Welcome to the Bay Area Capacity Building Collective
Strengthen your organization with the help of pro bono volunteers
Connect With Talented and Engaged Professionals
This program connects you with talented professionals looking to give back, allowing you to access expertise in areas such as marketing, web development, operations, strategy, and more.
Catchafire's menu of 150+ pre-scoped projects, each with specific deliverables and project steps, makes it easy to find what you need and match with a volunteer with the right skills for the job. And if you aren't sure where to begin, start by talking to a volunteer to get advice and explore ideas.
Food as Medicine Collaborative received an application from Kelly for a Meeting Facilitation Coaching project.
RYSE Center received an application from Bekrattou for a Translation project.
LA CASA DE LAS MADRES received an application from Koffi for a Flexible Graphic Design Support project.
Eric matched with Heather from Oakland Literacy Coalition for a Website consultation call!
Mihai matched with Heather from Oakland Literacy Coalition for a Website consultation call!
Food Pharmacy Alliance, University of California San Francisco Foundation received an application from Bekrattou for a Translation project.
Food as Medicine Collaborative received an application from Lisa for a Meeting Facilitation Coaching project.
The Monkey House, Berkeley received an application from Michael for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
The Monkey House, Berkeley received an application from Nadia for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Jamileh from RYSE Center listed a Translation project.
Ira from The Monkey House, Berkeley listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
RYSE Center received an application from Evans for a Translation project.
USA Cycling Foundation received an application from Kali Prasad for a Tech Systems consultation call.
Marybeth matched with Tony from NICOS Chinese Health Coalition for a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project!
Laura matched with Mercedes from BANANAS Inc. for a Translation project!
USA Cycling Foundation received an application from Emily for a Tech Systems consultation call.
USA Cycling Foundation received an application from Mel for a Tech Systems consultation call.
USA Cycling Foundation received an application from David for a Tech Systems consultation call.
USA Cycling Foundation received an application from mehdi for a Tech Systems consultation call.
USA Cycling Foundation received an application from Chris for a Tech Systems consultation call.
Laura matched with Mercedes from BANANAS Inc. for a Translation project!
USA Cycling Foundation received an application from Paul for a Tech Systems consultation call.
Food as Medicine Collaborative received an application from Amira for a Meeting Facilitation Coaching project.
Food as Medicine Collaborative received an application from Akunna for a Meeting Facilitation Coaching project.
USA Cycling Foundation received an application from Tom for a Tech Systems consultation call.
Brian matched with Kamika from Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy for a Public Relations consultation call!
Agenor matched with Heather from Oakland Literacy Coalition for a Flexible Marketing Strategy Support project!
Angie from LA CASA DE LAS MADRES listed a Flexible Graphic Design Support project.
Jennifer from Food Pharmacy Alliance, University of California San Francisco Foundation listed a Translation project.
USA Cycling Foundation received an application from Dirk for a Tech Systems consultation call.
USA Cycling Foundation received an application from Nathaniel for a Tech Systems consultation call.
Jess from USA Cycling Foundation listed a Tech Systems consultation call.
Zoe from Food as Medicine Collaborative listed a Meeting Facilitation Coaching project.
Leah's Pantry, Inc received an application from SHASHA for a Project Management Plan project.
Leah's Pantry, Inc received an application from Neo for a Project Management Plan project.
Carter matched with Jennifer from Oakland Literacy Coalition for a Flexible Human Resources Support project!
Leah's Pantry, Inc received an application from Atakan for a Project Management Plan project.
Leah's Pantry, Inc received an application from Aparna for a Project Management Plan project.
Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project received an application from Raj for a Website consultation call.
Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project received an application from Akinyemi for a Website consultation call.
Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project received an application from Marina for a Website consultation call.
Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project received an application from Julia for a Website consultation call.
Leah's Pantry, Inc received an application from Chloe for a Project Management Plan project.
Leah's Pantry, Inc received an application from Julia for a Project Management Plan project.
Leah's Pantry, Inc received an application from Pramod for a Project Management Plan project.
Leah's Pantry, Inc received an application from Nicole for a Project Management Plan project.
