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.
Courtney from American Red Cross Southern AZ Chapter listed a Time Management Coaching project.
Ellie matched with Melissa from Apex Youth Connection for a Print Materials Design project!
Brenda from Black Women Rally For Action listed a Flyer Graphic Design project.
Pamela from Emotion Literacy Advocates listed an Online Research project.
Veronica matched with Wendy from Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, Inc. for a Data & Analytics consultation call!
amirmasoud matched with Rebecca from DreamCatchers for a Website consultation call!
Darlene from Earth Law Center listed a Social Media Content Calendar project.
Jennifer from Lafayette School listed a Logo Design project.
Tanya from On Point for College listed an Online Learning (LMS) Set Up project.
Chelsea from Adaptive Adventures listed a Brand Messaging consultation call.
Huong matched with Yihua from Chinese Culture Connection, Inc. for a Flyer Graphic Design project!
Tanya from On Point for College listed an Excel Training project.
Chelsea from Adaptive Adventures listed a Visual Branding consultation call.
Jonathan matched with Brenda from Black Women Rally For Action for a Marketing Materials consultation call!
Thomas matched with Regina from Nursing CAP, Inc. for a Short Video Creation Training project!
Brenda from Black Women Rally For Action listed a Marketing Materials consultation call.
Michelle matched with Brenda from Black Women Rally For Action for a Marketing Materials consultation call!
Natalie from Coalition to Save the Menominee River, inc. listed a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Karin matched with christian from STOP, Inc. for an Event Management consultation call!
Liz matched with Courtney from American Red Cross Southern AZ Chapter for a Time Management Coaching project!
kathy from NEW JERSEY PARENTS CAUCUS, INC. listed a Website Major Update project.
Heidi from Womens Voices Now Inc listed a Marketing Strategy Consultation project.
Dani matched with Phyllis from St. John Wildlife and Donkey Rescue, Inc. for a Logo Design project!
Heather matched with Stacia from Yellow Door Foundation for a Website Audit project!
Ashley from Latched Support listed a Flexible Marketing Strategy Support project.
Anthony matched with Angela from Dimplez 4 Dayz, Inv"c. for a Storytelling project!
Grazielle matched with Ashley from Parent Network of Western New York, Inc. for an Illustration project!
Rich matched with Aria from Waterfront Alliance for a Salesforce Database Customization project!
Siobhan from The Arts Center in Orange listed a Change Management Coaching project.
Tim from Brookwood in Georgetown listed an Impact Report Graphic Design project.
Stephanie matched with Jordan from Love Letters for Literacy for an Email Layout & Template project!
Jeff matched with Rebekah from Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests for a Marketing Strategy consultation call!
Ellie from Women's Fund of Rhode Island listed an Infographic project.
Kyla matched with Paula from Mat Bevel Company for a Social Media Content Calendar project!
Annie from All Blessings Flow listed a Print Materials Design project.
Daniel matched with Amanda from Ms President US for an Email Marketing System Set Up project!
Nicole from International Children's Media Center listed a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project.
Michelle matched with Carrie from Norwalk Community College Foundation for an Employee Handbook project!
Christine from Comer Education Campus listed an Online Research project.
Erin matched with Virginia from Saint Catherine Center for Special Needs for a Website Audit project!
Brett from CreatiVets listed a Website Major Update project.
Jon matched with Brandy from Generation Success for a Marketing Strategy consultation call!
David Aaron from Will Trippley Foundation listed an Online Research project.
Debra from The Key Clubhouse of South Florida listed an Event Management consultation call.
Bradley matched with Sheryl from Building Blocks for Kids Richmond Collaborative for a Copyediting project!
Henry matched with Kim from District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH) for a Fundraising consultation call!
Katherine matched with Kristin from Joy Southfield Community Development Corporation for an Infographic project!
Erin from Bay Area Community Foundation listed a Remote Work consultation call.
Catherine from SARSEF listed a Copyediting project.
Kathleen matched with Anna from Hummingbird Monitoring Network / Hummingbird Conservation Networks for an Impact Report Graphic Design project!
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
