SoCal Collaborative
Uplifting Southern California's nonprofit ecosystem through capacity building
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About the SoCal Collaborative
The SoCal Collaborative leverages Catchafire’s innovative online platform to match nonprofits with skilled professionals for unlimited, virtual pro bono engagements. There are 150+ pre-scoped projects, ranging from pivoting to remote work and website development, to fundraising and executive coaching, and many more. Nonprofits have unlimited access to Catchafire’s nonprofit advisors and support, along with live and on-demand trainings.
In its first two years, pro bono volunteers have supported hundreds of SoCal nonprofits, completing over 22,000 hours of work, on 1,200 projects, and providing the nonprofits with over $4.6 million in capacity building support. The Collaborative has proved to be a valuable “beyond the grant” resource for nonprofits of all sizes, filling a critical need for flexible, online capacity building support.
If you are interested in participating in the SoCal Collaborative, please reach out directly to Larry Eason, VP of Partnerships, at [email protected] or directly to [email protected].
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How do foundations and Catchafire work together? We partner with grantmakers to design and implement programs that empower nonprofits to connect directly with highly-skilled, mission-driven pro bono professionals to fulfill a range of operational needs.
Each foundation program consists of the following components:
1. Online Platform: Customized page for nonprofits to register and use as a home base for posting projects to support their operational and capacity building needs.
2. Education and Marketing: In-person and digital education campaigns to drive nonprofit adoption and engagement.
3. Unlimited 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.
Shawn from Chicago Dancemakers Forum listed a Flexible Tech Support project.
Sharon from The Social Blueprint Inc listed a Google Workspace Set Up project.
Robert from Merchants Hope Episcopal Church listed a Website consultation call.
Lauren from Community Tech Network listed a Google Ads Campaign Support project.
Lisa from NCJWA Vic listed an Impact Report Graphic Design project.
Lily from USA Parent to Parent listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Andy matched with Megan from DG Sentinel for a Tech Systems consultation call!
Lori from Sanzuma listed a Flyer Graphic Design project.
Britney from Gray Matter Experience listed a Website Major Update project.
Sofia Amaranta matched with Donna from The Childcare Network for a Translation project!
Cynthia from IDEA Center For The Arts listed an Identify Success Metrics project.
Cynthia from IDEA Center For The Arts listed a Data Collection Plan project.
Paloma from One Arizona listed a Facebook Ads Set Up project.
Elizabeth from Sourcewise listed a Data Visualization project.
Andrew from Ju-jitsu Shotokan Karate Association listed a Website consultation call.
JANICE from A Place 2 Live Inc listed a Data & Analytics consultation call.
Mary from Girl Scouts of Connecticut listed a Leadership Coaching project.
Cindy matched with JANICE from A Place 2 Live Inc for a Data & Analytics consultation call!
Amber from ONEgeneration listed a Human Resources consultation call.
Amber from ONEgeneration listed an Impact Report Graphic Design project.
Kimberly from Hummingbird Haven, Inc. listed an Event Concept & Plan project.
Caroline matched with Kat from American Solar Energy Society for a Communications consultation call!
Julie matched with Nancy from Collective Impact for a Display Materials Design project!
Patrick from Selfless Solutions listed a Market Analysis project.
Lorna from Sam Day Foundation listed a Social Media consultation call.
Elizabeth from The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience listed a Partnership Proposal Presentation project.
Xavier matched with Brian from CancerCare for a Visual Branding consultation call!
Melissa from Negotiation Works listed a Translation project.
Diane matched with Emily from UMFS for a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project!
Deb from Social Venture Partners San Antonio listed a Social Media Content Calendar project.
Tory from STAR Institute listed a Proposal Review project.
Melonie from I Choose To Win listed a Customer Database (CRM) Set Up project.
Hien from Partner in Employment listed a Flexible Human Resources Support project.
Sarah A. from New Jersey Blind Citizens Association, Inc. listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Melonie from I Choose To Win listed a Storytelling project.
Millie from Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce listed a Website Audit project.
Melonie from I Choose To Win listed a Social Media Content Calendar project.
Richard from California Institute for Rural Studies listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Thomas from Cross Lutheran Church listed a Finance consultation call.
Thomas (Tom) matched with Heather from The Larimer Chorale for an Organizational Strategy consultation call!
Mike matched with Heather from The Larimer Chorale for an Organizational Strategy consultation call!
Bethany matched with Heather from The Larimer Chorale for a Communications consultation call!
Corinne matched with CAPE from CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics In Entertainment Foundation, Inc.) for a Brand Messaging consultation call!
Ray from LSA Family Health Service listed a Customer Database (CRM) Set Up project.
Maureen from Child and Family Services listed a Compensation Plan project.
Marta matched with Heather from The Larimer Chorale for an Event Management consultation call!
Letitia from The Nasia Foundation listed a Social Media consultation call.
Paige matched with Elisa from Council For Court Excellence for an Employee Review Process project!
Mozhgan from Eagle Online Academy listed a Facilitated Strategy Session project.
Danny from Urban Tech Hero listed a Social Media Content Calendar project.
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 organizations 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 [email protected].
Participation in the SoCal Collaborative is currently on an invitation-only basis. To request an invitation and more information, please email us at [email protected].
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 [email protected]
