IM or email for the greater good.

Hotmail has a great program about which I am happy to spread the word. You can raise money for your favorite charitable causes simply by using Windows Live™ Hotmail® and Windows Live Messenger (instant messaging) as you normally do. When you open or register your account with the i’m™ Initiative, MSN will donate a portion of their advertising revenue to the cause of your choice, every time you use their service.

This is a great way to make what you do everyday a little more meaningful. The more you email, the more your IM, the more you contribute. Thanks for the tip, Ingrid!

“Reject hatred without hating.” - Mary Baker Eddy

Join the Carnival for Change - Booth 8.

Welcome to the Carnival for Change where we explore the web for interesting items relating to social justice, health, education, and opportunity.

* Apply for a Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship. "We are particularly interested in applications from social entrepreneurs working in five critical sub-issue areas that threaten the survival of humanity – climate change, nuclear proliferation, global pandemics, conflict in the Middle East and water scarcity." The next application deadlines are November 4, 2008 and February 10, 2009. For more on social entrepreneurship, see the new SE section on Alltop.

* More from Skoll - This time it's their partnership with Sundance. Submit your film idea to Stories of Change: Social Entrepreneurship in Focus Through Documentary. Completed films are not eligible. Deadline is August 15.

* Apply for a Echoing Green Fellowship. "Each year, Echoing Green awards 20 two-year fellowships to entrepreneurs creating new social change organizations. Fellows receive up to $90,000 in seed funding and technical support to turn their innovative ideas into sustainable organizations." The next application deadlines are this fall, so start preparing now.

* I found an interesting blog on microfranchises. Microfranchises are "small businesses that can easily be replicated by following proven marketing and operational concepts. The overall objective of MicroFranchising is to promote economic development by developing sound business models that can be replicated by entrepreneurs at the base of the pyramid; therefore, the start-up costs of MicroFranchises will be minimal. The key principle is replication, replicating success to scale." Check out David Stoker's blog, appropriately titled Microfranchising.

* Nominate a worthy social entrepreneur to be an Ashoka Fellow. "Ashoka Fellows are leading social entrepreneurs who we recognize to have innovative solutions to social problems and the potential to change patterns across society. They demonstrate unrivaled commitment to bold new ideas and prove that compassion, creativity, and collaboration are tremendous forces for change. Ashoka Fellows work in over 60 countries around the globe in every area of human need." You can also donate to Ashoka's Venture Fund for Leading Social Entrepreneurs.

* Get your climate concerns heard. Submit your video on the topic to vimeo.com/climatematters . You could win $3000 and the winning videos will be broadcast nationally and distributed to Washington lawmakers.

* Vote for So What Can I Do for the 2009 Black Web Award for Most Original Blog. Visit http://www.blacktvonline.com/most-original-blog and vote as often as you like before October 5, 2008. Anyone can vote and there's no need to register to do so. Thanks!

* Have you found the theme here? Guess what I'm reading (other than the Bible): Entrepreneurship in the Social Sector, Social Entrepreneurship: New Models of Sustainable Social Change, Social Entrepreneurship: A Modern Approach to Social Value Creation (Entrepreneurship Series), and Social Entrepreneurship.


Thanks for visiting the Carnival for Change! If you'd like space at the next booth, send your items to me with "Carnival for Change" in the subject. See you next time! In the meantime, subscribe to So What Can I Do (see sidebar) or follow us on Twitter (@sowhatcanido).

“Our country, right or wrong. When right, to be kept right; when wrong, to be put right." -Carl Schurz, revolutionary, statesman and reformer (1829-1906)

Take an HIV test.

Right now, the 17th annual International AIDS Conference is going on in Mexico City. While there has been encouraging news coming out of the meeting, many of the reports focus on the serious challenges HIV and AIDS present. Thankfully, HIV infection is generally preventable.

* Use safer sex practices. That means a barrier method - condoms, dental dams.
* Don't use IV drugs. Other than abstinence, a new, sterile needle is the best way to prevent HIV transmission.
* Get tested before you get pregnant or very early in your pregnancy.

