What is this Handbook?

This Handbook is designed for Initiative Leads (ILs) and people working with them. It’s a ‘single source of truth’ on what this term/role/group means, who they are and how they operate.

It’s designed to help partners - whether they’re contributing to Catalyst in the role of Initiative Lead or in some other way that interacts with ILs.

We’ll add to and refine it according to feedback - this is v1.0!

What are Initiative Leads (ILs)?

Hailing from a variety of organisations, Initiative Leads are the people responsible for leading the services, spaces and infrastructures of Catalyst’s delivery. The way they are organised to do this delivery is Catalyst’s primary experiment in collective, network-led governance and resource-allocation.

They collectively govern this work via a circle structure (see Circles, members & cost centres). Each circle is also a community of practice for ILs to share, learn and support each other.

Diagram of Catalyst’s Roots & Fruits model. It shows a tree with three branches, each of which is an IL circle.

Key goals and expectations for ILs:

Ensure continuation and momentum of core Catalyst services
Hold and manage budgets for the initiatives that contribute to this
Collectively identify priorities for maintaining quality support and connections across Catalyst (including budget and other resource allocation)
Uphold shared values and principles.

What are the delivery circles?

Overview of the three circles. See Circles, members and cost centres for more detail

Who’s in them?

Current initiative circles, with their contributing organisations/people in brackets.

Tell me more!

See the sections in the links above for more info and resources about Initiative Leads.