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.
Youth cooking services received an application from Jennifer for a Talent Recruitment consultation call.
Enriching Lives Through Music (ELM) received an application from Damien for a Tech Systems Review project.
North Marin Community Services received an application from Mmeso for an Online Research project.
Adriana from Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California listed an Audio Editing project.
Christopher from Marin Center for Independent Living listed a Print Materials Design project.
Andrea from Enriching Lives Through Music (ELM) listed a Tech Systems Review project.
Leo matched with Steve from Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative for a Website consultation call!
Carolyn from Lighthouse Singers Gospel Choir listed a Social Media consultation call.
The Ross School received an application from Tiffany Kyla for a Website Usability Audit project.
Lighthouse Singers Gospel Choir received an application from Prosper for a Social Media consultation call.
The Ross School received an application from Ajay for a Google Ads Campaign Support project.
Hilda matched with Kathleen from Center for Judicial Excellence for a Translation project!
Stephanie from North Marin Community Services listed an Online Research project.
Agustina matched with Rebecca from Resilient Neighborhoods for a Translation project!
North Marin Community Services received an application from Kathleen for an Online Research project.
Halleck Creek Ranch received an application from Araki for a Video Editing project.
North Marin Community Services received an application from John for an Online Research project.
Stewart from MAN 2 MAN - URBAN YOUTH ADVOCATE, INC listed a Marketing Strategy consultation call.
Act Now Bay Area received an application from Joao for a Website Technical Updates project.
Kedar matched with Rebecca from Resilient Neighborhoods for a Website Visual Design project!
The Ross School received an application from Email delivery for a Google Ads Campaign Support project.
Sonia matched with Brooke from Youth cooking services for a Communications consultation call!
Lara from Youth cooking services listed a Talent Recruitment consultation call.
Rich from The Canal Arts listed a Communications consultation call.
Zoe from Alter Theater listed a Website Major Update project.
Wendy matched with Gretchen from Children for Change for a Management consultation call!
Zachery matched with Simone from SEI for a Website Accessibility Audit project!
Polina matched with Deserie from Ceres Community Project for an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Training project!
Dane matched with Andrea from Enriching Lives Through Music (ELM) for a Flexible Tech Support project!
The Ross School received an application from Nathania for a Website Usability Audit project.
The Ross School received an application from Connor for a Website Usability Audit project.
Kelly matched with Mrs. Mira from Marin City Cooperation Team for a Website Visual Design project!
Halleck Creek Ranch received an application from Geoffrey for a Video Editing project.
Sandra from Halleck Creek Ranch listed a Video Editing project.
The Ross School received an application from Justina for a HR Policy Writing project.
The Ross School received an application from Paige for a HR Policy Writing project.
The Ross School received an application from Jiehong for a Website Usability Audit project.
Act Now Bay Area received an application from Abigail for a Website Technical Updates project.
The Ross School received an application from Amit for a HR Policy Writing project.
Michele matched with Sandra from Halleck Creek Ranch for a Video Editing project!
Sallie from Homeward Bound of Marin listed a Brochure Writing project.
The Ross School received an application from Ellianna for a HR Policy Writing project.
The Ross School received an application from Kanimozhi for a HR Policy Writing project.
Sarah matched with Sallie from Homeward Bound of Marin for a Branded Digital Assets project!
David from The Ross School listed a HR Policy Writing project.
Sarah matched with Sallie from Homeward Bound of Marin for a Print Materials Design project!
Steven matched with MAI from Museum of the American Indian for a Print Materials Design project!
L matched with MAI from Museum of the American Indian for a Flyer Graphic Design project!
The Ross School received an application from Emilio for a Google Ads Campaign Support project.
The Ross School received an application from Jovie for a Website Usability Audit 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.
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