Catalyze sets up Arizonans to take action in the community. If you’re ready to make a difference or grow your impact, start your VL journey with Catalyze. With a format that includes virtual learning sessions and in-person social events, you’ll be able to engage when and where it works best for you. Applications for Catalyze Class 5 will open in April, 2025.
About Catalyze:
Catalyze is for any Arizonan who is ready to lead and be guided by Valley Leadership’s Principles of Doing. While all program sessions will be held virtually, there is an in-person kickoff event and optional in-person socials throughout the program. Participants can expect to:
- Connect with fellow Arizonans who are passionate about the community.
- Expand your knowledge and perspectives of the issues facing Arizona – and explore them with the people working on them each day.
- Participate in unique experiences to help you to navigate challenges in your personal, professional and community life.
- Engage in personal reflection and development activities to help you understand yourself in context of what you can do for Arizona.
- Make a plan for how you’ll make a difference going forward – personally, professionally and as part of our Impact Maker work.
We are committed to empowering a broad spectrum of Arizonans to lead. With every class, inclusion and increasing representation among people who may have traditionally been overlooked for leadership roles is our priority. It is with that commitment that we are working to strengthen and build partnerships to connect more Arizonans to our training and development opportunities.
Catalyze graduates will be eligible for up to $15,000 in scholarships at the W.P. Carey School of Business. Learn more about the opportunity here.
Program Info
Program Dates
Class 5 will take run from August 2025 to February 2026. Designed with time in mind, participants will select one of two virtual session times.
Pricing
Tuition is based on a sliding scale, from $200-$850.
Applications
Applications for Catalyze Class 5 will open in April, 2025.
Subscribe for VL’s newsletter to get program updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our criterion to participate in Catalyze is simple: Are you ready to act – or do more – to strengthen Arizona?
What does that mean? You may be new to the community and want to get a better understanding of your new home; looking to grow; or want to find a way to get more engaged in the community.
The program was built with consideration of the current economic circumstances of individuals and their families in mind. Tuition for Catalyze is based on a sliding scale:
- $200 for individuals with an income of $26,500 or less, or families with an income of $53,000 or less.
- $300 for individuals with an income of $26,501-$53,000 or families with an income of $53,001-$106,000.
- $600 for individuals with an income of $53,001-$159,000 or families with an income of $106,001-$318,000.
- $850 for individuals with an income of $159,000+ or family households with an income of $318,000+
While we ask participants to commit to investing time, we never want cost to be a barrier. Scholarships and/or wage replacement may be available, and you can make that request as part of your application.
Catalyze will run from August to February. Program sessions will run for 3 hours every other week and will be offered at least twice during that week, once in the morning and once in the evening. Times will be decided by polling of the cohort.
Below is the schedule of sessions for Catalyze Class 4. Specific class days and times will be selected by the program participants.
- Kickoff Event – Wednesday, August 28th
- Session 1 – Week of September 9th
- Session 2 – Week of September 23rd
- Social 1 – Week of September 30th
- Session 3 – Week of October 7th
- Session 4 – Week of October 21st
- Session 5 – Week of November 4th
- Social 2 – Week of November 11th
- Session 6 – Week of November 18th
- Session 7 – Week of December 2nd
- Session 8 – Week of December 9th
- Social 3 – Week of December 9th
- Session 9 – Week of January 6th
- Session 10 – Week of January 20th
- Social 4 – Week of January 27th
- Session 11 – Week of February 3rd
- Session 12 – Week of February 17th
Catalyze is a six-month learning experience designed to introduce Arizonans to the most pressing issues across the state and prepare them to take action. The program consists of virtual learning sessions and in-person social events. This includes:
- An in-person kickoff event
- Interactive sessions on Zoom every other week
- Optional in-person social events throughout the program
- An in-person graduation event at the end of the program
Click here to see a sample agenda. Between sessions, there will be up to 90 minutes of preparation.
The interactive sessions every other week are dynamic and include small-group activities to help build relationships with fellow participants.
We understand you’ve got a lot going on, and we’ve designed Catalyze for busy schedules! Here’s the time commitment you can expect:
- An in-person kickoff event (3 hours)
- Interactive sessions on Zoom every other week (3 hours per session)
- Pre-work materials (1-2 hours between each session)
- Optional in-person social events throughout the program (2-3 hours)
- An in-person graduation event at the end of the program (3 hours)
Applications for Catalyze Class 5 will open in April, 2025.
Valley Leadership offers an opportunity for you to have new experiences and make new connections that help you grow. Increased self-awareness, perspective and community knowledge and connections are invaluable in any workplace. As you’re getting ready to ask your employer about a VL opportunity, be sure share with them how you’ll use these additional skills to support your organization.
Our programs vary in their time commitment – and Catalyze will be offered at a variety of times, including outside normal business hours, giving you the opportunity to continue your learning when it’s most convenient for you and your schedule.
Acceptance emails will be sent on Monday, June 17, 2024. Upon acceptance to Catalyze, you will receive further information regarding tuition payment, scholarship information and class expectations.