Leah's Pantry, Inc received an application from Kellie for a Project Management Plan project.
Jay matched with Justin from Bike East Bay for a Human Resources consultation call!
Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project received an application from Neha for a Website consultation call.
Leah's Pantry, Inc received an application from Godswill for a Project Management Plan project.
How It Works
1. Explore Available Projects
Browse through over 150 pre-scoped projects and post your own.2. Find Your Pro Bono Professional
Review applications from interested professionals and choose who you want to work with.3. Get The Help You Need
Kick off your project and start making progress.Two ways to connect!
Consultation Calls
Projects
What Do You Need Help With?
Select from 150+ pre-scoped projects or post a consultation call to get started.
Great Connections Are Made Here
How Eric F. helped Oakland Literacy Coalition
How Marybeth Z. helped NICOS Chinese Health Coalition
How Laura B. helped BANANAS Inc.
How Craig C. helped Food Pharmacy Alliance, University of California San Francisco Foundation
How Franky A. helped Northern California Land Trust
How Sofia L. helped Bike East Bay
How Celeste R. helped Leah's Pantry, Inc
How Linda J. helped San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Education Fund Inc
How Eric D. helped Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project
ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS
Work With Talented Professionals From Around the World
Finding the right match is important. Each of the 150+ pre-scoped projects contains prerequisite skills and experience, core deliverables, and time estimates, so volunteers know exactly what is required when they apply to work with you.
The rigorous application process, which includes work experience, portfolios, and statements of interest, limits applicants to those who are serious about working with you. It's not a one-click application, and it shouldn't be.
You can review up to three applications at a time, and interview candidates before deciding. The decision is yours.
What Other Organizations are Saying
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.
We are partnering with Catchafire to provide grantees with access to virtual, skilled volunteers. We believe that by providing this valuable resource for capacity building and strategic project work, we can help our grantees amplify and accelerate the impact they have on the communities and beneficiaries they serve.
No. Your access to Catchafire is sponsored through this program, so it’s completely free for your organization.
In order to participate, you must first register your organization and then post your first project or consultation call. Get started by visiting the Project Menu to browse through over 150+ detailed project types.
You can work on an unlimited number of projects and calls throughout your membership. Once you finish a project, just make sure to mark it “complete”.
Your posted projects are visible to Catchafire’s entire skills-based volunteer community of 40,000+ talented professionals on the platform, and millions more via Catchafire's partnership with LinkedIn. Those who are interested in your organization’s cause area and who have the skills required for your project will be able to apply.
Skills-based volunteers may apply to your projects from all across the country and around the world. We encourage you to engage with virtual skills-based volunteers. If you prefer to work with somebody local, please expect it to take longer than normal to receive applications from a professional in the area.
On average, projects are matched within two weeks. If you are not seeing the response you hoped for, please reach out to [email protected], and one of Catchafire's Nonprofit Advisors will get in touch with you.
After the interview, you can log into your account dashboard and ACCEPT or PASS on the match. Once both parties accept, you are officially matched and can begin the project! If you need to exchange any materials or have follow-up conversations to determine if it is a good fit after the interview, you are encouraged to do so.
Absolutely! Schedule a call, or email your questions to [email protected] and one of Catchafire’s Nonprofit Advisors will be in touch within 24 business hours.
About this Program
Marin Community Foundation, San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, and the Hellman Foundation have joined together to launch the Catchafire Bay Area Collective. This program provides capacity building resources to local nonprofit organizations working to build stronger, more equitable communities.
The participating foundations have partnered with Catchafire to support nonprofit organizations by making connections to pro bono professionals here in the Bay Area and across the world. Through these connections, the Collective maximizes the impact organizations are able to make on the communities they serve.
Catchafire is the largest, online tool that connects social good organizations with talented professionals looking to donate their skills. This resource provides organizations with expert support in areas like marketing and communications, web development, operations, strategy and much, much more.
Learn more about Marin Community Foundation, San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, and the Hellman Foundation.
Have more questions? Drop us a line.
Email the Catchafire team at [email protected], or schedule a Catchafire introduction call to learn more about how your organization can build capacity with help from skilled pro bono professionals