The right speaker can transform an event, and two tri-county groups are working to harness the power of oratory to help nonprofit groups.

Santa Barbara-based Catalyst offers a lecture series on financial literacy and entrepreneurship, targeting young professionals as its audience. Catalyst sells tickets to the events, and 100 percent of the ticket sales go to a different nonprofit group for each event.

Founded in March, Catalyst has offered three lectures so far, from business leaders such as Eric David Greenspan, chief executive of Santa Barbara-based tech company Make It Work, and Kendra Kenyon, founder of the South Coast organizational development firm The Kenyon Group.

“We’ve been very fortunate so far in having the community back us,” said Chrissy Deferville, the president and founder of Catalyst. “Our sponsors cover all our event costs and facility costs, so 100 percent of our ticket sales can go to nonprofits.”