FAQs

Organizations, institutions, businesses (including shops or restaurants), and activist groups that are Black-owned/led, or primarily serve the Black community can submit project requests. If you have questions about whether your organization is eligible, please email us at contact@buildforblacklives.com with the subject line: "[Project Request] Question".
You can submit your project details using the form on the Project Request page on this site!
This initiative is mostly focused on projects that fall within the technology and design fields. This includes website development, graphic design services, social media graphics, apps, data visualizations and more! Check out the project submission form for a breakdown of the different types of projects. If you’re still unsure about whether or not your project qualifies, feel free to submit a project request, and we will let you know if your project is ineligible.
Your request will be approved and posted on the website within 3-5 business days. We will send you an email once your request has been approved and posted on the website!
There are no limits on the number of project requests you make, but we advise that a separate request be made for each self-contained project that a single volunteer can complete.
To make updates to your project request, email us directly at contact@buildforblacklives.com with the subject line: "[Project Request] Change Project Request". In your email, please include the project title and requested changes. Please use the same email you used to submit the initial request so we can confirm that it’s you!
For direct inquiries, email us at contact@buildforblacklives.com with the subject line: "[Project Request] Question".
Individuals interested in working on your project will connect with you directly using the contact information you provided in your project request. Once they reach out, you can discuss project specifications in more detail and communicate work terms.
Please email contact@buildforblacklives.com with the subject line: "[Project Request] Close Project Request". In your email, include the title of the request you would like to be taken down. Please use the same email that you used to submit the initial request form so we can confirm it’s you. We will archive your request within 3-5 business days at maximum, and the project post won’t be visible on our website anymore.
Although volunteers are offering their services for free, unless they explicitly offer to cover additional expenses, any external paid features (costs of hosting/maintaining a website etc.) should be covered by the client organization. Remember that volunteers can help you research and find affordable options best suited to your needs!
At this time, this platform is meant to connect volunteers to clients they would want to work with. We have minimal oversight on the communication and work process between volunteers and clients, but please reach out if you would like to have your project reposted for a new team to work on.
The role of a project manager will be to manage communication between the project owner and volunteers. The PM will be responsible for understanding the needs of the business/organization and translating them effectively to your volunteers. They will also be responsible for regularly updating the project owners on the volunteers’ work. The frequency of these updates is to be decided by you, the project owner.
When filling out the Project Request Form, make sure to check off the ‘Project Manager’ box. If you have already filled out the form, you can email us to let us know that you would like to update your selection. We will then add a ‘Project Manager’ tag to your posting (similar to project types, like ‘Mobile App’). Please note that you do not need to have a PM before you start your project work with other volunteers; PMs can be onboarded into a project with existing volunteers.
Just as with any other volunteer, it is up to you to screen or interview interested PMs as you see fit before deciding whether you would like to include them in your project. The amount of ownership that you give a PM on your project is up to you. Examples of responsibilities that they can take on include: interviewing/recruiting volunteers, delegating work to volunteers, and serving as a liaison between you and your volunteers. The role of a PM is to offload some of the project owner’s work. It is entirely up to you, the project owner, what that work will be.
Once you have found a PM that you would like to work with, the PM should email contact@buildforblacklives.com and CC you, stating that they have been assigned as your project’s PM. We will include their contact information on the project’s card on our website. Prospective volunteers will then be able to CC the PM when they initially reach out.
All project managers looking to join a project must be committed to anti-racism and be respectful of the wishes and vision of the project owner. Their role is to serve as a line of communication between owners and volunteers, not to make decisions on behalf of the project owners.

Check out the Project Manager Starter Guide for more information on what it means to add a PM to your project.
Made in Solidarity.