Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Catalytic Communities

EIN 52-2266240 · Silver Spring, MD

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceNot ratedThe short tax form does not cover thisImpact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CATALYTIC COMMUNITIES DEVELOPS MODELS FOR EFFECTIVE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION OF INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE, BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF RIO DE JANEIRO AND THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT APPROACHES. WE DO THIS THROUGH A COMBINATION OF RESEARCH, EDUCATION, TRAINING, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, TECHNOLOGY, NETWORKS, ADVOCACY AND PARTICIPATORY URBAN PLANNING. PROGRAMS INCLUDE: TRAINING FAVELA LEADERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGIES (ENERGY, WASTE, SEWAGE, ETC.), MOBILIZATION AND RESEARCH: PUBLISHING LOCAL PERSPECTIVES FOR LOCAL-TO-GLOBAL URBAN PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUDIENCES; EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY VISITS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNIVERSITIES; PUBLIC LECTURES; EDUCATIONAL PUBLICATIONS; CONDUCTING FIELD RESERACH; DEVELOPMENT OF LAND REGULARIZATION PROPOSALS AND CONVENING AND MAPPING COMMUNITY ASSETS AND ORGANIZATIONS. THE ORGANIZATION SCALES ITS ACTIVITIES BY DISSEMINATING MODELS AND APPROACHES DEVELOPED TO OTHER DEVELOPMENT

Income
$158,485
Spending
$122,718
Reserves
23.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 74%
Highest pay
$38,400, executive director

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 23.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 23% of income.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $33,277 spent. Nonprofit news and social media publication of 72 favela community bilingual news stories reflecting community voices, data and solutions to climate change, water, housing, community memory, and more.
  2. $31,169 spent. Development and facilitation of network of favela leaders addressing social and environmental challenges, including running large festival, exchange, exhibitions and research.
  3. $23,710 spent. Support of communities in Brazil in development community land trusts through legal support for establishing future associations: Information to local governments in Brazil interested in integrating CLTs into their master plans.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 2001.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.