MassMutual Foundation's Catchafire Program

Volunteer your skills to strengthen nonprofits

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Give Your Skills For Good

Your skills are valuable. Unfortunately, many nonprofit organizations can't pay for professional services such as copywriting, graphic design, project management, or website, budget and database development. This type of work is essential to building operational effectiveness, but it is often left on the to-do list while the nonprofit focuses on its critical mission work.

That's where you come in. By volunteering for a project, or even just getting on a phone call to provide advice, you are giving so much more than your time. You are supporting organizational growth, which enables nonprofits to have an even greater social good impact.
HAPPENING NOW

Kimberly from Urban League of Springfield Inc listed an Employee Handbook project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Peter for an Email Marketing System Set Up project.

Revitalize Community Development Corporation received an application from Ariana for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.

Lara matched with Roxana from Revitalize Community Development Corporation for an Organizational Strategy consultation call!

Christine matched with Amy from Revitalize Community Development Corporation for a Change Management Coaching project!

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from SABRINE for an Organizational Executive Summary project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Sofia for a Website User Experience project.

International Student Services Association INC received an application from Matthew for a Google Ads Campaign Support project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from James for a Tech Systems Review project.

Shaoshan matched with Rita from Revitalize Community Development Corporation for an Excel Dashboard Creation project!

Marshall from Revitalize Community Development Corporation listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Kareem for a Storytelling project.

Revitalize Community Development Corporation received an application from Alexander for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Jeff for an Online Survey project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Mary for a Data Crunching & Analysis project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Narayanan for a Tech Systems Review project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Logan for a Tech Systems Review project.

Alanson matched with Rachel from Revitalize Community Development Corporation for a Management Skills Coaching project!

Andrew from Revitalize Community Development Corporation listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Igor for an Online Survey project.

Kenneth matched with John from Wellspring Cooperative Corporation for a Website consultation call!

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Ellen for an Online Survey project.

Sarah matched with Teri from Cascadia Wild for a Communications consultation call!

Summer matched with Shelby from S.T.E.P.S. With Horses for a Flexible Graphic Design Support project!

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Linh for a Data Crunching & Analysis project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Meredith for a Storytelling project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Marcos for an Online Survey project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Gaurav for a Tech Systems Review project.

Ruth matched with Ilona from GenUnity for a Google Analytics Set Up & Training project!

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Rachel for an Online Survey project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Diane for an Organizational Executive Summary project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Nitish for an Organizational Executive Summary project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Evelise for a Tech Systems Review project.

Ajay matched with Brandy from Habitat For Humanity International Inc - Springfield for a Google Ads Campaign Support project!

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Shravanth for a Website User Experience project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Celeste for an Online Survey project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Prachi for an Online Survey project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Harika for a Data Crunching & Analysis project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Jen for an Organizational Executive Summary project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Maha for a Data Crunching & Analysis project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Jaeson (JT) for a Storytelling project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Stefan for a Tech Systems Review project.

Sarah matched with Kim from Florida Impact to End Hunger for a Communications consultation call!

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Jianfei for an Online Survey project.

Julian matched with Ilona from GenUnity for a Customer Database (CRM) Set Up project!

Ben matched with Lynn from Wellspring Cooperative Corporation for a Brochure Writing project!

Alexander matched with Eric from Wellspring Cooperative Corporation for a Search Engine Optimization Audit project!

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Preetika for a Website User Experience project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Chatterjee for a Storytelling project.

LIVING WAGE FOR US INC received an application from Megan for an Online Survey project.

How It Works

Support a cause you care about by volunteering for a project or consultation call. With over 150 different project types, there is an opportunity to give back that matches your skills and time availability.
1. Browse
Explore projects and questions posted by nonprofits based on your skills and causes you are passionate about.
2. Apply
Submit your application and resume to let the nonprofit know you are interested.
3. Match
When you and the organization decide it's a good fit, start working together!
Two ways to share your skills!
Consultation Calls
Get on the phone with a nonprofit to help answer burning questions, brainstorm organizational challenges, or give feedback.
Projects
Work with a nonprofit to complete critical projects such as graphic design, website development, copywriting, database customization, and more.

