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.
FIERCE Advocates received an application from Diane for a Brochure Graphic Design project.
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Education Fund Inc received an application from Carmen for a Membership Strategy project.
USA Cycling Foundation received an application from Samuel for a Tech Systems consultation call.
East Bay Center for the Performing Arts received an application from Talha for a Customer Database (CRM) Set Up project.
East Bay Center for the Performing Arts received an application from Revathy for a Customer Database (CRM) Set Up project.
Freedom Forward received an application from Siobhan for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
East Bay Center for the Performing Arts received an application from Lise for a Customer Database (CRM) Set Up project.
Dennis from Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Francesca from Freedom Forward listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Radio Bilingue, Inc. received an application from Carmen for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Saqib matched with Dennis from Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy for an Organizational Strategy consultation call!
Regional Pacific Islander Taskforce received an application from Deepa for an Open Board Position consultation call.
Radio Bilingue, Inc. received an application from Jonathan for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Radio Bilingue, Inc. received an application from Lenz for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Regional Pacific Islander Taskforce received an application from Christiana for an Open Board Position consultation call.
Radio Bilingue, Inc. received an application from Carla for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
FIERCE Advocates received an application from Araki for a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project.
Radio Bilingue, Inc. received an application from Michael for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Lylian from Radio Bilingue, Inc. listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Kamran matched with Dana from Leah's Pantry, Inc for an Artificial Intelligence consultation call!
The Crucible received an application from Jitendra for a Website Minor Update project.
The Crucible received an application from Gopikalakshmi for a Website Minor Update project.
The Crucible received an application from Jacob for a Website Minor Update project.
Regional Pacific Islander Taskforce received an application from Dylan for an Open Board Position consultation call.
Sathwik matched with Mindee from Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy for a Membership Strategy project!
Regional Pacific Islander Taskforce received an application from Jonathan for an Open Board Position consultation call.
California Film Institute received an application from Athena for a Meeting Facilitation Coaching project.
Regional Pacific Islander Taskforce received an application from Monica for an Open Board Position consultation call.
The Crucible received an application from Benett for a Website Minor Update project.
P matched with Jordan from End Hep C SF, SF Public Health Foundation for a Website Technical Updates project!
Taunuu from Regional Pacific Islander Taskforce listed an Open Board Position consultation call.
Melissa from The Crucible listed a Website Minor Update project.
Bike East Bay received an application from Dane for a Finance consultation call.
The Crucible received an application from Kai for a Website Minor Update project.
The Crucible received an application from Achu for a Website Minor Update project.
FIERCE Advocates received an application from Vytautas for a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project.
Jessica from San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Education Fund Inc listed a Membership Strategy project.
Jean from East Bay Center for the Performing Arts listed a Customer Database (CRM) Set Up project.
FIERCE Advocates received an application from Rejoice for a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Bike East Bay received an application from Bre for a Finance consultation call.
FIERCE Advocates received an application from Vilson for a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project.
Klein matched with Lea from EatSF, Vouchers 4 Veggies for a Translation project!
FIERCE Advocates received an application from Joshua for a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project.
Rich City Rides received an application from sharon for an Accounting Systems Review project.
Bike East Bay received an application from Shivam for a Finance consultation call.
Helen matched with Seth from The Crucible for a Branded Digital Assets project!
James from FIERCE Advocates listed a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project.
Abigail matched with James from FIERCE Advocates for a Marketing Materials consultation call!
Ritti matched with James from FIERCE Advocates for a Website consultation call!
Shobowale matched with James from FIERCE Advocates for a Website consultation call!
How It Works
On-demand project support
Access expert pro bono consultants to fill every skill and staffing gap
On-site volunteers
Recruit in-person volunteers for your next community event
Technical training
Get technical advice and training on new software
Coaching
One-on-one coaching and professional development
Custom work, at no expense to you
Get specific deliverables done for every need including translation, website creation, donor letters, HR handbook, and more
Community groups
Meet leaders like you with access to peer to peer forums and networking opportunities
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 Saqib Q. helped Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
How P H. helped End Hep C SF, SF Public Health Foundation
How Klein W. helped EatSF, Vouchers 4 Veggies
How Helen H. helped The Crucible
How Lauren O. helped Oakland Literacy Coalition
How Minnie C. helped Saba Grocers
How Ross E. helped Bike East Bay
How Kelly D. helped Food as Medicine Collaborative
How KeyShawn W. helped LA CASA DE LAS MADRES
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