Catalytic Finance Foundation

Originally founded in September 2011 by former governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, with the support of the United Nations, R20 was a coalition of sub-national governments, private companies, international organizations, NGOs, and academic & financial institutions.

Recognizing that addressing climate change requires immediate and collaborative action, Catalytic emphasizes the importance of uniting the public and private sectors to bridge the gap between sustainable infrastructure needs and investment risks.

By fostering partnerships among policymakers, clean technology providers, and investors, Catalytic aims to create a synergistic ecosystem that facilitates the development and financing of low-carbon, climate-resilient projects.

Despite global commitments to address this challenge, traditional financing models often fall short in satisfying both the need for developing sustainable infrastructure and the risk tolerance of investors.

By providing de-risking mechanisms, financial structuring expertise, and impact-driven investment models, Catalytic makes it easier for investors and stakeholders to direct funding towards climate-positive infrastructure.

Through partnerships with investors, donors, and financial institutions, Catalytic provides solutions covering the full project lifecycle, from identification to due diligence, execution, and ongoing reporting.

Catalytic possesses the expertise and capacity to identify, structure, and develop high-quality project pipelines while providing technical assistance to maximize feasibility and impact.

To ensure credibility and transparency, Catalytic integrates robust measurement, verification, and reporting (MRV) standards to track progress and maintain partner trust.

Linda Adam, The California Environmental Protection Agency State Secretary, was officially elected president of the R20 Board and Terry Tamminen was nominated as R20 special advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger, the honorary founding chair of R20.