WHO WE ARE
The CATALYST Consortium works with individuals and communities to increase the use of sustainable, quality sexual and reproductive health services and healthy practices through clinical and non-clinical programs.
¨ We integrate an array of disciplines related to improving sexual and reproductive health (eg. empowerment, behavior change, service delivery, quality of care, sustainability, HIV/AIDS);
¨ We assess sexual and reproductive health issues within the social context;
¨ We facilitate implementation of gender-equitable sexual and reproductive health solutions; and
¨ We transform and scale up sustainable, innovative strategies.
CATALYST brings together four US-based organizations and one Colombian organization as equal partners in a consortium committed to improving sexual and reproductive health in Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Near East, and Europe and Eurasia.
Through USAID missions and bureaus, CATALYST works with governments, non-governmental organizations, commercial agencies, womens groups, clients and other local stakeholders to develop and scale-up holistic programs that address the needs of clients in a particular country. By working in partnership with local stakeholders, CATALYST facilitates the creation of programs that are locally owned and therefore more likely to address local needs and to be sustainable in the long term. CATALYST seeks to provide technical assistance through south-to-south collaborative approaches as much as possible.
HOW WE WORK
CATALYST is designed to be flexible and responsive to USAID Mission programs. Assistance through CATALYST can be implemented as a stand-alone activity, in partnership with other CA and/or bilateral activities, or as a coordinating mechanism for multiple CA-assisted programs. In general, country-level programs will be implemented using field support funds, although core funds may be used in certain instances. CATALYST is interested in working closely with USAID Missions to identify innovative uses of core funds that can facilitate implementation and advance the state-of-the-art in FP/RH.
For example, CATALYST will be available to provide a limited amount of core-funded technical assistance to USAID Missions to assess FP/RH programs. These assessments will focus particularly on unmet need, non-clinical and psychosocial factors that impede service utilization, new and under-utilized service delivery channels, and opportunities for multi-sectoral partnerships and scaling-up.
CATALYST will also be available to provide core-funded assistance to USAID Missions in documenting lessons and evidence-based approaches of USAID FP/RH bilateral programs.
The Consortiums cooperative agreement with USAID allows flexibility to establish field and/or regional offices that enable CATALYST to respond to USAID Missions and other partners needs for technical assistance and oversight of field activities. CATALYST can accept USAID Mission and Regional Bureau funds from any account including Population, Child Survival, HIV/AIDS and Infectious Diseases.