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.
Lynn from Our Community School listed a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Philippe matched with Jessica from Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition for a Website Audit project!
Hitesh matched with Jeanie from Assistance League of Tucson, Inc. for a Tech Systems consultation call!
Ratasha from Chocolate Soul Revival listed an Accounting Systems Review project.
Tom from Grass Lake Sanctuary listed a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project.
Joyce from St. Ann's Corner of Harm Reduction listed a Flexible Program Strategy Support project.
Joyce from St. Ann's Corner of Harm Reduction listed a Flexible Human Resources Support project.
Trevor from All Parks Alliance for Change listed a Finance consultation call.
Ekta matched with Pascal from Pure Water for Generations e.V. for a Customer Database (CRM) Set Up project!
Austin matched with Shelia from Family YMCA of Emporia-Greensville for a Website Audit project!
Chapter 510 received an application from Gilbert B. for a Video Conferencing consultation call.
The Konnection received an application from Peony for a Social Media Set Up project.
Trekkers Inc received an application from Jayden for a Video Editing project.
GenesisHOPE received an application from ? Martina for a New Employee Recruiting project.
KAN-WIN received an application from YASUTAKA for an Employee Review Process project.
Midland County Cancer Society. DBA - Cancer Services received an application from Lance for a Salesforce Database Customization project.
City Year Los Angeles received an application from Areeba for a Storytelling project.
WestSide Baby received an application from Areeba for a Translation project.
The Mark Twain House & Museum received an application from Ricardo for a Translation project.
Howard EcoWorks received an application from Setareh for a Video Editing project.
Fauquier CADRE received an application from Rajat Rewaram for an Excel Training project.
Mentor2Youth received an application from Hitesh for a Project Management Plan project.
DCU Next Generation received an application from JaRahnee for a Board Recruitment Plan project.
City Year Los Angeles received an application from Jake for a Storytelling project.
American Alpine Club received an application from Abdullah for a Storytelling project.
WestSide Baby received an application from Jean-Pierre for a Translation project.
The Mark Twain House & Museum received an application from Jake for a Translation project.
Wyoming Wilderness Association received an application from Ashley for a Fundraising consultation call.
Trekkers Inc received an application from Talasia for a Video Editing project.
Youth On Their Own (YOTO) received an application from Wendy for a Volunteer Manual project.
Envision Education received an application from He for a Data & Analytics consultation call.
Veterans Breakfast Club received an application from Rohan for a Marketing Strategy consultation call.
THRIVE Center received an application from Rohan for a Brand Messaging consultation call.
Project Exchange received an application from Talasia for an Illustration project.
BookSpring received an application from Jordan for a Website Copywriting project.
Unusual Suspects Theatre Co received an application from Talasia for a Flexible Graphic Design Support project.
Ocean Blue Project, Inc received an application from Jenn for a Storytelling project.
EnCorps STEM Teachers Program received an application from Daniel for a Google Ads Set Up project.
PMD Alliance received an application from Hakim for a Public Speaking Coach project.
Trinity Community Foundation received an application from Talasia for a Flexible Graphic Design Support project.
Midland County Cancer Society. DBA - Cancer Services received an application from Ashleigh for a Salesforce Database Customization project.
Womens Voices Now Inc received an application from Miranda for a Video Editing project.
Solar Austin received an application from Alexa for a Visual Brand Guide project.
Unusual Suspects Theatre Co received an application from Vladimir for a Flexible Graphic Design Support project.
At Bat received an application from Eric for a Remote Program Strategy project.
Livingston County Catholic Charities received an application from Amulya for an Event consultation call.
All Parks Alliance for Change received an application from Jan for a Finance consultation call.
Philadelphia OIC received an application from Blake for a Website Visual Design project.
World Pulse received an application from Miranda for a Video Editing project.
Downeast Fisheries Partnership received an application from Amulya for a Storytelling 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
