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 120+ 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.
Lotus Bloom received an application from Samwel for a Remote Work consultation call.
Jessica from Lotus Bloom listed a Remote Work consultation call.
Adrienne from Leah's Pantry, Inc listed a Data Crunching & Analysis project.
Gary matched with Larissa from The County of Alameda, California for an Organizational Strategy consultation call!
Larissa from The County of Alameda, California listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Medha matched with Larissa from The County of Alameda, California for an Organizational Strategy consultation call!
The County of Alameda, California received an application from Shriram for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Leah's Pantry, Inc received an application from Yuankun for a Data Crunching & Analysis project.
Leah's Pantry, Inc received an application from Ashwin for a Data Crunching & Analysis project.
Leah's Pantry, Inc received an application from Ahmed for a Data Crunching & Analysis project.
Joanne from End Hep C SF, SF Public Health Foundation listed a Communications consultation call.
Karen matched with Spencer from Food as Medicine for a Translation project!
Patricia matched with Kellyn from ODC for a Translation project!
Abbey from 826 National listed a Finance consultation call.
Wendy matched with Abbey from 826 National for a Finance consultation call!
826 National received an application from Glenn for a Finance consultation call.
Youth Radio DBA YR Media received an application from Arman for a Flexible Human Resources Support project.
Jan matched with Jessica from Lotus Bloom for a Finance consultation call!
Luana matched with Rosaura from DeLIVER Care Van, UCSF for a Merchandising project!
Youth Radio DBA YR Media received an application from Pedzisai for a Flexible Human Resources Support project.
Kimberly matched with Beau from San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium for a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project!
Shannon matched with Hugo from Radio Bilingue, Inc. for a Social Media consultation call!
Tim matched with Jethro from Oakland Literacy Coalition for a Human Resources consultation call!
Youth Radio DBA YR Media received an application from Gwyne for a Flexible Human Resources Support project.
Camille matched with Dane from California Film Institute for a Workplace Culture Assessment project!
Benny matched with Yesenia from DeLIVER Care Van, UCSF for a Flyer Graphic Design project!
Margaret from Youth Radio DBA YR Media listed a Flexible Human Resources Support project.
The County of Alameda, California received an application from Yusufu for a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project.
Karen matched with Spencer from Food as Medicine for a Translation project!
Joan matched with Margaret from Youth Radio DBA YR Media for a Flexible Human Resources Support project!
The County of Alameda, California received an application from olivier for a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project.
The County of Alameda, California received an application from Jahnavi for a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project.
Lyla from The County of Alameda, California listed a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project.
Rebecca matched with Lea from EatSF, Vouchers 4 Veggies for a Market Analysis project!
Jason matched with Charles from At The Crossroads for a Program Strategy & Goals project!
katherin matched with Lea from EatSF, Vouchers 4 Veggies for a Pricing Strategy project!
Youth Radio DBA YR Media received an application from Dieudonne for a Finance consultation call.
Lori matched with Daniel from California Film Institute for an Email Layout & Template project!
Kira matched with Daniel from California Film Institute for a Website User Experience project!
Sutrisna matched with Claire from End Hep C SF, SF Public Health Foundation for an Infographic project!
Ai from Youth Radio DBA YR Media listed a Finance consultation call.
Allison matched with Lea from EatSF, Vouchers 4 Veggies for a Flexible Marketing Strategy Support project!
Brian matched with Lauren from Coaching Corps for a Google Analytics Set Up & Training project!
Stephen matched with Sia from Oakland Literacy Coalition for a Website Copywriting project!
Kelsey matched with Susan from The Crucible for a Video Editing project!
Nicholas matched with Alexandria from Oakland Public Education Fund for an Email Layout & Template project!
Bernadette matched with Rachel from DeLIVER Care Van, UCSF for a Flexible Coaching Support project!
Sarah matched with Sia from Oakland Literacy Coalition for a Partnership Proposal Presentation project!
Gina matched with Rachel from DeLIVER Care Van, UCSF for a Process Improvement project!
Anne matched with Erin from Coaching Corps for a Human Resources consultation call!
How It Works
1. Explore Available Projects
Browse through over 120 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 120+ pre-scoped projects or post a consultation call to get started.
Great Connections Are Made Here
Matched May 11th, 2021
How Gary G. helped The County of Alameda, California
Organizational Strategy
Matched May 5th, 2021
How Karen S. helped Food as Medicine
Translation
Matched Apr 24th, 2021
How Luana P. helped DeLIVER Care Van, UCSF
Merchandising
Matched Apr 23rd, 2021
How Kimberly H. helped San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium
Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity
Matched Apr 13th, 2021
How Camille M. helped California Film Institute
Workplace Culture Assessment
Matched Mar 29th, 2021
How Rebecca M. helped EatSF, Vouchers 4 Veggies
Market Analysis
Matched Mar 26th, 2021
How Jason T. helped At The Crossroads
Program Strategy & Goals
Matched Mar 18th, 2021
How Sutrisna B. helped End Hep C SF, SF Public Health Foundation
Infographic
Matched Mar 11th, 2021
How Brian B. helped Coaching Corps
Google Analytics Set Up & Training
ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS
Work With Talented Professionals From Around the World
Finding the right match is important. Each of the 100+ 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 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.
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 120 detailed project types.
You can work on an unlimited number of projects and calls throughout your membership. Once you finish a project, just mark 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 to troubleshoot 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
The San Francisco Foundation, Marin Community Foundation, Walter & Elise Haas Fund, San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, East Bay Community Foundation’s ASCEND:BLO Initiative 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 The San Francisco Foundation, Marin Community Foundation, Walter & Elise Haas Fund, San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, East Bay Community Foundation’s ASCEND:BLO Initiative, 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
