SoCal Collaborative
Uplifting Southern California's nonprofit ecosystem through capacity building
Updates & Events
How can foundations address the targeted capacity building needs of nonprofits, at scale, throughout Southern California? The Annenberg Foundation and Catchafire, working with other Southern California funders and Southern California Grantmakers, is building a regional collaborative that will focus on nonprofit sustainability in an innovative new way. The collaborative aims to democratize capacity building support and make it available to every nonprofit in the region. Come learn more about their vision and how your foundation might get involved.
SoCal Collaborative Launch Partner
The Annenberg Foundation’s program page went live on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, granting their nonprofits with access to Catchafire’s online platform and offline support.
Carl from Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce listed a Team Off-Site or Retreat Planning project.
Carl from Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce listed a Finance consultation call.
Robert matched with Brian from American Cancer Society Office of Chief Cancer Control for an Instagram Set Up & Strategy project!
Lesley from El Refugio Ministry listed a Finance consultation call.
Ethos received an application from Gabriel for a Salesforce Training project.
Clean Trails received an application from Neil for a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project.
Operation Freedom Paws received an application from Tiffany for a Website Visual Update project.
Weekend-Adventures.org received an application from Laurie for a Public Speaking Coach project.
National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools (NCSECS) received an application from Wayne O for a Website Visual Design project.
Buckelew Programs received an application from Wayne O for a Website Accessibility Audit project.
The No Suffer Society received an application from Joel for a Press Release project.
Shoes That Fit received an application from Scott for a Public Speaking Coach project.
Housing Justice Center received an application from Tamara for a SWOT Analysis project.
Accountability Counsel received an application from Ricardo for a Brochure Graphic Design project.
The Education Trust-West received an application from Robert for a Time Management Coaching project.
Community Foundation of Marquette County received an application from Mark for an Event Slideshow Creation project.
Hope Partnership for Education received an application from Mark for an Event Slideshow Creation project.
Court Appointed Special Advocates of NYC received an application from Aaron for a Google AdWords Set Up project.
Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan received an application from Adam for a Brochure Graphic Design project.
National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools (NCSECS) received an application from Samantha for a Copyediting project.
Clean Trails received an application from Neil for a Google Apps Set Up project.
Community Thread received an application from Adam for a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project.
The Arctic Institute received an application from Adam for a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project.
Walker West Music Academy received an application from Arif for a Marketing Materials consultation call.
Accountability Counsel received an application from Ludi for a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Child Care Coordinating Council of San Mateo County received an application from Amie for an Annual Report Design (Digital & Print) project.
American Cancer Society North Central Region received an application from Niyati for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
SYFS received an application from MohammadReza for a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project.
Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce received an application from Stu for a Project Management Plan project.
Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce received an application from Gary for a Finance consultation call.
Midpen Media Center received an application from Emily for a Mission, Vision & Values project.
Fantastic Friends of WNY, Inc. received an application from Corey for a Website Audit project.
Grandma's House of Hope received an application from Corey for a Search Engine Marketing Plan project.
Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta received an application from Corey for a Google Analytics Reporting project.
Planned Acts Of Kindness / 16 Things Kids Can Do received an application from Ahmed Muhammad for a Social Media Content Calendar project.
Youth Service Bureau Inc received an application from Corey for a Google Analytics Set Up & Training project.
The Caregiver Foundation received an application from Soo Jeong for a Social Media Set Up project.
The Be. Org received an application from Corey for a Social Media Content Calendar project.
Union Settlement received an application from Yajing for a Print Materials Design project.
Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce received an application from Anyelina for a Project Management Plan project.
Heal the Bay received an application from Neil for a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project.
Tara matched with Melanie from Street Samaritans for a Public Speaking Coach project!
Margaret from The Education Trust-West listed a Time Management Coaching project.
Cristina from Green Village Initiative listed a Tech Systems consultation call.
David matched with Momi from Keiki O Ka Aina (KOKA) for an Operating Budget project!
Peter matched with Jerry from Community Reporter for a Marketing Strategy consultation call!
Coya matched with Adama from Weekend-Adventures.org for an Organizational Strategy consultation call!
Frank matched with Heidi from Womens Voices Now Inc for a Google AdWords Set Up project!
kathy from NEW JERSEY PARENTS CAUCUS, INC. listed a Copyediting project.
Carl from Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce listed a Project Management Plan project.
About the SoCal Collaborative
The Southern California Capacity Building Collaborative (SoCal Collaborative) aims to strengthen the region's entire nonprofit ecosystem by democratizing capacity building resources.
Alongside our founding partners, we’re working to thoughtfully establish a more sustainable and just future through innovation.