How Do You Want to Give Back?

Find projects that match your skills and interest areas

What Other Volunteers are Saying

“We, at Harborlight Community Partners, are incredibly impressed by the work done by Jason. This is our first completed Catchafire project and the quality of work was professional, prompt, and exactly what we needed. We are so grateful!”
Deanna Community Relations & HR Coordinator, Harborlight Community Partners
“Catchafire has been amazing. I’ve posted things on different volunteer boards in the past and it hasn’t worked. But here we have worked with such high caliber people who are giving some great insights & strategic help.”
Alison Inclusive Futures, Young Global Leaders

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 nonprofits and skilled volunteers to connect for good, from all around the world!

Skills-based volunteering is a high impact form of volunteering that allows individuals to donate their 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 our talented employees with the opportunity to directly support nonprofit organizations through volunteering their professional skills and experience. We believe that skills-based volunteering is a high impact way for professionals to give back to their communities and have a positive social impact for the causes they are passionate about.

The nonprofit will review your application to decide whether they want to move forward with an interview. If so, you will be contacted by Catchafire to schedule the call. Nonprofits are encouraged to decide promptly, but there is no set timeline for when they will reply.

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.

If there are volunteer opportunities available in your region, you'll have the option to filter by location. However, since all Catchafire engagements are meant to be completed virtually, we encourage you to focus on finding projects that best fit your skills & interests, regardless of location.

Yes! All projects have been designed to allow you to work with the nonprofit organization remotely.

Projects vary in length from 1 to 50 hours, depending on the project type. Estimated hours are indicated for each project.

Yes! In fact, we recommend you apply to 2-4 projects at any given time. This will maximize your chances of matching. If you end up being selected for too many projects, you can always withdraw your application before or after you interview with the nonprofit. Once you say yes, we ask that you honor your commitment to work with the organization.

Catchafire is committed to making sure everyone who wants to volunteer their skills can do so. If you are having trouble finding a project that fits, feel free to contact Catchafire at [email protected] for help.

This is a company-sponsored volunteer activity. For that reason, if your manager approves your
participation, you do not need to use VTO for volunteer activity that takes place during non-
overtime business hours. For more information about VTO, read the policy.

Given the time commitment needed to participate in any skills-based volunteer opportunity, talk
to your manager before starting any project. Opportunities may take a few hours per week for
weeks at a time. If you intend to volunteer during business hours, have a conversation with your
manager about scheduling time in a way that allows business needs to be met.

Yes! Be sure to track your hours in the Community Impact Portal to ensure that $25 for each hour volunteered goes to the eligible nonprofit organization - up to $1,500 per employee annually.

Please note that many of the nonprofit organizations included in the Catchafire platform are international organizations. Currently, international nonprofit organizations (i.e., those domiciled outside of the U.S.) are not eligible for the matching time program per the eligibility guidelines linked above.

We do not have a process in place for employees to recommend nonprofit organizations
currently but hope to in the future.

About this Program

The MassMutual Foundation has partnered with Catchafire in this program to connect our talented colleagues with nonprofit organizations. This resource provides nonprofits with professional support for over 120+ different types of projects in areas like marketing, web, budget and database development, operations, and strategy. It also gives our employees the opportunity to give back to the community and use their many skills for good.

The MassMutual Foundation activates connections and untapped opportunities within communities so that all families can build their financial capability and thrive. In support of this mission, the Foundation builds partnerships and collaborates with like-minded organizations and institutions that share our vision for building thriving communities. Our ability to support the development of social and financial capital based on our business expertise and resources is central to this very important work.

Have more questions? Drop us a line.

Email the Catchafire team at [email protected]