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.
GEOFFREY from Vitendo4Africa listed an Organization Goal Setting project.
Heather from Ojai Raptor Center listed a Fundraising Plan Assessment project.
Robert from Lone Star Wind Orchestra listed an Accounting Systems Set Up project.
Emma from HYPE listed an Infographic project.
Steve from Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative listed an Online Research project.
Linda from Mission Endowment Fund of the NT-NL Synod, ELCA listed a Flexible Marketing Strategy Support project.
GEOFFREY from Vitendo4Africa listed a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Megan from Friends of L'Arche Atlanta Inc. listed a Logo Design project.
Madison from United Way of Gratiot & Isabella Counties listed a Storytelling project.
Stefania matched with Mazi A. E. from WORDS BEATS & LIFE for an Organizational One-Pager project!
Khalid matched with Winny Didine from Water Access Rwanda for a Social Media consultation call!
Camille matched with Heather from Covenant House California for an Organizational Chart Creation project!
James matched with Anita from Mediation Center of Charlottesville for a Tech Systems consultation call!
Nickie from Step Up listed a Tech Systems consultation call.
Eric matched with Anita from Mediation Center of Charlottesville for a Tech Systems consultation call!
Laetitia from Oasis -- A Haven for Women and Children listed a Marketing Materials consultation call.
Paul matched with Tibby from Breast Cancer Action for a Flexible Tech Support project!
Malauna from Many Languages One Voice listed a Salesforce Training project.
Lyubov matched with Sasha from Canopy of Neighbors for a Website Major Update project!
Willow matched with Tabitha from Richmond SPCA for a Video Editing project!
Jack matched with Kuwa-Jasiri from Authentic Creations Publishing Apothecary for a Flexible Graphic Design Support project!
Daria matched with Alissa from Erdi Foundation for a Leadership Coaching project!
Gretchen from Policy Pathways, Inc. listed a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project.
Richard from Kids First Initiative listed a Video Editing project.
Jojo matched with Victoria from Trinity Human Services Corporation for a Website Management Training (CMS-Based) project!
Adrianne matched with Darlene from Betty Jean Brown Foundation for an Online Research project!
Meredith matched with Alycia from Samaritan Center For Counseling and Pastoral Care for a Translation project!
Stephanie from North Marin Community Services listed a Brochure Writing project.
Elizabeth matched with Maya from Mobilizing African American Mothers through Empowerment (MAAME, Inc.) for a Human Resources consultation call!
Adesanmi matched with Amanda from Substantial Classrooms for a Tech Systems consultation call!
Chatterjee matched with Antoine from Mack Avenue Community Church Community Development Corporation for a Partnership Proposal Presentation project!
Becca from Knox County Homeless Coalition listed a Flexible Graphic Design Support project.
Judi from Turning Green listed a Flexible Graphic Design Support project.
Diego from Identity, Inc. listed a Social Media consultation call.
Miya from Atholton Adventist Academy listed an Infographic project.
Jillian from The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Inc listed an Individual Donor Letter project.
John from Disaster Central listed a Data & Analytics consultation call.
Diego from Identity, Inc. listed a Social Media consultation call.
Davon matched with Andrea from Center for Success Network for a Facilitated Strategy Session project!
Michele matched with Kathy from Aveyron Homes, Inc. for a Proposal Review project!
William from 3D music academy INC listed a Finance consultation call.
gina from Habitat for Humanity Tucson listed an Online Survey project.
Jillian from The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Inc listed a Management consultation call.
Monica from Economic Growth Business Incubator listed a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project.
Kathryn from The Legacy Center for Community Success listed a Flexible Marketing Strategy Support project.
Desiree from United for a New Economy listed a Professional Bio Writing project.
Michael matched with Mazi A. E. from WORDS BEATS & LIFE for an Illustration project!
Desiree from United for a New Economy listed a Website Image Sourcing project.
Avram from Tzedek America listed a Management consultation call.
Jane from Center for Great Apes 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]
