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.
Mission Bit received an application from Farman for a Logo Design project.
Oliver matched with Rebecca from Better Because Collective for a Flexible Web Development Support project!
Oliver matched with Rebecca from Better Because Collective for a Google Analytics Reporting project!
Mission Bit received an application from Bash for a Logo Design project.
Holy Stitch! received an application from Cameron for an Infographic project.
Mission Bit received an application from Hamna for a Logo Design project.
Holy Stitch! received an application from Chante for a Brand Messaging consultation call.
Julian from Holy Stitch! listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Mission Bit received an application from Saba for a Logo Design project.
Perfect Friend received an application from Azam for a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project.
City of Dreams received an application from David for a Leadership Coaching project.
Jennifer matched with Johnny from Push Dance Company for a Communications consultation call!
Raissa from Push Dance Company listed a Flexible Graphic Design Support project.
Penny matched with Raissa from Push Dance Company for an Individual Donor Letter project!
Mission Bit received an application from Miranda for a Logo Design project.
Transgender, Gender Variant and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) received an application from Neha for an Excel Training project.
Transgender, Gender Variant and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) received an application from Morteza for an Excel Training project.
Perfect Friend received an application from Praveena for a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project.
Christina from Mission Bit listed a Logo Design project.
Brian matched with Julian from Holy Stitch! for an Organizational Strategy consultation call!
William from Perfect Friend listed a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project.
Denise matched with Molly from Total Woman Empowerment for a Flexible Marketing Strategy Support project!
Perfect Friend received an application from Jojo for a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project.
Perfect Friend received an application from Rasika for a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project.
Holy Stitch! received an application from Becca for a Brand Messaging consultation call.
Perfect Friend received an application from John for a Website Set Up (CMS-Based) project.
Nancy from Collective Impact listed a Display Materials Design project.
Shaheim matched with Julian from Holy Stitch! for a Website consultation call!
City of Dreams received an application from Monica for a Leadership Coaching project.
Transgender, Gender Variant and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) received an application from Kazi for an Excel Training project.
Transgender, Gender Variant and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) received an application from Aakash for an Excel Training project.
Transgender, Gender Variant and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) received an application from Smita for an Excel Training project.
Transgender, Gender Variant and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) received an application from HABIMANA for an Excel Training project.
Transgender, Gender Variant and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) received an application from Mardi for an Excel Training project.
Jarmstead Unlimited Corporation dba Body, Soul, and Spirit Salon received an application from Sushant kumar for a Finance consultation call.
Transgender, Gender Variant and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) received an application from Anila for an Excel Training project.
Transgender, Gender Variant and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) received an application from Samuel for an Excel Training project.
City of Dreams received an application from Vanessa for a Leadership Coaching project.
Anna Marie from Transgender, Gender Variant and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) listed an Excel Training project.
Holy Stitch! received an application from Alister for an Infographic project.
Megan matched with Brian from Community Thrift Store for a Human Resources consultation call!
Julian from Holy Stitch! listed a Brand Messaging consultation call.
Monique matched with Julian from Holy Stitch! for a Flyer Graphic Design project!
Johnny from Push Dance Company listed a Communications consultation call.
Meredith matched with Johnny from Push Dance Company for a Communications consultation call!
Davon matched with Julian from Holy Stitch! for an Organizational Strategy consultation call!
Heather matched with Julian from Holy Stitch! for a Print Materials Design project!
Adam matched with Julian from Holy Stitch! for a Website consultation call!
Mission Bit received an application from Carly for a Social Media Content Calendar project.
Cynthia matched with Julian from Holy Stitch! for a Visual Brand Guide 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 Oliver B. helped Better Because Collective
How Jennifer H. helped Push Dance Company
How Denise P. helped Total Woman Empowerment
How Monique B. helped Holy Stitch!
How Kayla H. helped San Francisco Flower Mart LLC
How Emily F. helped Project Artivism
How SeungMin S. helped Mission Bit
How Stevie B. helped Third parent family and youth services
How Emily O. helped Meals on Wheels San Francisco
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, 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
