CATALYSE: Communities Acting Together
A Governance in Action Guide and Toolkit
Download the guide ▸
Download the toolkit ▸
CATALYSE is Mercy Corps’ approach to mobilizing communities, developed and honed through years of research and practical experience that show that the most effective community mobilization efforts engage with the attitudes, norms, and practices of both individuals and groups. Our evidence-based and proven methodology promotes community members’ ownership of decision-making and iteratively builds their knowledge and skills to carry out those decisions. This approach incorporates tools, principles, and practices that can be adapted to any context or program.
The CATALYSE Guide provides a basic understanding of the process of mobilizing communities, introduces the eight-step CATALYSE cycle, and outlines strategies and principles to keep in mind when designing, implementing, and evaluating mobilization efforts. In addition to outlining an approach, this guide includes a framing to support teams as they design, implement, and evaluate programs using CATALYSE. A companion to this guide is the CATALYSE Toolkit, which breaks down techniques for implementing the approach.
