Policy Department
Maps racial and economic disparity
Catalyst California’s Policy Department crafts innovative policies to better address California’s social and economic problems, incorporating data, experts, and the lived experience of communities of color with a truly comprehensive outlook. We study best practices and real-world results to uncover solutions and write the blueprint for a racially and economically just California, arming advocates and policymakers with tools they can use to create change.
Examples of our work
Stop the Stops
Our investigation showed the Los Angeles Police Department continued to profile people of color through pretextual traffic stops after adopting a policy limiting them. Our research provided the basis for the city council to ban the stops outright.
Community Schools
The new community schools model brings together schools, community members, and services to help make schools places that can support their students — and their families — in every aspect of their lives. In the 2026-27 state budget, we helped win $1 billion to expand Community Schools, providing ongoing funding to about 2,500 schools that have received previous one time grants and making about 3,700 new schools eligible for the program annually.