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.
Raices Del Canal received an application from Nina for an Email Layout & Template project.
New Beginnings Law Center received an application from Evan for a Program Strategy & Goals project.
New Beginnings Law Center received an application from Jack for an Online Research project.
New Beginnings Law Center received an application from Vaidehi for an Online Research project.
Marin Foster Care Association received an application from Deborah for a Video Editing project.
Raices Del Canal received an application from Deyaa for an Email Layout & Template project.
Raices Del Canal received an application from Tsegtsbilig for an Email Layout & Template project.
Corry from Homeward Bound of Marin listed a Branded Digital Assets project.
Raices Del Canal received an application from Olivia for an Impact Report Graphic Design project.
Homeward Bound of Marin received an application from Godswill for a Branded Digital Assets project.
Raices Del Canal received an application from Akinyemi for an Email Layout & Template project.
Jan matched with Shelley from Gallery Route One for a Finance consultation call!
Papermill Creek Children's Corner received an application from Chatterjee for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Raices Del Canal received an application from Janeise for an Email Layout & Template project.
New Beginnings Law Center received an application from Vivian for an Online Research project.
New Beginnings Law Center received an application from Eloho for an Online Research project.
New Beginnings Law Center received an application from Tom for a Program Strategy & Goals project.
New Beginnings Law Center received an application from Sanskriti for an Online Research project.
Elissa from New Beginnings Law Center listed a Social Media Content Calendar project.
Elissa from New Beginnings Law Center listed a Program Strategy & Goals project.
Elissa from New Beginnings Law Center listed an Online Research project.
Esther matched with Mariangela from Marin Promise Partnership for a Website consultation call!
Harkaran matched with Mariangela from Marin Promise Partnership for a Website consultation call!
Raices Del Canal received an application from Sytemeio for an Email Layout & Template project.
Raices Del Canal received an application from Flavian for an Impact Report Graphic Design project.
Aparna matched with Dabney from ScreenSense for an Online Research project!
Mike matched with Lori from Sanzuma for a Flexible Tech Support project!
Reynald Jr matched with Yavar from Raices Del Canal for a Brochure Graphic Design project!
Yavar from Raices Del Canal listed an Impact Report Graphic Design project.
The Canal Arts received an application from Noor for a Marketing Materials consultation call.
Raices Del Canal received an application from Marvellous for an Email Layout & Template project.
Jay matched with Lori from Sanzuma for a Marketing Strategy consultation call!
Yavar from Raices Del Canal listed an Email Layout & Template project.
Amani matched with Felecia from Performing Stars of Marin for a Logo Design project!
Fabiola matched with Yavar from Raices Del Canal for an Email Marketing System Set Up project!
Satya matched with Christina from Marin City Community Development Corporation for an Organizational Strategy consultation call!
CARE Marin received an application from Nicholas for a Finance consultation call.
Age Friendly Sausalito received an application from mercy for a Website Minor Update project.
CARE Marin received an application from VICTOR for a Finance consultation call.
Papermill Creek Children's Corner received an application from Ariah for an Individual Donor Letter project.
Anastasia matched with Erin from Committee on the Shelterless for a Presentation Template Creation project!
CARE Marin received an application from Juntong for a Finance consultation call.
Age Friendly Sausalito received an application from Amr for a Website Minor Update project.
Age Friendly Sausalito received an application from Tanika for a Website Minor Update project.
Age Friendly Sausalito received an application from Shahin for a Website Minor Update project.
Maralisia from CARE Marin listed a Finance consultation call.
Back to the Start received an application from Elvie Mae for a Flexible Graphic Design Support project.
Age Friendly Sausalito received an application from Stephen for a Website Minor Update project.
Age Friendly Sausalito received an application from Deborah for a Website Minor Update project.
Oshalla Dee from MC Arts and Culture listed an Event Management consultation call.
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 Jan H. helped Gallery Route One
How Aparna C. helped ScreenSense
How Mike G. helped Sanzuma
How Reynald Jr P. helped Raices Del Canal
How Amani F. helped Performing Stars of Marin
How Anastasia P. helped Committee on the Shelterless
How Harry B. helped WildCare
How Edgar G. helped Marin Center for Independent Living
How Amanda K. helped Ideagarden Institute Incorporated
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