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.
Krista from Highland Club House listed a Brochure Writing project.
Lisa from Compeer West listed a Flexible Graphic Design Support project.
Sarah matched with Katie Rose from Community Advocates For Family & Youth for an Impact Report Graphic Design project!
Krista from Highland Club House listed an Accounting Systems Set Up project.
Laurie matched with MichaeLynn from South Pacific Islander Organization for a Leadership Coaching project!
Nisha matched with Layla from Centro de Apoyo Comunitario for a Website consultation call!
Jessica from AfricAid listed an Online Research project.
Carol matched with Melinda from Orion Communities for an Event Management consultation call!
Ashlee from Ocean Connectors listed a Website consultation call.
Tiffany from Diabetes Association of Atlanta listed a Program Assessment project.
Sydnee matched with Tiffany from Diabetes Association of Atlanta for an Organizational One-Pager project!
Jamie from Barb Smith Suicide Prevention listed a Print Materials Design project.
Randi from Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation listed an Email Layout & Template project.
Randi from Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation listed a Salesforce Database Customization project.
Sonja from Presbyterian Senior Services listed a Video Editing project.
Robert matched with Melissa from Apex Youth Connection for a Time Management Coaching project!
Krista from Highland Club House listed a Mission, Vision & Values project.
Erica from Black Mothers' Breastfeeding Association listed a Data & Analytics consultation call.
Tina from Camp Holiday Trails listed an Illustration project.
Kaanji from Embrace Action listed a Partnership Proposal Presentation project.
Rachel matched with Lonnie from Diamonds Unite for an Email Marketing System Set Up project!
Eileen matched with Michelle from Virginia Health Care Foundation for a Brochure Graphic Design project!
Corey from The Toddler's House of 10th & Page listed an Excel-Based Accounting System project.
Andy from The Brookline Center for Community Mental Health listed a Tech Systems consultation call.
Daniel matched with David from Desert Survivors, Inc. for an Excel Training project!
Carol from Jane Doe No More listed a Thank You Letter project.
John from Lead to Serve listed an Infographic project.
Liz from Unicef UK listed a Translation project.
Vinay matched with Chris from First Things First, Inc. for a Chat (Slack) Set-up & Training project!
Nine from IWRAW Asia Pacific listed a Translation project.
Nine from IWRAW Asia Pacific listed a Video Editing project.
Lonnie from Diamonds Unite listed a Marketing Strategy consultation call.
Larry matched with Lonnie from Diamonds Unite for a Marketing Strategy consultation call!
Tonya from Grown Women Dance Collective listed a Customer Database (CRM) Set Up project.
Leonel matched with Patrick from Generation Rise for a Website consultation call!
Barbara from Women In Technology Uganda listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Dottie matched with Barbara from Women In Technology Uganda for an Organizational Strategy consultation call!
Vickie matched with Barbara from Women In Technology Uganda for an Organizational Strategy consultation call!
Osagie from The Innocent Convicts listed a Partnership Proposal Presentation project.
Louisa County Resource Council received an application from Adeboye for a Website Content Plan project.
Barb Smith Suicide Prevention received an application from Addison for a Finance consultation call.
Global Philadelphia Association received an application from Shane for a Copywriting project.
Grassroots Development Initiatives Foundation Kenya (GRADIF-Kenya) received an application from Adeboye for a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Journey's End Refugee Services received an application from Addison for a Finance consultation call.
Destination Imagination received an application from Addison for a Finance consultation call.
Rachel's Haven of the Piedmont received an application from Addison for a Finance consultation call.
Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corp received an application from Addison for a Finance consultation call.
Ragamala Dance Company received an application from Addison for a Finance consultation call.
All Well-Being Services (AWBS) received an application from Addison for a Marketing Strategy consultation call.
Urban Dreams Music and Arts received an application from Tanya for a Board Prospecting 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
