We're all involved in philanthropy of one sort or another, but how can not-for-profits make better use of the philanthropic web? There's a plethora of advice out there, but Christine Egger is working hard to make it easy to understand.

The philanthropic web, says Christine Egger, is shorthand for how the internet information infrastructure can be used to move around resources which can be of particular use to charities. It is composed of online giving marketplaces, distributable up-to-date giving opportunities, and deep collborations across organisations.

It is the combination of people, ideas and technologies that promote the culture of giving, of transforming that compassion into gestures of support of all kinds, including the financial support that makes it possible for organizations to do what they do.

There are lots of ways for fundraising professionals to evaluate the latest tools or success that peers have had in recent campaigns, and many of them are free of charge. In her session at IFC Online Egger aims to help fundraisers access some of these.

“I want the audience to feel empowered,” she says. “There are countless resources being developed all the time and the web is a very supportive environment.”

Egger is a huge fan of open source thinking and the shared openness that exists online and says that not-for-profits can now at last share ownership in what they are developing. For example, she cites Idea Encore, which is an online marketplace for the sharing of ready-to-use tools, presentations, course outlines, templates and project plans within and between not-for-profit organizations. As well as sharing developments, Egger believes this also helps with a shared sense of connection with people who share your mission.

Even small organisations can share and benefit. Often tools or resources originally created for small, local purposes can be adapted and developed for more diverse situations.

We need to encourage not-for-profits to move from more traditional means of fundraising, Egger feels and embrace the available tools online. This is particularly useful for groups that don’t have a great online presence.

And of course, Egger says, as soon as you put what you are doing online in an open and accessible way, it acts like jet fuel to spread your mission to the world.

Christine Egger is an experienced fundraiser and public speaker on internet technologies and their influence on non-profit design and culture. She serves as Co-Director of Social Actions, a non-profit initiative that makes it easier for people to take action on the causes they care about. Social Actions fulfils its mission by innovating at the intersection of open source development, civic engagement and collaborations across the philanthropic sector.