Most everyone should get tested for HIV and learn their status. Here's how to get started:

* Visit hivtest.org and enter your zip code to find an HIV testing site near you.
* Call 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636), 1-888-232-6348 (TTY), in English or en Español. Lines are open 24/7 and calls are confidential.
* Text your zip code to KnowIt or 566948 to find an HIV testing site near you.

Everyone should know their status. If you're positive, you can start treatment to stay healthy and extend your life. You can also take steps to make sure you don't transmit HIV. If you're negative, you can take steps to make sure you stay that way. Learn more from the CDC.

There are many new HIV tests available. Some can give rapid results in as short as 20 minutes. Some test only oral fluids and don't require a needle or blood draw. Many can be done anonymously (no name or false name (like Minnie Mouse) is fine) or confidentially (your name is held secret). Many testing services are FREE and insurance covers some others.

There's no excuse. Get tested, today.

"I have found that if you love life, life will love you back." - Arthur Rubinstein

Use social media for good.

Some folks are really into social networks. Although I'm not too busy on Facebook, MySpace, and some other more popular ones, I do have three networks on Ning, including the XO Users Group. So when I first heard about SocialVibe I was a little curious.

SocialVibe is a social networking site with a social entrepreneurship twist. When you build a page on SocialVibe, you select a sponsor and a cause. Then every time you connect with friends, add photos, add to your profile, link your page to Myspace, Facebook and the like your sponsor donates money to the charitable cause of your choice. I'm sponsored by Mac (on whose computers I do all my work and blogging - except when I'm on my XO) and my cause is Donors Choose.

So click below to visit my page at SocialVibe. Your click will contribute to Donors Choose. And if you like, build your own page, get a sponsor, and start earning money for your favorite cause.

"Truth never damages a cause that is just." -Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948)

Fund your social business idea.

I first learned about Ideablob about a year ago when NoSweat solicited support from customers and Ideablob for their business. I was recently reminded of Ideablob when Emory Astronomy doctoral student Jessica Hammock won $10,000 for Project Epiphany which teaches astronomy to elementary and middle school students. These are both great business and project ideas and now they have another line of funding. Do you have a business idea you'd like to get funded?

Ideablob is "where entrepreneurs and small business owners can share and grow their business ideas – and have a chance to win $10,000 towards fulfilling them." People submit their business ideas and once a month, the idea with the most votes wins $10,000. This could be a wonderful way to fund your social entrepreneurship idea. So here's how you can participate:

* Submit your business idea. There are new competitions every month.
* Vote for your favorite business idea. This is a great way support and learn about growing businesses.
* Serve as an advisors for beginning entrepreneurs. Share your knowledge and business acumen.

Do you have a great business idea? Check out Ideablob. And if you're a social entrepreneur, let me know when your idea is ready to receive votes. Ideablob may be just the ticket you need to get your great idea off the ground.

"The dread of censure is the death of genius." -William Gillmore Simms

Give naturally.

People frequently stumble upon my site when they search the phrase "Heifer scam". Let me be clear, Heifer is not a scam. Their headquarters (which I have visited) are in my hometown (Little Rock, Arkansas) and I am regular contributer and supporter. But that said, there are poorly run nonprofits out there. Some may even be scams. How does a well-meaning, socially-concerned person choose the best ways to be of service? One option is UniversalGiving.

UniversalGiving is a "web-based service helps people give and volunteer with exceptional organizations all over the world." They match volunteers and donors with more than 200 pre-screened nonprofit partners that operate around the world. Their mission? "To create a world where giving and volunteering are a natural part of everyday life.” Just pick a geographic or service area to get a list of service opportunities. 100% of your donation goes directly to the nonprofit. Right now they list 756 opportunities to donate and 298 international volunteer opportunities. They also provide customized services for corporations and philanthropic giving circles.

UniversalGiving makes it easy to volunteer or donate with confidence that your contributions are making a real difference to the community you care about. Now, are you ready to get started?

* Donate. Tax deductible!
* Volunteer.
* Create a wish list or gift registry.
* Purchase a gift package. Tax deductible!
* Support UniversalGiving. Tax deductible!

