Catchafire is a guest author and contributor to our Outside Perspectives Series.
We recently connected with Catchafire, an online platform that connects skills-based volunteers with nonprofit organizations, to share their perspective on capacity building and how private foundations are using this method to create a more sustainable and effective nonprofit sector. To learn more about Catchafire, click here.
For foundations that want to help their grantees get to the next level, Catchafire can be a vital resource for nonprofit capacity building through providing unlimited access to volunteer talent. Resourceful private foundations that are looking to expand their reach and make a greater impact are partnering with us to go beyond the grant and create new potential for their foundation programs. Alongside our forward-thinking philanthropic partners, we are unleashing opportunities for strategic growth and success. Standouts like Foundation Source’s client the Pincus Family Foundation, have partnered with us to enhance their grantmaking and create a ripple effect of long-lasting impact.
Foundation staff have long grappled with how to address the myriad of organizational needs of their nonprofit community partners, and our platform has served as a guide in unlocking multi-direction responses for sustained capacity building. Rather than granting a transactional single project award to nonprofit organizations, we equip these organizations with the additional tools, resources, and expertise they need to achieve their goals.
Catchafire access includes everything from strategic planning and marketing to website design and financial management. Through this capacity-building model, foundations are creating a more sustainable and effective nonprofit sector. We’re here to support nonprofits so that they are better equipped to achieve their mission and create positive change in their communities.
Through our partnership, the Pincus Family Foundation has been able to provide valuable capacity building support to a wide range of nonprofit organizations aligned with their mission.
“We believe Catchafire is a powerful resource that can help nonprofits address any number of short-term capacity-building projects,” said Danielle Scott, executive director of the Pincus Family Foundation. “Although some grantees are still ascertaining how best to use this tool, others have received over 850 professional-donated hours, translating to over $166K they didn’t have to spend. We also make this resource available for non-funded applicants to help them prepare for future grant opportunities.”
love.futbol a Pincus Family Foundation grantee and nonprofit that partners with communities worldwide to create, reclaim, and redefine sport spaces as lasting platforms for social impact, connected with a user experience expert on our platform who helped them update their website in an intentional and impactful manner—saving them $4,762 in consulting fees. In the months since joining Catchafire, love.futbol has saved a total of $22,002 through 5 projects and they are just getting started.
“Our partnership with love.futbol reflects our ethos of building trust and maintaining valued relationships,” says Scott.
Since 2018, the Pincus Family Foundation has strategically collaborated with love.futbol to expand their impact from the Dominican Republic and Mexico to the United States, fostering growth and extending their reach across borders.
“We love that they’ve continued to evolve and grow to not just serve more communities but to serve them better—giving them the microphone to advocate for themselves rather than speaking for them,” expressed Scott.
Catchafire’s community of skilled volunteers are available to support nonprofit organizations across a wide range of areas. By tapping into this community, foundations like the Pincus Family Foundation are able to leverage the expertise of skilled professionals who are passionate about making a difference in their communities.
Teens of Color Abroad (TOCA), a nonprofit and NextGEN Pincus grantee that provides high school students of color with global language learning opportunities, has saved over $7,200 working with our volunteers on a social media calendar and case study.
“We’re looking to grow our social media reach this year,” said Lamar Shambley, executive director of TOCA. “Having regular support with creating content for our channels is incredibly helpful. Also, as we look to expand our impact in 2023, this case study will help us present to donors.”
We are helping to create a more collaborative and connected philanthropic sector. Through our platform, we’re able to connect foundations, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and volunteers in a way that facilitates knowledge sharing and collaboration.
Foundations today are focused on making strategic and efficient use of the resources they are entrusted with, in order to achieve the greatest impact possible. This involves carefully considering and selecting the most promising investments, as well as partnering with innovative organizations like ours to support the growth and impact of their grantees. With over 170 foundation partners, it’s clear that our approach is helping drive positive change in a wide range of areas, from education and healthcare to social justice and the environment. By working together, we can ensure that foundation resources are being used in the most effective and impactful way possible, for the benefit of communities and society as a whole.
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Want to learn more about the ways we support private foundations?
Whether you are looking for support for your existing foundation or want to create a private foundation, our philanthropic specialists are here to help. To learn more, schedule a call with us or reach us at 800-839-0054. Together, let’s #begiving.
