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.
Community Food Advocates received an application from Laura for an Event Slideshow Creation project.
MiHIA received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Council on American-Islamic Relations, Minnesota Chapter (CAIR-MN) received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Friends Of The Brentwood Art Center received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
We Stay/Nos Quedamos, Inc. received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Organic Seed Alliance received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
LifeTies, Inc. received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Senior & Disability Action received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Parents, Inc. received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Zaccho Dance Theatre received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
South Asian Network, Inc. received an application from Pabitra for a Brochure Writing project.
Gliding Stars, Inc. received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Friends of Ballona Wetlands received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Good Shepard Mediation Program received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Africa Center For Strategic Progress received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Louis D. Brown Peace Institute received an application from Susan for a Hiring Strategy project.
Mar Vista Family Center received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Embrace Relief received an application from Pabitra for a Proposal Cover Letter project.
Hope Foundation received an application from Pabitra for a Proposal Cover Letter project.
St. Luke's Home received an application from Pabitra for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Parents, Inc. received an application from Joel for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Friends Of The Brentwood Art Center received an application from Joel for an Individual Donor Letter project.
LifeTies, Inc. received an application from Joel for an Individual Donor Letter project.
The 5 Gyres Institute received an application from Lucie for an Online Research project.
Joe from Excelsior Action Group (EAG) listed a Marketing Strategy consultation call.
Cree matched with Amy from MOSTe: Motivating Our Students Through Experience for a Marketing Materials consultation call!
Stacy matched with Kiddada from Black Mothers' Breastfeeding Association for a Visual Brand Guide project!
Susan matched with Stephanie from Pinal County Historical Society for a Human Resources consultation call!
Elissa matched with Dimi from Arts Alliance Illinois for a Visual Branding consultation call!
Staishy Bostick matched with Todd from CANGRESS dba LA CAN for a Communication Materials Audit project!
Patrick from Virginia Beach Justice Intiative listed a Human Resources consultation call.
Daniel matched with Amalia from SpeakOut - The Institute for Democratic Education and Culture for a Finance consultation call!
Kika from Access PanAm listed a Logo Design project.
Kika from Access PanAm listed a Google Analytics Reporting project.
Kristin from Endeavor Health Services listed a Marketing Strategy Sessions project.
Carol from Trenton Music Makers listed a Tech Systems consultation call.
Julian matched with Ramona from Shoes That Fit for a Public Speaking Coach project!
Dan from Union Mission of Latrobe, Inc. listed a Marketing Strategy Sessions project.
Dan from Union Mission of Latrobe, Inc. listed a Website Visual Design project.
Gabriella matched with Nicolette from Centre Marembo for a Website Visual Design project!
Milad matched with Alexander from Coordinated Behavioral Care for a Salesforce Training project!
Ali from School the World listed a Print Materials Design project.
Claire from Livelyhoods listed an Organization Press Kit project.
Tanvir matched with Amalia from SpeakOut - The Institute for Democratic Education and Culture for a Website Construction (CMS-Based) project!
Cassie from Greater Midland Community Centers listed a Website consultation call.
Gregory G. matched with Martinique from SPAAT (Student Program for Academic and Athletic Transitioning) for a Pricing Strategy project!
Nilesh matched with Kimberly from Initiative Foundation for a Tech Systems consultation call!
Jon matched with Peter from White Memorial Conservation Center for a Google AdWords Set Up project!
Elissa matched with Joy from Families of Children under Stress, Inc. for a Social Media Strategy Sessions project!
Kathryn from Tutoring Plus of Cambridge listed an Organizational Strategy 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