Now doesn't that just feel like the natural thing to do? Thanks for the tip, Cheryl!

"Think like a man of action and act like a man of thought." - Henri Bergson

Join the Carnival for Change - Booth 7.

Welcome to the Carnival for Change where we explore the web for interesting items relating to social justice, health, education, and opportunity.

* Are you a woman blogger? If so, check out the BlogHer '08 National Meeting in San Francisco, July 18-20. Short notice, I know. If you can't make it to San Francisco, perhaps you can attend the regional 1-day meetings in October. They'll be held in Boston, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Nashville, Greenboro, and New Orleans.

* Are you a woman entrepreneur? If so, check out the The Power of Yin live, interactive webcasts. The three fall broadcasts feature "women angel investors discussing society’s greatest challenges and answering questions from women entrepreneurs about building the socially responsible companies of the future." They're free!

* Alanna Shaikh of Blood and Milk offers this interesting post on the concept of positive deviance and it's role in development. Deviating from the norm is often a good thing!

* I've written before about the XO Laptop from One Laptop Per Child. For those of us who are lucky enough to have one of these supercool, ultrafunctional machines, I've started the XO Users Group - For users and fans of the XO Laptop. Do you have an XO? Then stop on over and join.

* Do you blog about social change? If so, you may want to contribute to the Changebloggers Wiki, conceived of and executed by the good folks at Have Fun * Do Good and Social Butterfly for Change.

* Learn about World Heritage Sites and maybe win a trip to visit on by taking the Friends of World Heritage Adventure Quiz. This is inspired by, of all things, Indiana Jones. Happy trekking!

* I needed inspiration for the book this time so I took key words from each of the items in today's Carnival and put them in Amazon search. Out popped Blogging Heroes: Interviews with 30 of the World's Top Bloggers. Enjoy!


Thanks for visiting the Carnival for Change! If you'd like space at the next booth, send your items to me with "Carnival for Change" in the subject. See you next time! In the meantime, subscribe to So What Can I Do (see sidebar) or follow us on Twitter (@sowhatcanido).

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.” - Joseph Campbell

Send a CDC Health E-card.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the one of the most respected public health agencies in the world. I remember being so impressed when I realized that my prospective graduate school (Emory, which I attended) was right next door to the CDC. They do some amazing work. While much of it is highly specialized epidemiology and biostatistics, some of their work is very easily accessible. Their new health e-cards are a perfect example. This is a great example of social marketing.

There are about one hundred cards available now when new ones being added regularly. You can find them on a number of topics:

* Injuries
* Parenting
* STDs and HIV
* Travel
* Climate
* and more.

Cards are available in Spanish and English. Here's to good health!


"It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do a little." -Sydney Smith, writer and clergyman (1771-1845)

Run for political office.

Tomorrow is election day where I live. This isn't one of the so-called "major" elections - we're not choosing between Clinton and Obama, or between Obama and McCain. Instead this election focuses on local offices. And I suggest that these elections may be the biggest of all. That's because local elected officials have a lot to do with the quality of your life. Most importantly, because they represent a relatively small number of people, you have a reasonably good opportunity to meet them, tell them your concerns, and influence their position. That's a lot of power for people who are chosen in an election that lots of folks ignore.

I've been educating myself on the candidates in tomorrow's election, and unfortunately, I've not been impressed with many of my options. If you can't file your fundraising reporting paperwork on time, why should I trust you to run my county? If you photoshop yourself and a popular presidential candidate into a picture for your flyers to imply and endorsement where there is none, why should I trust you to be my senator? What's a concerned person to do?

Here are just a few ideas:

* Vote responsibly.
* Education yourself and others about the issues and candidates.
* Run for political office.

Yes, I suggested running for office. People who care, really care, and are honest, ethical, discerning, and thoughtful (all qualities of readers of So What Can I Do!) are needed to govern our society. It may seem a strange suggestion, but think about the improvements you could make by bringing a fresh perspective to government. Just running a collaborative, honest, positive campaign could make a big difference in your community, even if you don't win. Have I got you thinking? Now check out these resources:

* Monitor your local paper for seminars and workshops designed to teach people how to run for political office. For example Scientists and Engineers for America holds workshops to train scientists to run for office. And the League of Women Voters offers workshops for women interested in running for office. Contact the League in your area.

