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.
Mary Lynn matched with Stasia from Family Service and Children's Aid for a Social Media Starter Strategy project!
Katie matched with Jessica from Magical Creatures Of Hamakua - Animal Rescue And Sanctuary for a Social Media consultation call!
Pamela from Saint Paul Almanac listed an Event Concept & Plan project.
Avery matched with Cora from Mission Bit for a Social Media Content Calendar project!
Yessenia matched with Alexis from Out of Hand Theater for a Flyer Graphic Design project!
Julius from Steel Smiling listed a Document Template Design project.
Allyson from Teaching For Change listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Abby matched with Allyson from Teaching For Change for an Organizational Strategy consultation call!
Rosey matched with Kelley from Forgotten Not Gone, Inc for a Display Materials Design project!
Michael from City Year Buffalo listed an Email Layout & Template project.
Liz from Glad's House listed a Management consultation call.
Jennifer matched with Danilo from Spicy Green Book for a Training Materials Assessment project!
Michael matched with Dean from Orleans United Way for a Video Editing project!
Lisa matched with Greg from Orphan Helpers for a Brochure Graphic Design project!
Salviamo l'Orso received an application from Zarah for a Translation project.
Intelehealth received an application from Naomi for a Flexible Human Resources Support project.
Invisible People received an application from Erica for a Google Analytics Set Up & Training project.
Bethesda Project received an application from Jacque for a Social Media Audit project.
Wichita Family Crisis Center received an application from Shelly for an Employee Handbook project.
Douglas Arts and Humanities Association received an application from naitik for a Thank You Letter project.
Caribbean Genealogy Library received an application from Tema for a Webinar Set Up & Training project.
Caribbean Genealogy Library received an application from Tema for a Presentation Template Creation project.
New Paradigm for Education received an application from Bisma for an Employee Handbook project.
Project GROWS received an application from Maria for a Translation project.
English Language Learners Program received an application from Alberto for a Tech Systems consultation call.
Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse received an application from Maria for a Translation project.
Pastoral Women's Council received an application from Maddie for a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Society Of Extraordinary Women, Inc. received an application from Harmony for an Email Marketing System Set Up project.
Child Development Resources received an application from Maria for a Translation project.
Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block received an application from Maria for a Translation project.
National Homelessness Law Center received an application from Brian for a Flexible Marketing Strategy Support project.
Bethesda Project received an application from Brian for a Social Media Audit project.
The Arc of Midland received an application from Brian for a Marketing Materials consultation call.
Sephardic Community Youth Center Inc received an application from Al for a Flexible Graphic Design Support project.
New York City H2O Inc. received an application from Rachel for a Website Audit project.
The Neighbor Network received an application from Andrew for a Flexible Copywriting Support project.
Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block received an application from Elizabeth for a Translation project.
Salviamo l'Orso received an application from Elizabeth for a Translation project.
National Homelessness Law Center received an application from David for a Website Technical Updates project.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit received an application from David for a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project.
Petersburg Healthy Community Action Team (HCAT) received an application from David for a Website consultation call.
Regenerating Our Offspring Through Stories, Inc. received an application from David for a Website consultation call.
Young Invincibles received an application from Selena for a Translation project.
Fayette Humane Society received an application from Abby for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
UpRoot Colorado received an application from Isaac for an Impact Report Graphic Design project.
Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse received an application from Selena for a Translation project.
InterFaith Works received an application from helen for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Center for Youth Wellness received an application from Rory for a Storytelling project.
Surviving Economic Abuse received an application from Shweta for a Fundraising consultation call.
Cascade Forest Conservancy received an application from Irena for a Communications consultation call.
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
