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Use a lifetime of skills to benefit the Nonprofit Sector

As an individual near retirement or already retired, your skills are in high demand. Nonprofits recognize the value of retirees in bringing years of specialized expertise, and a commitment to their work not matched by volunteers newer in their careers. The Key Skills Hub is the mechanism to empower you to leverage your talents and skills to effect change in our city, the region and beyond. It will connect you to the local, regional, and national nonprofits that are looking for skilled professionals, and all virtually. That means you can volunteer from wherever life takes you and in whatever time commitment that works for you.

On this page, you’ll find greater details on how the Key Skills Hub matches you to nonprofits, testimonials of like-minded volunteers, the 3 simple steps to connect to a nonprofit, and answers to some of the most common FAQs.

Stay tuned for updates as we add more information, demonstration videos, launch of a community of practice of volunteers, and on-demand training to assist you in your volunteering work.

Remember, you are the talent, and the key to help the regions nonprofits achieve their goals.

Get Started Today

HOW IT WORKS

The Key Skills Hub serves as a centralized, online marketplace to match skilled volunteers with nonprofits seeking expertise to propel their missions. Nonprofits create a profile giving high-level information on their mission and list their needs in the form of projects or calls. Volunteers create a profile that articulates their skills and areas of interest.

Each partner – the nonprofit and the professional – decides if the connection is the right fit. Think of the matching like an interview process, where both parties are looking for the ideal pairing. Once the link is made, these powerful partnerships build stronger nonprofits.

SKILLS-BASED VOLUNTEERING: TWO AVENUES

Serve as an expert on a 1-hour strategy call

Get on the phone with a nonprofit to help answer burning questions, brainstorm organizational challenges, or give feedback.

Complete a full, pre-scoped project

Work with a nonprofit to complete critical projects such as graphic design, website development, copywriting, database customization, and more.
Discover Projects

Traditional Volunteering

Philadelphia Foundation has partnered with RSVP to offer traditional, non-skills-based volunteering. RSVP is a nonprofit organization that provides meaningful volunteer opportunities to help meet critical human needs in Greater Philadelphia. Volunteers help children and adults learn to read, tutor students and veterans in math, assist low-income adults and seniors with food security, provide Medicare counseling services and provide support to many community-based programs.

To learn more about RSVP and how you can be part of the effort to positively impact the lives of more than 11,000 vulnerable community members, visit www.rsvpmc.org

Get Started Today

Our online enrollment process takes less than 5 minutes:

1 Create your profile

Access to the Key Skills Hub portal as a volunteer and create your profile.

Create Profile

Volunteer Tip: Reach out to us if you have any questions when registering. You can email keyskillshub@philafound.org and one of our Retiree Community of Practice professionals, will get back to you within 48 business hours.

2 Select A Project

Explore projects and questions posted by nonprofits based on your skills and causes you are passionate about.

Submit your application and resume to let the nonprofit know you are interested.

Browse Projects

Volunteer Tip: Apply to multiple projects. The match time for projects can be as short as a day, or as long as two weeks depending on several factors. On average, a volunteer matches to a project for every 4 applications they submit.

3 Get Started!

When you and the organization decide it's a good fit, start working together!

See Examples Of Completed Projects

Volunteer Tip: Volunteering on the Key Skills Hub is made to fit your schedule. Most (if not all) of the volunteer opportunities listed on the Key Skills Hub can be done virtually and at times that work for you.

Key Skills Hub Frequently Asked Questions

Can anyone use the KSH?

Yes, regardless of previous or current profession, everyone is encouraged to sign-up as a volunteer.

Who do I contact with questions or if I need special assistance?

You can email Key Skills Hub and one of our Retiree Community of Practice professionals, will get back to you within 48 business hours.

How does the Key Skills Hub work?

The Key Skills Hub is essentially a matching tool for nonprofits to list their professional needs (for example, leadership coaching) and a skilled-based volunteer (you) to apply and fill that need. In five simple steps you can be connected to local and regional nonprofits that would benefit from your expertise and skills. 

  1. Create a Profile on the Key Skills Hub
    1. The portal offers you a list of skills that you select from
  2. Browse volunteer opportunities based on cause area, skillset and / or time commitment 
  3. Apply for opportunities by answering no more than 2 questions
  4. Briefly connect and chat with the nonprofit about their project and make sure it’s a good match for you both
  5. Accept the project and start leveraging your skills to assist local and regional non-profits
Are there any kind of volunteer opportunities on the KSH?

Yes, there are a broad range of needs from nonprofits on the KSH. Opportunities range from those that may require deeper use of a retiree’s knowledge and more of a time commitment, to ones that can be completed in only an hour. It really all depends on the type of opportunity that you are looking for. 

Do I need to volunteer in person?

Most (if not all) of the volunteer opportunities listed on the Key Skills Hub can be done virtually. Depending on what you prefer, there is the possibility of work with a nonprofit in person but it depends on the type of volunteering.

How long does it take to match to a nonprofit project?

This depends on three factors: the number of other volunteers applying to the project, how applicable your skills are to the project, and how often the nonprofit is reviewing applications. Therefore, the match time for projects can be as short as a day, or as long as several weeks. On average, a volunteer matches to a project for every 4 applications they submit.

How long does the average project take to complete?

Each project is different and clearly list the average hours, as well as time span for a project to be completed. For example, the project “Online Research” is estimated to take “15-25 hours over 1-4 weeks”. There are also many 1-hour projects posted by nonprofits. These super-short projects are called ‘calls’ and allow nonprofits to get help quickly on one topic. 

Is there any skilled volunteering role that can be a longer engagement with a nonprofit on the Key Skills Hub?

We would be happy to explore with you the possibility of a longer-term engagement with one nonprofit. Please Key Skills Hub and one of our Retiree Community of Practice professionals, will get back to you with more information.

Can I suggest that a nonprofit that I work with join the KSH?

Yes, as long as the organization meets the following requirements: 

  • Is a 501(c)3 or affiliated with a 501(c)3 
  • Works with clients in the Greater Philadelphia Area

If you would have a nonprofit that you feel would benefit from the Key Skills Hub, contact Key Skills Hub. 

CONTACT THE PHILADELPHIA FOUNDATION

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