If you are interested in participating in the SoCal Collaborative, please email partnerships@catchafire.org.
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How do foundations and Catchafire work together? We develop and implement programs that allow nonprofits to connect directly with highly skilled, mission driven pro bono professionals in order to fulfill a range of operational needs.
Each foundation program consists of the following components in order to make capacity building support more scalable, agile, cost-effective, quality intensive and measurable:
1. Online Platform: Customized page for nonprofits to register and post operational and capacity building needs.
2. Education and Marketing: In-person and digital education campaigns to drive nonprofit adoption and engagement.
3. Offline Support: Team of nonprofit advisors and customer success experts to provide organizations with a guided experience.
4. Impact Tracking & Reporting: Organizational and program level impact tracking to help funders better understand grantee needs.
How It Works for Nonprofits
1. Explore Available Projects
Nonprofits can browse through over 100 pre-scoped projects and consultation topics.2. Nonprofits can find a Pro Bono Professional
Nonprofits can review applications from interested professionals and choose the right match.3. Get Things Done
When they're ready, nonprofits then kick off the project and start making progress.Two ways to connect!
Consultation Calls
Projects
Frequently Asked Questions
New around here? Start with the basics.
Catchafire is an online platform for virtual, skills-based volunteering. Through Catchafire, professionals are able to directly support causes they care about by helping nonprofits with projects that match their skill sets. And because projects can be completed from anywhere, Catchafire makes it possible for nonprofits and skilled volunteers to connect for good, from all around the world!
Skills-based volunteering is a high impact form of volunteering that allows an individual to donate his or her professional skills and expertise, which in turn allows a nonprofit to build its capacity and focus more efficiently on its mission.
Skilled volunteers help nonprofits fill critical knowledge and staffing gaps, they work as thought partners on strategic projects, and they complete specific projects that require specialized skills, training, or experience. Very often, the relationships between volunteers and nonprofits extend far beyond the scope of the initial project that brought them together.
A specific example of skills-based volunteering is a marketing professional who volunteers to help a nonprofit create a marketing strategy.
The SoCal Collaborative was launched in 2019 with The Annenberg Foundation as our presenting partner. We are in active conversation with other leading foundations in the Greater L.A. area. Interested in learning more? Request an invite by emailing partnerships@catchafire.org.
Participation in the SoCal Collaborative is currently on an invitation-only basis. To request an invitation and more information, please email us at partnerships@catchafire.org.
The SoCal Collaborative is a think tank of leading foundations based in the Greater Los Angeles area. Catchafire is the convening body.
Our first Catchafire collaborative of foundations launched in the Bay Area in 2018 in partnership with The San Francisco Foundation.
On average, projects are matched within two weeks.
Once Catchafire and a foundation agree to partner, our foundation accounts team works with the foundation to create a customized communications plan. All program-affiliated nonprofits will receive both an email and an invitation to connect in-person for an informative launch event that showcases the platform and helps to answer questions.
Yes! We have a great team of nonprofit advisors available to answer technological questions, guide project plans and address any concerns as they arise.
Skilled pro-bono volunteers find Catchafire through our partnership with LinkedIn, corporate engagement programs with leading Fortune 500 companies, and through a good old-fashioned online search. They’re talented and passionate about helping others.
Foundation Feedback
ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS
A Powerful Network of Talented Professionals
Volunteers will be encouraged to apply to a project if they match the prerequisite skills and experience and core deliverables of a project a nonprofit posts. Each post also includes a project timeline and time estimates so volunteers know exactly what they’re signing up for.
The rigorous application process, which includes work experience, portfolios, and statements of interest, limits applicants to those who are serious about working with nonprofits. It's not a one-click application, and it shouldn't be.
Nonprofits can review up to three applications at a time, and interview candidates before deciding. The decision is theirs.
About Catchafire
Catchafire is a full service, on-demand solution designed to address the wide-ranging and complex needs of nonprofits by connecting them with talented pro bono professionals. Through Catchafire’s innovative web-based platform and network of more than 10 million professionals, nonprofits have access to people with expert skills who can help them with operational needs such as developing a website, building a strategic plan, designing a brochure, professional development, and other areas of critical work. Catchafire’s scalable and cost-effective model makes it possible for grantmakers to provide a full suite of capacity building services to any nonprofit that the foundation seeks to serve. Catchafire and its foundation partners are not only helping nonprofits improve their capacity, sustainability, and effectiveness, but also leveling the playing field by making capacity building available to any nonprofit or changemaker.
Learn More
Interested in joining the SoCal Collaborative? Email the Catchafire team at partnerships@catchafire.org