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.
Carrie from Macomb County Pride listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
The Seventh Wave received an application from Jonathan for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Accelerate4KIDS received an application from Shobha for a Salesforce Database Customization project.
Helen Bader Institute for Nonprofit Management received an application from Shobha for a Customer Database (CRM) Audit project.
America's Grow-a-Row received an application from Kalea for an Impact Report Graphic Design project.
Ending Community Homelessness Coalition received an application from Jonathan for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center, Inc. received an application from Shobha for a Customer Database (CRM) Audit project.
Federation of Neighborhood Centers received an application from Jonathan for an Open Board Position consultation call.
New Voters received an application from Angelique for a Social Media Audit project.
Colorado Jazz Inc. received an application from Jonathan for an Open Board Position consultation call.
Kim from Dance Arts Network and Continuing Education listed a Business Plan Review project.
Apollonary matched with Avi from The Next Big Step for a Finance consultation call!
Garrick matched with Avi from The Next Big Step for a Finance consultation call!
Elaine matched with Debbie from The Free Book Buggie for a Website Visual Design project!
Deyaa matched with Jessica from Resilient Community Arts for a Google Ads Set Up project!
Oluwatosin from Christ Apostolic Church WOSEM, Inc. listed a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Oluwatosin from Christ Apostolic Church WOSEM, Inc. listed a Website consultation call.
Trace matched with Kristen from KR Scholars for a Video Editing project!
Mike matched with Charlotte from Food Gatherers for a Website consultation call!
Karisa from Ocean Blue Project, Inc listed a Flexible Graphic Design Support project.
Roselle from Community Advocacy Network listed a Brand Messaging consultation call.
Samuel matched with Jessica from The Nava Center for a Google Ads Set Up project!
brandon from Bunny's Flowers listed a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project.
John from JerseySTEM listed a Flexible Marketing Strategy Support project.
Omar matched with Ellwanda from Purpose Point for an Organizational Strategy consultation call!
Deborah matched with Richard from Kids First Initiative for a Marketing Materials consultation call!
kim matched with Richard from Kids First Initiative for a Marketing Materials consultation call!
Catholic Charities - North Central Early Learning Coalition received an application from Koffi for a Flexible Web Development Support project.
The Open Table, Inc received an application from Tom for a Tech Systems consultation call.
It Takes A Village Collaborative received an application from Dominic for a Website consultation call.
YourPassion1st received an application from Raissa for a Fundraising Plan Assessment project.
LA CASA DE LAS MADRES received an application from Koffi for a Flexible Graphic Design Support project.
Nature Canada received an application from Annie for a Branded Digital Assets project.
North Shore Streamkeepers received an application from Dominic for a Website consultation call.
Global Campaign for Education-US received an application from farah for a Flexible Copywriting Support project.
It's Your Birthday Inc. received an application from Koffi for a Flyer Graphic Design project.
Gifts of Music NW received an application from Md. Mahmud-ul for an Accounting Systems Set Up project.
Lopez Community Land Trust received an application from Cole for a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Husky Haven of Florida received an application from Dominic for a Website consultation call.
Valley Pre-School Inc received an application from Woo for a Finance consultation call.
Wildflower Composers received an application from Koffi for a Flyer Graphic Design project.
Sumner Community Food Bank received an application from L N Sai for an Email Marketing Copywriting project.
Catalyst Miami received an application from Dominic for a Website consultation call.
PFCA received an application from Annie for an Impact Report Graphic Design project.
Ocean Blue Project, Inc received an application from Melvin for a Copywriting project.
Friends of Greenbelt Theatre received an application from SHUBHAM for a Data & Analytics consultation call.
JAKKS Housing, NFP received an application from Dominic for a Website consultation call.
Project GROWS received an application from Annie for an Impact Report Graphic Design project.
Living Redemption Community Development Corporation received an application from Ashok Chakravarthi for a Data & Analytics consultation call.
Cathedral Kitchen received an application from SHUBHAM for a Data & Analytics consultation call.
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.
Yes! We have a great team of nonprofit advisors available to answer technological questions, guide project plans and address any concerns as they arise.
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.
On average, projects are matched within two weeks.
Our first Catchafire collaborative of foundations launched in the Bay Area in 2018 in partnership with The San Francisco Foundation.
The SoCal Collaborative is a think tank of leading foundations based in the Greater Los Angeles area. Catchafire is the convening body.
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 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].
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]