giving

You've probably heard about Dave Armano & Daniela. Daniela's story is heart-breaking. Dave has done a good thing. Visit the site and chip in some cash.

There is a bigger story here. Dave has tapped into his (considerable) network to help someone. However what do you do if you are a Daniela without a Dave? And there are lots of Danielas without Daves out there.

Well, there's government aid - which shouldn't be underestimated but it often patchy, slow & bureaucratic. And then there are not-for-profits (NFPs) - the likes of WorldVision. They're going thru a tough time at the moment. The tanking economy means that for many people, charity will not only begin at home but stay at home. They are scrabbling for attention and funding in a world that is not particularly interested right now. However they do have one thing going for them - they are organisations driven by a purpose. Organisations about whom the word "mission" can used without cringing.

I've been doing some research in this area. There should be a big opportunity for these organisations to use social software to enable staff, volunteers, donors, even perhaps the people they are helping. As with so much in Australia, it feels like this is bubbling under the surface. Philanthropy Australia have embraced blogs & wikis. The World Wildlife Fund are using YouTube but it feels like the toes are just being dipped into the water (and the water's fine).

Do you know of any examples of Australian not-for-profits doing something cool with social sofware? If so, please drop me a line.