At the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF), we strongly believe that a resilient, empowered, and connected nonprofit ecosystem is essential for improving the quality of life across the entire region. When local organizations are strong, the entire community benefits, creating a place where everyone can belong, participate, contribute, and thrive.
While funding is essential, nonprofit partners also need practical, everyday support. They need expert help managing their organizations, tools for financial stability, administrative assistance, and spaces to learn from one another.
That is why CACF invests in capacity building—the infrastructure that allows nonprofits to do their vital work effectively. This month, CACF celebrates a massive milestone that highlights the power of this investment: the Community Foundation has officially surpassed $6 million in pro bono services delivered to local nonprofits.
This achievement is the direct result of consistent investment and deep partnership with Catchafire, a platform that connects nonprofits with talented, skilled professional volunteers.
Six Years of Growing Impact
This journey began in September 2020 with the launch of the pilot. Since then, the Catchafire program has delivered an astonishing $6,064,613 in skilled volunteer value.
To put this numbers-driven milestone into perspective, that $6 million represents thousands of hours of professional work that local nonprofits did not have to pay for out of pocket. It means a small food pantry received a professionally designed website, a youth mentorship program got a comprehensive data-tracking system, and an environmental group benefited from an expert-led strategic planning session—all at no cost to them.
Expanding Reach Across the Region
A critical indicator of the program’s success isn’t just the dollar amount, but who is benefiting. From the beginning, the goal has been to ensure that these resources are accessible to a broad, diverse group of changemakers, rather than just a few well-resourced organizations.
The data shows we are doing exactly that. The number of registered nonprofit organizations using the platform has grown steadily and significantly across the life of the program:
- Year 2: 155 registered nonprofits
- Year 6: 341 registered nonprofits
By more than doubling the number of participating organizations, we are actively witnessing a broadening reach across the Community Foundation’s entire seven-county region.
This growth proves that Catchafire isn’t just deepening its use among a fixed set of organizations alone. Instead, it is continuously welcoming new partners into the fold, extending critical capacity-building tools to grassroots leaders and established institutions alike throughout Charlottesville, Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Nelson, and Orange counties. Whether an organization is based in the heart of the city or serving a rural community in Buckingham or Greene, Catchafire bridges the gap between local needs and global talent.
Moving Beyond Grantmaking
Nonprofits are facing new and unexpected challenges, and they’re responding with creativity — diversifying funding streams, rethinking operations, and making hard choices. Consistent access to skilled professionals gives nonprofits the human capacity to act on their solutions.
“Traditional grants are excellent for funding specific programs, but they rarely cover the “overhead” costs that keep an organization running smoothly. Nonprofits are frequently forced to choose between spending money on their direct services or spending money on HR, IT, marketing, and financial planning. Our partnership with Catchafire changes that math.” Leslie Lynn Smith, President and CEO
By relieving operational burdens, the Community Foundation is helping to build sustainable organizations that can weather economic shifts and continue serving the community for decades to come.