guardian unlimited - July 17 - Two new web sites, BringLight and 411Karma, recently launched to build giving communities. A survey of more than 180 charities by the Chronicle of Philanthropy showed electronic gifts grew by 37% in 2006, from $880.7m (£430.4m) to $1.2bn. Yet for the online giving amounted to less than 1% of total money raised. Total US charitable giving reached a new record in 2006, an estimated $295bn, according to Giving USA Foundation. Online giving first came into its own in the dotcom era, pioneer JustGive, reckons it has raised at least $50m for charity since it was formed in 2000. Research shows finding new donors online costs far less than traditional methods. FULL ARTICLE @ GUARDIAN UNLIMITED

Mark Brooks: Kiva.org takes the principals of Grameen Foundation and applies them online. Also see Care2.com for green living and Zaadz for changing the world.