 2025 McNulty Prize Catalyst Fund Awardees:Health Equity: The following recipients are recognized for designing and driving innovative community-led solutions that make health and wellbeing accessible to historically underserved communities. HEAL SA| South Africa
Youth mental health has been a critical crisis in South Africa since much before the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing from her own mental health journey, Mpadi Makgalo (Africa Leadership Initiative-South Africa) established HEAL South Africa with a clear mission: to eliminate the pervasive mental health disparities impacting young people across the nation. Under her leadership, HEAL SA has profoundly impacted young people, education, and communities, offering free mental health services and professional development training.
heal-sa.org.zaSalud Verde | Guatemala
Mónica Berger González (Central America Leadership Initiative) and Salud Verde are increasing healthcare access for underserved communities in Guatemala through research and programs that scale plant-based regenerative medicine.This innovative approach not only seeks to bridge the healthcare gap but also promotes conservation for Guatemala’s natural ecosystems and develops economic opportunities for rural and indigenous communities.
saludverde.com.gtPlanetary Health Philippines | Philippines
Renzo Guinto (Aspen Global Innovators Group Fellow) is finding solutions to the urgent global health threat of climate change, especially in the Philippines. Leading Planetary Health Philippines, Renzo has built a community of advocates, scholars, and practitioners focused on the intersection of public health and climate solutions. They steward the work of addressing the human health impacts of global environmental change through education, awareness, solution co-creation, collaborative research, policy engagement, and community advocacy.
planetaryhealth.ph
Collaborative Action: The following recipients are recognized for their work fostering collaboration on major social challenges by bringing together stakeholders across sectors to build capacity, coordinate action, and drive systems change.
Vessel Collective | United States
Access to water and sanitation is a fundamental human right. Yet, more than 2 million people in the US still lack running water or basic plumbing. George McGraw (Civil Society Fellow) works with Vessel Collective, a coalition of WASH leaders bringing together stakeholders from across sectors to drive action and advocate for policy change. Vessel Collective has built a network of 15 WASH organizations, spearheading advocacy and ground-efforts to boost resource access and unite entities to benefit impacted communities.
vesselcollective.us
Mosaic Changemakers | Southern United States
Renata Soto (Pahara Fellow) founded Mosaic Changemakers to cultivate a community for BIPOC leaders in the US South through leadership development. The Institute is building a solidarity network of changemakers of color leading social change in the region, providing them with the leadership development, tools and cohort they need to build and sustain theirefforts in community.
mosaicchangemakers.org
IREACH | United States
As a Nome Eskimo Community (NEC) Tribal member, Dr. Jessica Saniguq Ullrich (Ascend Fellow) deeply understands the power of Indigenous connectedness to overcome colonial trauma. She and her multidisciplinary research team at The Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health (IREACH) at Washington State University are collaborating with NEC, a federally recognized Tribe in Alaska, to promote multi-generational healing and wellbeing for Indigenous children and families.
ireach.wsu.edu
The McNulty Prize Catalyst Fund recognizes promising ventures led by Fellows of the Aspen Institute with significant early momentum and at critical junctures on their path to creating meaningful change. The Fund boosts leaders and their organizations, awarding up to $150,000, annually across five to seven recipients as well as non-monetary support to reach the next level of impact. Launched in 2017, to date, the fund has supported over 35 recipients from around the world.
Want to learn more? Register for “Forging Durable Solutions: A Two Part Dialogue with Social Change Leaders” with the 2025 Catalyst Fund Awardees on April 30th and May 7th from 12-1pm ET.
About the John P. & Anne Welsh McNulty Foundation
The McNulty Foundation inspires, develops, and drives leaders to solve the most critical challenges of our time. The Catalyst Fund builds on more than a decade of impact with the John P. McNulty Prize, a $450,000 annual award that recognizes three Winners with moral courage, a vision for change, and a track record of bold and lasting impact. Prize Winners are chosen by an international jury that has included the late Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Dorsey, Olara Otunnu, Brizio Biondi-Morra, Darren Walker, Mary Robinson, and Richard Branson. The McNulty Prize and Catalyst Fund are given in partnership with the Aspen Institute, to recognize exceptional leadership ventures undertaken by their Fellows. For more information, visit mcnultyfound.org. Follow @McNulty Foundation on LinkedIn and @McNultyFoundation on Instagram.
The Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN) is a growing, worldwide community of nearly 4,000 high-integrity, entrepreneurial leaders from over 60 countries who share a commitment to values-based leadership and to using their creativity, energy and resources to tackle the foremost societal challenges of our times. Because of their demonstrated accomplishment and abilities, they have been selected to join one of 13 geographic or sector-specific AGLN Fellowships around the world. Fellows convene annually at the AGLN’s flagship event, the Resnick Aspen Action Forum. For more information, visit aspeninstitute.org/agln.
For over 15 years, the Aspen Global Innovators Group (AGI) has championed health and development leaders from 54 countries across Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Island States to build a safe, equitable, and healthier future for all people and communities. The impact of our Fellows reverberates across the globe. Our network of 7000+ individuals and organizations has served 200 million people, improving health, well-being, and equity. We identify and amplify the voices of visionary, proven, and impactful local leaders, advocates, and practitioners. Join us in building a healthier, more equitable future at https://www.aspenglobalinnovators.org/.
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.
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