Supporting Nonprofits Through Skilled Volunteerism
Across the United States, many nonprofit organizations are struggling to adapt to significant federal funding cuts introduced during the first few months of the Trump administration. These reductions have impacted most sectors including humanitarian aid, environmental protection, arts and culture, education, and social services.
Like many who care deeply about these issues, our initial reaction to the litany of negative news has been a sort of paralysis. Recently, however, we have moved from standing still to stepping up by seeking ways to volunteer our time and professional expertise to causes we care about.
In doing so, we discovered several valuable online platforms that connect skilled professionals with nonprofits and vice versa. The opportunities include in-person, virtual and hybrid work, and can range from quick written advice to 1-hour phone calls, to weeks-long projects.
The first three volunteering platforms described below, Catchafire, Taproot and VolunteerMatch & Idealist, have similar purposes and functions, allowing prospective volunteers to identify:
the specific causes they wish to support,
their professional skills, and
their preferences for in-person, virtual or hybrid work.
LinkedIn offers prospective volunteers with existing profiles the fastest way to indicate to nonprofits that they are interested in volunteering for specific causes.
Finally, it is worth noting that:
there are other volunteering platforms, such as Points of Light Engage, that offer opportunities to volunteer that do not require any particular skill set—just a desire to contribute, and
you can go directly to the websites of organizations you may already know of, such as the American Red Cross or Feeding America, to search for similar volunteer opportunities in your area.
Skilled Volunteer Platforms
Catchafire
Catchafire is a leading platform for professionals who want to use their expertise to support nonprofit work.
How It Works for Volunteers:
Create a free account.
Set up a profile by linking your LinkedIn page or manually entering experience.
Indicate your skills (e.g., marketing, finance, web development) and causes you care about (e.g., education, climate, human rights).
Receive personalized project recommendations.
Be discoverable by nonprofits actively seeking support.
Types of Volunteer Opportunities:
Quick Advice: Answer questions or give advice in written format.
1-Hour Phone Calls: Offer quick insights on specific topics.
Fully Scoped Projects: Contribute 5–50 hours to tasks like branding, strategic planning, or IT support.
Opportunities are mostly remote work, but can include in-person.
Nonprofits initiate interviews when they are interested in a match, creating a smooth and direct onboarding experience.
Taproot
Taproot connects professionals from the business world with nonprofits that need strategic or technical help—ranging from HR consulting to data analytics and legal support. Taproot also offers programs for companies to increase their level of corporate citizenship, community engagement, and employee empowerment.
How It Works for Volunteers:
Create a free account.
Set up a profile by linking your LinkedIn page or manually entering experience.
Choose from a list to indicate the causes you care about.
Choose from a list to indicate your professional strengths.
Search for opportunities by doing a keyword search (e.g. “photographer”) and filtering for causes you are interested in (Arts and Cultural, Environment, etc.), and your preferred time commitments (One-hour or multi-week).
VolunteerMatch & Idealist
Founded in 1998, VolunteerMatch announced in January 2025 that it was merging with Idealist.
How It Works for Volunteers:
Conduct a location-based search by indicating your location (e.g. New York, NY).
Volunteer opportunities include in-person and virtual.
Indicate your professional skills by choosing up to 10 from a list.
Search for opportunities by doing a keyword search.
LinkedIn for Nonprofits
How it Works for Nonprofits:
LinkedIn for Nonprofits offers both free and fee-based tools to help mission-driven organizations grow their talent networks and visibility.
How It Works for Volunteers:
LinkedIn recently introduced a feature called “Open to Volunteer,” allowing users to indicate their interest in volunteer or pro bono work directly on their profiles.
How to Enable It:
Click the “Open to” button on your LinkedIn profile.
Select “Volunteer Work.”
Choose preferred causes, list your relevant skills, location preferences, and availability (on-site, hybrid or remote).
Once enabled, nonprofits using LinkedIn for Nonprofits can easily find professionals who are eager to contribute their talents to a specific cause.
Final Thought
Whether you're a nonprofit in need of expertise or a professional seeking purpose beyond your 9–5, these platforms provide accessible, impactful ways to collaborate for the greater good.
We encourage you to explore, connect, and contribute.
About Us
We are a New York-based photography services company specializing in crafting visual narratives for nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
We are open to pro bono collaborations with local nonprofits.
Our expertise:
Documentary-style photography and videography
Drone photography and videography
Disaster response photography
Visual campaigns for fundraising and advocacy
Event photography
Headshots and environmental portraits
Cover Photo: Midtown Manhattan at sunset.
© 2024 Kevin Suttlehan