Call for Proposals: Network Catalyzers Program 2026
Illustration by Sakina Saïdi for OBI x Fine Acts
Building vibrant democracies where everyone belongs starts in our communities. Are you ready to bring people together across differences to strengthen democracy and belonging where you live? If so, apply to the Network Catalyzers Program by January 14, 2026.
The Democracy & Belonging Forum is excited to launch its second year of the Network Catalyzers Program in 2026. This program helps our members build virtual, in-person, or hybrid communities that look at regional challenges and opportunities in four areas: othering, belonging, bridging across differences, and democracy. These communities are entirely member-run, but are in part resourced, promoted, and supported by the Forum.
The program’s overarching goals are to support efforts that advance democracy and belonging through bridging, develop leadership within our network, enhance long-term network sustainability by sharing power and responsibility, activate Forum membership, and seed imagination for new democratic initiatives. Guided by a vision of a world in which everyone belongs and no group is othered, communities will be designed to build trust, foster new relationships, cultivate bridging skills, and deepen collective understanding of ongoing regional dynamics.
In 2025, six communities participated in the inaugural Network Catalyzers Program, receiving tailored support to strengthen their community-building efforts. A six-month impact survey showed unanimous satisfaction, with Catalyzers praising the program’s trusted environment, focus on mutual learning, and ability to strengthen communities advancing democracy, belonging, and bridging across diverse contexts. While the first year welcomed communities from across Europe and North America, the program also highlighted the opportunity to build stronger and more strategic regional infrastructure within the Forum—linking Catalyzers, their communities, and the broader network more intentionally.
Therefore, in 2026, we aim to support communities grounded in a clear regional context, meaning the community is based in a specific geographic area and the topic reflects that region’s dynamics. For this call, “regional” can refer to any geographically rooted community—local, municipal, state, national, or spanning multiple localities. This focus ensures that bridging and belonging efforts respond directly to the lived realities of their region, while also activating Forum membership where hubs already exist and where deeper engagement is needed. Priority regions in 2026 include the UK, France, Germany, and the US—our established membership hubs—as well as Central and Eastern Europe, where we aim to build our membership.
We welcome applications from catalyzers who wish to launch a new community as well as those who are already leading a community and seek additional support, structure, or amplification through this program. Participation in Catalyzer-led communities must remain open to both Forum members and non-members, ensuring these spaces serve as welcoming entry points into the Forum network and its shared values. Communities are welcome to work in any language; however, English is the working language of the program. While some communities will only sustain for the duration of this program, we hope that others will exist beyond the program.
As part of the yearlong program, selected Catalyzers receive support and resources tailored to their community-building needs, including:
Monthly sessions to grapple with shared challenges with fellow community catalyzers and receive trainings from experienced community builders and researchers in the Democracy & Belonging Forum network
Mentorship and thought partnership from experienced community builders and the Forum’s Head of Community
Communications and promotional support from the Forum team, including developing a dedicated landing page for each catalyzer and their community, assisting with the creation of public-facing content, and promoting communities and their activities across the broader Forum network
An honorarium of 2,500 EUR net for catalyzers for the duration of the program. Please note that your contract would be with iac Berlin, our fiscal partner in Germany, and that half (1,250 EUR net) of the payment of the remuneration will be paid out at the start of the program and half in June 2026.
Catalyzers may also apply for additional support of up to 1,500 EUR per person to host in-person gatherings, responding to our network’s call for more in-person engagement.
The role of network catalyzers is to:
Plan and hold regular community gatherings. You can set the meeting schedule with the Forum team.
Build a sustainable community structure that fosters co-creation and shared leadership among members
Convene monthly with the Forum’s Catalyzer Council to discuss shared challenges with other selected network catalyzers and participate in community-building activities and training
Provide documentation of media, takeaways, and lessons learned from each community session
Contribute regularly to community engagement on the Forum Slack channel
Participate in regular, one-on-one check-ins with the Forum’s Head of Community
The criteria for selection into the 2026 Network Catalyzers Program, which will be used to review incoming proposals, include
Trusted Partner: the applicant has demonstrated a commitment to the Forum by regularly participating in Forum activities. While active members will be prioritized, applications are welcome from all, especially from those proposing communities based in Central and Eastern Europe, where we aim to build our membership.
Relevant Topic: the topic of the community is timely, regionally focused (both the community and its topic are anchored in a specific geographic context), and aligns with Forum interests related to fostering democracies rooted in belonging, countering othering and authoritarian populism, and bridging across lines of difference. Priority regions in 2026 include the UK, France, Germany, and the US—our established membership hubs—as well as Central and Eastern Europe, where we aim to build our membership.
Shared Values: the community demonstrates shared values in a commitment to bridging that is in line with Forum Values & Principles
Existing Network: the applicant already has relationships in their region that can help bring people into their community. We especially welcome applicants who can connect different groups, strengthen regional engagement, and help grow the Forum’s presence in priority regions.
Invites Difference: the extent to which the proposed community intentionally brings together participants across lines of difference, including identity, sector, lived experience, perspective, political position, etc. Preference is given to applicants who demonstrate thoughtful strategies for fostering inclusive, trust-building interactions and creating conditions for meaningful engagement among diverse participants.
Feasibility: the planning and implementation of the community is feasible