2 October 2008

Behind every link that the growing global militia of online angels click on to give rice or make a loan or buy a craft product, there is another army of real people figuring out ways to connect those clicks to real world impact, and doing the work that makes the impact happen.

I call them Better World Builders. Not only are they a passionate bunch, but after more than a decade of exploring what the Internet can do to help shape and create social change, they are finally getting organized.

Fireworks are nothing compared to getting a bunch of changemakers together in the same room and watching the sparks of ideas fly. The internet has made it possible to move those conversations into dynamic onlinecommunity venues, where campaigns are designed, projects are hashed out, contests are held, information is shared, and reputations are made. In addition to the branded communities that non-profits and social change initiatives are creating at popular social networking sites likefacebook,myspace and ning, there are a number of specialized online communities that facilitate focused collaboration on social innovation.

The diversity of global issues that are being tackled by Better World Builders who hang out in online communities of is inspiring. Online communities offer a whole new level of qualitative transparency to donors, and a range of new ways for supporters to get involved. Below (in alphabetical order) is a roundup of the 10 most exciting communities for social change online today.  Be warned - the information, involvement, impact and hope for the world these communities are producing is infectious!

1. idealist: Idealist is an interactive site where people and organizations can exchange resources and ideas, locate opportunities and supporters, and take steps toward building a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives.
    
2. kiva: the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world.
    
3. nabuur: an online volunteering platform that links Neighbours (online volunteers) with Villages (local communities) in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Connected through Nabuur.com, Neighbours and local communities learn about each other, share ideas and find solutions to local issues. Everybody has something to offer, and everything is done online.
    
4. ned.com: a global, all-volunteer, member-governed, online social network (in combination with real-world locations) that is made up of social entrepreneurs, activists, artists, social purpose enterprises, grassroots nonprofit, non-governmental, and community-based organizations, and is collaborating and taking action locally, nationally & globally, in order to make the world a better place.
    
5. NetSquared: remixing the web for social change, netsquared enables social benefit organizations to leverage the tools of the social web
    
6. razoo: Razoo is a community united around making a positive difference in the world. Where passion leads to action, and a whole lot of collective good comes from individual contributions.
    
7. takingITglobal: an online community that connects youth to find inspiration, access information, get involved, and take action in their local and global communities. It's the world's most popular online community for young people interested in making a difference, with hundreds of thousands of unique visitors each month.
    
8. SecondLife: a 3-D virtual world created by its Residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by millions of Residents from around the globe.
    
9. SocialEdge.org: Blogs and industry dialogue by social entrepreneurs, for social entrepreneurs (a program of the Skoll Foundation)
    
10. UnltdWorld.com:Connect with other socially minded people, search and share resources and opportunities, find and list services and products, find answers to key questions, create and joingroups and lots more.