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.
Kyle matched with Juliana from HistoriCorps for a Branded Digital Assets project!
Jennifer from Spur Impact Association listed a Video Editing project.
Daniel matched with Rebecca from Feonix - Mobility Rising for a Public Speaking Coach project!
Lauren from Civil Liberties Defense Center listed a Management consultation call.
Danielle matched with Shane from Black Mothers In Power for a Translation project!
Shane from Black Mothers In Power listed a Translation project.
Nancy from GrowSmart Maine listed a Board Responsibilities & Structure project.
Elija matched with Shana from Center for Excellence in Nonprofits for a Marketing Strategy consultation call!
Alecia from Greenville Mentoring Collaborative listed a Storytelling project.
Ellen matched with Todd from ONETrack International for a Thank You Letter project!
Tonya from Honor Community Health listed a Website Audit project.
Dean from Hendricks Foundation inc listed a Storytelling project.
Keri from Uplift Center for Grieving Children listed a Flexible Human Resources Support project.
Stacy matched with Robert from He is Me Institute, Inc. for a Copyediting project!
Melanie matched with Aileen from SoCe Neighborhood Action Foundation for a Marketing Materials consultation call!
Emma matched with Karen from eGirl Power #StopGBV #GenderEquality for an Online Research project!
Suzanne from WCGN West Central Germantown Neighbors listed a Leadership Coaching project.
Larry matched with Stephanie from Challenge Unlimited for a Brand Messaging consultation call!
David matched with Dory from Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence for a Tech Systems consultation call!
Lily matched with John from Disaster Central for a Website Accessibility Audit project!
Moses from Selfless Solutions listed a Communications consultation call.
Dean from Hendricks Foundation inc listed a Website Audit project.
Dean from Hendricks Foundation inc listed a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project.
Compassionate Heart Productions received an application from Ezimadu for an Email Marketing Copywriting project.
Gateway Festival Orchestra received an application from Nirajan for a Data & Analytics consultation call.
Novelly received an application from Aidas for a Public Speaking Coach project.
San Antonio Rising Stars, Inc. received an application from Kristin for an Online Survey project.
Grow & Lead: Community and Youth Development received an application from Corinne for a Management consultation call.
Creative Reaction Lab received an application from Alessia for a Marketing Strategy Consultation project.
Canyon Christian Academy received an application from Sarah for an Individual Donor Letter project.
FOCUS received an application from Aidas for a SWOT Analysis project.
Greenville Mentoring Collaborative received an application from Jack for a Storytelling project.
unCommon Construction received an application from John for an Impact Report Graphic Design project.
Ceiba received an application from Alessia for a Flexible Marketing Strategy Support project.
Park County Environmental Council (PCEC) received an application from Kristin for a Website Usability Audit project.
The Inspired Community Project, Inc. received an application from Tatu for a Market Analysis project.
Marin Shakespeare Company received an application from Melanie for a Transcription project.
POTTER'S GATE CHARITIES INC received an application from Amanda for a Copywriting project.
Garrett's Space received an application from Araki for a Print Materials Design project.
Strange Incorporated received an application from Alessia for a Flexible Marketing Strategy Support project.
UJEB received an application from Annastecia for a Facebook Ads Set Up project.
Hope For Learning Foundation received an application from Melanie for a Brochure Writing project.
Mentors in Motion received an application from Sharon for a Data Collection Plan project.
Building Beats received an application from HANY for a Finance consultation call.
impacthumanity received an application from Omar for a Program Strategy & Goals project.
D House Of Angels received an application from Melanie for a Brochure Writing project.
Iglesia Cristiana Evangelica received an application from Julius for a Website consultation call.
Garrett's Space received an application from marwa for a Print Materials Design project.
Fusion Community Empowerment received an application from Brian for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Celestial Point received an application from Melanie for a Storytelling 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]
