Using the messaging portal is a great way for volunteers and organizations to communicate securely while working together. Keep reading to learn more!
Getting Started
When you connect with a volunteer or organization for a project or call, you will be able to message each other using our secure messaging portal. There are a few different ways to access the messaging portal in your Catchafire account. Users can access the messaging portal via the dropdown menu beneath your profile icon.
You will also see the "Send message" option on their profile page.
Need to communicate during scheduling? Send a message.
Even if you're messaging, we still strongly recommend holding an interview or call. This is still a critical step in the matching process - it's a time for both you and your potential volunteer to ask questions, learn about one another, and decide if you want to work together.
Want to send a message prior to your interview or call? Email our team if you’d like to contact the organization or applicant beforehand.
After your call
If you conduct and interview and decide you want to work together, you can get started and continue using the messaging portal to communicate.
Next Steps:
Select "Start Project" if you'd like to work together. Sending an invitation will ensure you receive credit for your work together on our site. It's also the only way for our Nonprofit Advisor team can continue to support your project as it progresses.
You can also select "Pass" if you don't think it's a good fit - our team will send an email on your behalf.
Keep the conversation flowing!
Within our messaging center we've made it easy to communicate with your applicants and project volunteers all in one place. To send a new message, select this icon in your messaging portal:
Using Messaging Actions
Within this section you can take the following actions to manage your inbox:
Leave The Conversation - You can close out a message with a user at any time. Just note that once you leave a conversation, you will no longer be able to access it in your message center.
Flag Sender - It is against our Terms of Use to solicit payment for one's work or exchange questionable content. If you think you've received a message that fits this criteria, you can flag the message personally for our team. Don't worry, the other person will not be notified of the flag.
Manage this Project - When it's time to move your match forward, head to your dashboard to schedule a call, start your project or rate your experience.
Next Steps:
Once you've completed your project, mark it as complete and share feedback about experience within your Catchafire dashboard.
If your project was not complete, reach out to us at [email protected] and we can assist.
*As part of our commitment to optimal service and safety, we reserve the right to monitor, modify or remove messages. For further information, see our Terms of Use.