Financing

Setting the stage for success: expert fundraising and investment guidance to maximize impact, growth, and resilience.

We Offer Support In

Strategic Fundraising & Investment Advisory

Securing funding—whether through investors, grants, or development finance institutions (DFIs)—requires preparation, strategy, and the right approach. Catalystas helps startups, NGOs, and businesses identify the most suitable funding opportunities, from private investments and venture capital to grants and public-sector financing. We guide clients through proposal development, investor engagement, and strategic positioning to increase their chances of securing funding. With a proven track record of both grantwriting and direct investment advice to governments and DFIs, Catalystas has helped clients raise and invest over €280 million as of 2025, with a 72.3% success rate on funding proposals for NGOs and startups. Our expertise extends to fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and financing roadmaps, ensuring organizations can confidently access and leverage funding for long-term sustainability and growth.

NGO and Non-Profit Funding Roadmapping / Donor Mapping

Funding opportunities are vast, requirements are complicated, and breaking goals down into steps for achievement is daunting. Catalystas develops tailored roadmaps that work backwards from your organization's ultimate funding goals, outlining clear, actionable steps for a successful fundraising strategy. Our approach integrates diverse funding options, aligning donor/investor priorities with your mission, needs, and conditions to maximize impact and long-term sustainability. Catalystas conducts in-depth research to develop a comprehensive donor map—an organized, strategic tool that identifies funding opportunities aligned with your organization’s needs. Our donor maps evaluate key factors such as project budgets, program scope, timelines, core funding requirements, proposal criteria, thematic and geographic focus areas, accessibility, reporting and M&E expectations, and potential partnerships. This tailored and ranked resource empowers your organization to pursue the most suitable and impactful funding opportunities.

Proposal, Investment Pitch & Loan Request Development

Securing funding—whether through grants, investors, or loans—requires a compelling, well-structured proposal. Catalystas helps NGOs, businesses, and startups craft winning submissions that align with funder priorities and financial goals. With a proven track record of securing over €280 million across our client portfolio, we guide clients from early planning to final submission, ensuring clarity, impact, and strategic alignment. Our services include grant proposals, investor decks, business plans, financial models, and lender-ready applications. We specialize in Concept Notes, Theories of Change, Log Frames, M&E frameworks, and financial forecasting, tailoring each document to meet donor, investor, or lender requirements. Experienced with bilateral and multilateral funders like UN Women, UNDP, the EU, and FMO, as well as private investors, government agencies, and financial institutions, we ensure your proposal stands out. To maximize value and strategic support, Catalystas typically operates on a retainer basis, providing ongoing refinement and guidance throughout the funding process. Whether applying for grants, securing investment, or preparing a loan request, we deliver high-impact solutions that increase funding success.

Budget Design & Financial Planning

A well-structured budget is critical for securing funding, whether through grants, investments, or loans. Catalystas helps NGOs, businesses, and startups craft clear, comprehensive budgets that align with donor, investor, and lender requirements. We ensure that financial projections, cost estimates, and expense justifications are both accurate and strategic. Our services include budget development, financial modeling, and budget narratives, providing clear explanations of costs to strengthen funding proposals. With expertise in navigating diverse donor and investor requirements, we tailor budgets to meet the specific expectations of grant-making institutions, DFIs, venture capitalists, and lenders.

Comprehensive Application Review

A strong funding application must be clear, compelling, and aligned with donor or investor expectations. Catalystas provides thorough reviews of grant proposals, investment pitches, and loan requests, ensuring strategic coherence, financial accuracy, and compliance with funding criteria. We refine budgets, narratives, impact metrics, and justifications, eliminating gaps and strengthening key messages to maximize approval rates. Whether for grants, investments, or loans, we ensure your submission is funding-ready and positioned for success.

Financial Grant Compliance

Navigating grant compliance can be complex, with strict reporting requirements, deadlines, and financial tracking expectations. Catalystas helps organizations establish monitoring systems, reporting frameworks, and compliance strategies to meet donor conditions and prevent financial risks. Whether through preventive planning or corrective action, we design flexible mitigation strategies to ensure seamless grant management and circumvent non-compliance issues before they arise.

Investor Readiness & Financial Due Diligence

Investors and lenders require transparency and strong financial governance. Catalystas conducts financial audits and risk assessments, evaluating cash flow, investment readiness, and compliance with industry standards. We provide benchmarking reports comparing financial performance against market leaders, helping businesses optimize funding strategies and secure sustainable growth.

Crowdfunding & Campaign Development

Raising funds and driving impact requires a compelling and well-structured campaign. Catalystas specializes in awareness, advocacy, and crowdfunding campaigns, helping organizations raise funds, influence policy, and shift public perceptions. We assist in selecting the right platform—from Indiegogo and Kickstarter to GoFundMe and regional alternatives—while designing marketing strategies, communication materials, reward structures, and action plans to maximize engagement and fundraising success. Whether launching a global campaign or a localized initiative, we provide the expertise to ensure your message resonates and delivers results.

Welcome to Lysta: The Catalystas Database of Experts!

We built Lysta as an answer to one of our own problems: the need to quickly assemble teams of experts across various subject matter, geographic, linguistic, and thematic areas for projects and proposals as they arise. We quickly realized that we were not the only ones facing this challenge! With the speed that development projects require hiring, turnaround, and technical insights, we see first hand how helpful it is to have a ready-made database of vetted experts to call on.

For existing and potential Clients, you can access all consultant full profiles by signing up here as a client for free.

For consultants, adding your profile to Lysta means jumping to the top of the list for our clients in recruitment processes. We do the heavy lifting: the CV reviews, interviews, vetting, and personnel management; so when our clients come to us, they know they’re hiring someone they can trust to deliver high quality, timely results. Click here to add your profile for review.

We’re proud to be a link in the chain that connects the best of the best – don’t hesitate to reach out and see how you can put Lysta to work for you!