As an alternative example, though, in Maryland there was a huge call for a way to connect all the nonprofits and a ning network was created to get them all together online. Unfortunately, without anyone willing to claim responsibility for gardening the space and cultivating the activity there, the platform quickly dissolved.

So, I definitely think that the internet is a terrific space to create collaborative, knowledge sharing places for philanthropic and social impact organizations to connect – but it has to be something the community is willing to step up to, to push for, and to make successful.