One year ago today, Common Impact launched Capacity Commons, a free, online one-stop-shop for skills-based volunteering. Capacity Commons was developed in partnership with the Charles Schwab Foundation to lower barriers to entry for skills-based volunteering and make it an accessible resource for nonprofits of all sizes. The platform provides resources, interactive tools and examples of successful projects to help nonprofits understand the value of pro bono service, connect directly to skilled volunteers, design and implement projects and measure immediate and long-term impact.
Since it launched, nonprofits across the globe have used Capacity Commons to scope projects in marketing, human resources, financial management, technology, strategy and more. Capacity Commons has reached additional nonprofits through partnerships, trainings and webinars with organizations like Serve Ohio, Massachusetts Service Alliance and Candid. The platform has provided vital support to resource and capacity-constrained organizations, with almost half of the organizations using Capacity Commons having annual budgets of less than $500,000.
The past year of Capacity Commons is also marked by a commitment to support nonprofits through COVID-19 with the following additions:
- A complete guide to leveraging virtual, skilled volunteers in times of crisis
- Examples of crisis related needs that can be addressed by virtual skilled volunteers
- A new “hotline” where nonprofits can access accelerated support from corporate leaders through Common Impact
Looking ahead to the next years of Capacity Commons, nonprofits can expect new features and upgrades including expanded connections to volunteer platforms and more user-friendly tools.
Do you have ideas for how we can take Capacity Commons to the next level? Common Impact is working with current users to learn more about how they utilize the platform and where we can make improvements. Share your thoughts here.
More on Capacity Commons:
- How to Maximize Your Impact with Skills-Based Volunteering
- Leveraging Skilled Volunteers to Strengthen Your Nonprofit with Salesforce.org & Common Impact
- Capacity Commons: Scaling Pro Bono in the Social Sector