* Download the manual "How To Run For Office" from the Committee of Seventy. They wrote it for Pennsylvania, but it's useful for the rest of us too.

* Want to read more? Check out some of the books on the topic. Here are just a few:
--> How to Run for Local Office : A Complete, Step-By-Step Guide that Will Take You Through the Entire Process of Running and Winning a Local Election
--> So You Want to Run for Political Office: A Practical Guide for Aspiring Politicians
--> Winning Local and State Elections
--> The Newcomer's Guide to Winning Local Elections: Trials of Balance, Chapter Three

Be sure to talk it over with your family before you begin. Then learn all you can about the process so that you can run a campaign you can be proud. Remember that if you are trying to change the way your government currently works, you may have to do some things differently than the way they've always been done. The serve your community proudly when you win!



"There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming." - Soren Kierkegaard

Connect to doers.

One of the best things about peer to peer lending is that the lender know exactly what person, project, organization, or business she is supporting. Now, GobalGiving provides a way for charitable donors to connect with community-based projects that need support. As they say, they "connect donors and doers." Here's how it works:

* Visit globalgiving.com and select from over 450 projects worldwide.
* Donate to support your favorite projects. It's tax-deductible.
* Receive regular updates about the use of your gift and the resulting impact.

It's that last step the makes GlobalGiving special. Want more ways to get involved?

* Give a gift certificate to someone you care for. Then they can select their own project to support.

* Become a GlobalGiving partner. They need corporate partners project partners, volunteers, and more. This could be a great way to raise money for your nonprofit, or give more support to your favorite organizations.

* Purchase gifts at the GlobalGiving store.

Now you'll know exactly the impact your gift is having. Happy giving!



"A wise man will make haste to forgive, because he knows the true value of time, and will not suffer it to pass away in unnecessary pain." -Samuel Johnson, lexicographer (1709-1784)

Join the Carnival for Change - Booth 6.

Welcome to the Carnival for Change where we explore the web for interesting items relating to social justice, health, education, and opportunity. Happy Juneteenth!

* The World Resources Institute recently released The Next 4 Billion: Market Size and Business Strategy at the Base of the Pyramid. The publication, which is available for print purchase or free download, is useful for those developing for-profit businesses that focus on the 4 billion poorest people. Those folks may not have a lot of money, but they make up the majority of the world's population and they need goods and services too. This is the approach that has made Mohammad Yunus' Grameen Bank so successful.

* The Greater Good blog highlights a great way to contribute to academic knowledge about heroism and altruism. People are needed to participate in a scientific study by the Heroism Research Group. It takes about 20 minutes to answer the survey-type questions, and, who knows, you might learn something about yourself. I did.

* Riches for Good has a great post listing social entrepreneurship fellowships and training programs. Check it out, and use the comments to add others to the list. These are a great way to jump start your socially-responsible business or business idea. I'm forwarding this info to Jules Walter of Bagazo in case they're interested in these opportunities.

* If social entrepreneurship isn't your thing, how about social marketing? Social Butterfly lists numerous social marketing events, conferences, and opportunities. This is a growing field and there are lots of ways to get involved in it.

* Like the idea behind So What Can I Do? Check out similar blogs (along with SWCID) at good.alltop.com. Thanks Neenz! Want to listen instead of read? Check out Julie Zauzmer's weekly podcast 52 Ways to Change the World. It's also available on iTunes. Thanks Julie! Also, So What Can I Do was also recently featured in Social Butterfly's Blogger Neighborhood. Thanks Alex!


* I go through phases where I just read nonfiction, or just fiction. My favorite writer of either class is Octavia Butler. Her writing helps me recognize that we are all always already invincible. Three of my favorites are Wild Seed, Bloodchild, and Kindred.


