What is Catchafire?
Catchafire is a free online platform that connects you with skills-based volunteers from around the country, who are eager to lend their expertise on short-term, high-impact capacity building projects that can strengthen your organization from the inside out.
With over 150 user-friendly templates, your non-profit can get help on everything from translating handouts and transcribing recordings, to making updates to your website and designing infographics, to collaborating on fundraising strategy and getting tailored leadership coaching! You can learn more about how it works on our landing page.
How would my organization benefit from Catchafire?
We are proud to share that since 2020, over 190 organizations in our region have used Catchafire through CACF, collectively receiving over $5 million in pro bono consultations and services. Here is why they keep coming back for more!
- No risk, high reward: Access to Catchafire is 100% free to nonprofits, and there is no penalty if you decide not to use the platform. But for those who do, organizations receive an average $11,000 worth of pro-bono services, and there is no limit to the number of projects you can request.
- Ease of access: There are 150+ projects to get you started, all with prerequisite skills and experience, core deliverables, and time estimates included. The project templates lighten the load so you can get right to work with your volunteer and have clear communication and expectations on the scope of work.
- Tailored support: Within the project templates, you can shape the project to meet your needs, and you get to decide what kind of volunteer is the best fit for your work. View volunteer applications, profiles, resumes, and work samples, and set up quick interviews to dive into specifics. The average rating for a Catchafire volunteer by CACF users is 9.1 out of 10, so with this high quality pool you are sure to find your match.
Where do I get started?
If you are not already a Catchafire member, reach out to our Senior Capacity Building Manager, Kisha Bwenge at kbwenge@cacfonline.org to request access.
How can I get support?
If you are already a Catchafire member, but are not sure where to begin, please see the support resources below for onboarding and orientation materials!
Chat: Access the Catchafire Support Chat function from our CACF Catchafire Landing Page (click the blue button in the bottom right-hand corner).
Connect: Catchafire’s own Nonprofit Advisors can be reached via chat (scroll to the bottom of the page) or you can set up a 30-minute Needs Assessment Call with them via Calendly. You can also book a 30-minute Catchafire Support Call directly on Kisha’s calendar.
Read: Catchafire Support Articles for Nonprofits (including Reviewing Volunteer Applications and Scheduling & Conducting Interviews)
Watch: Catchafire Webinars (including the Ultimate Getting Started Workshop) as well as CACF’s most recent peer learning webinar: