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.
Yvette from Children's Museum of St. Croix listed a Social Media Content Calendar project.
Domonique matched with Jessica from Nurturing Smiles for a Finance consultation call!
Alliyah matched with Benjamin from FoodFilled for a Presentation Template Creation project!
Shadora from Destined For Greatness Mentoring listed a Management consultation call.
Shadora from Destined For Greatness Mentoring listed a Tech Systems consultation call.
Shadora from Destined For Greatness Mentoring listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Shadora from Destined For Greatness Mentoring listed an Accounting Systems Review project.
Antoine from Mack Avenue Community Church Community Development Corporation listed a Customer Database (CRM) Set Up project.
Michelle from Louise Shropshire Foundation listed a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Kevin from CoolxDad Inc. listed an Organizational One-Pager project.
Yayoi from Zero Waste Ithaca listed a Communications consultation call.
Cynthia from D.C. Family Child Care Association listed a Website Audit project.
Washington Heights United Methodist Church and Community received an application from Rikash for a Partnership Proposal Presentation project.
curaJOY received an application from Luan for a Website Visual Design project.
Washington Heights United Methodist Church and Community received an application from Chidimma for a Public Relations consultation call.
Novelly received an application from Siraj for a Copywriting project.
Take Stock in Children received an application from Promoter for a Facebook Ads Set Up project.
American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions received an application from Promoter for a Facebook Ads Set Up project.
Lymphacare Hawaii received an application from kieran for a Flexible Copywriting Support project.
lowernine.org received an application from Layna for a Social Media Content Calendar project.
PALSNPETS received an application from pragya for a Data & Analytics consultation call.
Novelly received an application from David for an Illustration project.
Health Net of West Michigan received an application from Ken for a Website consultation call.
Reprocare received an application from Chaz for a Flexible Web Development Support project.
Destined For Greatness Mentoring received an application from Barron T. for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
WeINSPIRE Movement received an application from Vaishnavi for a Flexible Graphic Design Support project.
curaJOY received an application from razieh for a Website Visual Design project.
One&All received an application from Rikash for a Presentation Creation project.
Foster the Family received an application from Maxwell for a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Ethiopian Community Development Council, Inc. received an application from Rikash for a Partnership Proposal Presentation project.
Bi-Wi "Because I'm Worth It!" International received an application from Jennifer for an Organizational One-Pager project.
Zero Waste Ithaca received an application from De'Andre for a Website Content Plan project.
WeINSPIRE Movement received an application from kieran for a Copywriting project.
LOVE, NILS Ltd. received an application from De'Andre for a Social Media Set Up project.
Boys on the Right Track received an application from Derek for a Logo Design project.
Economic Justice Institute Inc. received an application from pragya for a Data Collection Plan project.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern PA received an application from Maxwell for a Flyer Graphic Design project.
Maine Farmland Trust Inc received an application from Minnu for a Time Management Coaching project.
Big Homies Inc received an application from Chaz for a Website Major Update project.
Teens Thriving Together Inc. received an application from Kennedy for a Communications consultation call.
Grace Animal Rehabilitation Center Inc. received an application from Promoter for a Facebook Ads Set Up project.
Chesterfield County Public Schools received an application from prosper for a Flyer Graphic Design project.
Grace Lake Therapeutic Horsemanship received an application from Martavius for a Logo Design project.
Yayoi from Zero Waste Ithaca listed a Website Content Plan project.
Jill from Hanna Center listed a Social Media Set Up project.
Daveea from Third parent family and youth services listed a Program Strategy & Goals project.
Taryn matched with Andre from Inner City Bliss for a Social Media Content Calendar project!
Alex matched with Anne from Pawfectly Delicious Dog Treats for a Tech Systems Set Up project!
Juliet from Boys on the Right Track listed a Logo Design project.
David from Reaching Care listed an Email Marketing Copywriting 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]