Thanks for visiting the Carnival for Change! If you'd like space at the next booth, send your items to me with "Carnival for Change" in the subject. See you next time!

"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell

Celebrate fatherhood.

Today is Father's Day in the US. Both boys and girls need a father or father figure in their lives, but not all children have one. On this Father's Day, you can choose to make a positive difference in a child's life. Here are just a few ways to get started:

* Become a virtual mentor through the Orphan Foundation of America. Mentors are needed for current and former foster children. You can make a big difference even online.

* Volunteer with Big Brothers, Big Sisters. "Volunteering just 4 hours a month can change a young person's life" and you can share many of your current activities with your 'Little'.

* Become a foster parent. It's hard for many of us to imagine not having our parents. Foster parents fill the gap and provide a caring family and home for those whose parents are unable to care for them.

* Expand your family by adopting a child. Call 1-800-TO-ADOPT or 1-888-200-4005 or write info@adoptuskids.org for more information.

Think about all the people who made a positive impact on your life. Thank them, and consider how you can contribute to a child's life. I expect you'll receive much more that you give.

Happy Father's Day to all, and especially to my two favorite fathers: my dad, Olly Neal, and my husband, Kwadjo Boaitey. I love you both!

"You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions." - Naguib Mahfouz

Trickle up.

Regular readers know I'm a big fan of microloans. But if you're at the base of the pyramid, living on $1-2 per day, a loan just won't cut it. That's where Trickle Up comes in.

Trickle Up supports microenterprise through business training and seed capital grants in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Loans are usually about $100, and recipients must participate in classes on business planning and development, finance and more. "The typical Trickle Up entrepreneur is a woman under 40 years of age who is responsible for raising children and paying for their schooling." They helped launched 11,141 businesses in 1007 and improved tens of thousands of lives in the process. You can meet some of the Trickle Up entrepreneurs.

Trickle Up has been around for almost 30 years and look at their results:

* 9 of 10 Trickle Up businesses continue after the first year.
* 7 of 10 microentrepreneurs increase their family's food intake.
* 5 of 10 are able to send more children to school.
* 5 of 10 are able to buy better clothing for their families.
* Women lead 85% of Trickle Up businesses.
* People with disabilites account for about 10% of the people Trickle Up serves.

Because the total loan amounts are so small, you'll know your donation will have a huge impact on a family. Ready to donate? You'll narrow the base of the pyramid when you do!

"You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions." - Naguib Mahfouz

Offset your site.

I've written before about carbon offsets, but the services I described all cost money. Now, here's a fast way to offset a few pounds of carbon. If you are a blogger, you can join Brighter Planet's 350 Challenge. Just put their snazzy badge on your site (check out the sidebar for mine), let them know who you are and they will "offset 350 pounds of carbon in your name! 350 pounds! That's like flicking off 100 lightbulbs for a day. Or going two full weeks without your car!" They're goal is 350 bloggers and they already have over 300, so hurry!

"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Pull together for change.

The New York Times had a great story yesterday about Katherine Commale. She's the seven-year-old girl who with her mother and little brother's help raised $43,000 for the Nothing But Nets campaign against malaria. She's a great example of someone who saw a need and found a way to contribute to the solution.

The nice thing is that most everyone can find a way to motivate their family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, classmates, and others to contribute to a good cause. Here are two more examples:

* Eric's 25 for Angel's Place - Eric Gamble has pledged to lose 25 pounds in support of the New Orleans charity Angel's Place which "provides a loving and caring environment for children diagnosed with life-threatening illness." Sponsors are asked to pledge $1 per pound in support of his efforts.

* The 2wheels4water is a project by Alison and Tim Lowry. They are riding a Vespa moped through North and South Carolina to raise money for clean water projects around the world. Sponsors are asked to pledge per mile. "Every mile driven on a moped costs just 3.5 cents. Every mile in a typical car costs about 17.5 cents. We’re asking you to pledge the difference: 14 cents for every mile we cover."

These are just three examples of how everyday people, people just like you and me, are making a difference by motivating those they know to pull together for change. What will you do to support the causes you care about?

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do." - Mark Twain