We know that volunteering to develop or work on an Organization's website can sometimes get complicated, so we've created a guide to help make the process as seamless as possible!
Tips and Tricks
Align on the scope of the project with the Organization upfront
Our project templates are just starting points - be clear about your unique skills and capacity!
Only work on the scope outlined in the project
You should expect to support the Organization only on the scope of the particular project you matched on. If your work goes above and beyond, Catchafire can adjust the reported impact on the platform (e.g., updating the "money saved" metric) behind the scenes for regular projects. For consultations, such as 1-hour Finance consultations, a new full-length project must be created since hours cannot be extended after completion. If you're unsure as to what exactly falls under your original project scope, feel free to reach out to our team using the blue chat bubble on the bottom-right of your screen! (For keyboard-only and screen-reader users, please email us at [email protected]. This link opens in a new tab.)
If the Organization wishes to continue working with you for additional work, they can indicate this in the new project posting to facilitate the connection. This ensures that your extra time and contributions are properly recorded on the platform.
Know that you are the expert
Most Organizations you work with will not be familiar with the website development process more broadly. You should feel comfortable explaining that you're only available to work on the specific piece of the process you applied for, and can help direct them in next steps only as you feel able.
Keep things safe and secure
The Organization may ask you to sign a business/confidentiality agreement if they need to give you access to passwords and other confidential information. If you are uncomfortable doing so, please let them know at the beginning of your time together so they can adjust accordingly.
Keep a list of credentials accumulated during development in a secure document that can be handed to the Organization when your engagement is complete. (If you use a password manager to store your credentials, make sure you know how to export those credentials.) Expect to relinquish all access to the site when you finish your work.
Create handoff documentation (ideally in the CMS itself)
Even highly templated websites require some day-to-day maintenance. Document those maintenance tasks as they arise during development. Many CMSs have pages and content categories visible only to admins — use those for documentation instead of emails or standalone documents, which are more prone to getting lost.
Lean on us
We can help you figure out which Catchafire project you are best suited to based on your skillset. Just reach out to us using the blue chat bubble on the bottom-right of your screen! (For keyboard-only and screen-reader users, please email us at [email protected]). We can also facilitate communication with an Organization in the unlikely event they become unresponsive or confused over the course of your project.Additionally, we can assist with adjusting project impact metrics when the scope evolves, ensuring that your contributions are accurately reflected.