The messaging center is where volunteers and nonprofits communicate securely while working together, all in one place.
Finding the messaging center
Once you connect with a volunteer or nonprofit for a project or 1-hour call (a one-hour conversation with a volunteer or nonprofit), you can message each other in the secure messaging center. There are two ways to open it:
Select the dropdown menu beneath your profile icon, then select the messaging center.
Go to the other person's profile page and select Send message.
Messaging before your interview or call
You can message each other during scheduling. Even when you are already messaging, we strongly recommend still holding an interview or call. The interview is a key step in the matching process. It is your chance to ask questions, get to know each other, and decide together whether you want to work on the project.
Want to reach a nonprofit or volunteer before your interview or call is scheduled? Email our team at [email protected] and we can help you connect.
After your interview or call
Once you have interviewed and decided you want to work together, you can start the project and keep using the messaging center to communicate. On your dashboard, you have two options:
Start Project: Select this if you want to work together. Starting the project sends an invitation, which does two things: it makes sure you receive credit for your work on the site, and it lets our Nonprofit Advisor team (Catchafire team members who support nonprofits) continue to support your project as it moves forward.
Pass: Select this if it is not the right fit. Our team will send an email on your behalf, so you do not have to.
Actions you can take on a conversation
To start a new message, select the message icon in your messaging center. You can take these actions on any conversation:
Leave the conversation: This closes the conversation. Once you leave, you can no longer see it in your messaging center, so finish anything you need first.
Flag sender: This sends the message to our team to review. Use it if someone asks to be paid for their work, or sends content that breaks our rules. Asking to be paid for volunteer work is not allowed under our Terms of Use (the rules everyone agrees to when they join Catchafire). The other person is not told that you flagged them.
Manage this project: When you are ready to move forward, go to your dashboard to schedule a call, start your project, or rate your experience.
Finishing your project
When your project is done, go to your dashboard to mark it complete and share feedback about your experience.
If your project was not completed, email us at [email protected] and we can help.
To keep everyone safe, we may monitor, edit, or remove messages. For more detail, see our Terms of Use.