Leadership Now Project Launched Catalyst Fund Initiative
The business-backed group aims to support centrist political candidates and promote all-party primary systems.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Political Parties
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The Leadership Now Project has launched the Catalyst Fund to provide financial support to political candidates and ballot measures. The group intends to use the fund to bolster centrist candidates and reduce political extremism across the country.
Why it matters
The initiative seeks to reshape election outcomes by supporting candidates who appeal to a broader electorate. By advocating for all-party primary systems, the project aims to minimize the influence of political extremes in the U.S. election process.
The Catalyst Fund offers grants ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 to support candidates and referendums. This initiative follows research indicating that 10% of California voters undervoted in a 2016 U.S. Senate race featuring two Democrats.
The players
The Leadership Now Project
This is a network of more than 400 business leaders dedicated to protecting and renewing American democracy.
Melinda French-Gates
She is a prominent philanthropist and advocate who supports the Catalyst Fund initiative.
The Coalition for a Healthy Democracy
This organization is responsible for advancing the all-party primary ballot referendum in Massachusetts.
The details
The project is currently backing a ballot referendum in Massachusetts that proposes an all-party primary system, a model already utilized in states like California, Washington, Alaska, and Louisiana. The organization hopes to replicate the success of structural reforms seen in other regions to increase voter participation and candidate diversity.
Timeline
In 2016, the Louisiana legislature approved Medicaid expansion.
March 2026 saw the publication of a report by Richard Barton on primary systems.
The Leadership Now Project is actively supporting candidates for the 2026 midterm elections.
Political Context
Opposition to these changes often comes from party loyalists who argue that all-party primaries weaken the distinct platforms of major political organizations. Critics worry that such systems may prioritize moderate incumbents over candidates representing the grassroots core of the two major parties.
Voters in Massachusetts may soon see changes to their primary election ballots if the referendum successfully passes. These shifts could fundamentally alter which candidates appear on the general election ballot, potentially expanding the options available to the average taxpayer.
The takeaway
The Catalyst Fund represents a significant push by the business community to influence electoral structure rather than just individual races. Voters should monitor whether these funding efforts succeed in shifting candidate selection toward more moderate outcomes in the upcoming midterms.
Further reading
For more background on efforts to reform electoral systems, see our Political Parties section.
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Should states adopt all-party primary systems to reduce political extremism?
