Ashoka
www.ashoka.org
703-527-8300
Funds and supports the leaders of growing, innovative non-profits
AmeriCorps
www.americorps.org
202-606-5000
Network of local, state and national community service programs
Change.org
www.change.org
[no phone #]
The social networking site for activists allows members to build virtual foundations to bundle small donations from individuals into a large lump gift to charities, politicians or social projects
Citizen Schools
www.citizenschools.org
617-695-2300
Apprentices middle schoolers to adult volunteers nationwide
City Year
www.cityyear.org
617-927-2500
Volunteers in the year-long full-time program mentor, tutor and lead community building projects
DonorsChoose
www.donorschoose.org
212-239-3615
Allows prospective donors to search for and fund school projects, materials and activities proposed by individual teachers
Draper Richards Foundation
www.draperrichards.org
415-616-4050
Grants start-up money and business mentoring to social entrepreneurs
Echoing Green
www.echoinggreen.org
212-689-1165
Provides seed and start-up grants and support to social entrepreneurs
Experience Corps
www.experiencecorps.org
202-478-6190
Specifically for 55-and-olders, who tutor elementary school students struggling with reading
Fellows/USA
www.peacecorps.gov
800-424-8580 x1440
Gives former Peace Corps members money for grad school if they work in underserved U.S. communities
Harlem Children's Zone
www.hcz.org
212-534-0700
Comprehensive community program that helps kids at every age, via parenting classes, job training, fighting obesity and lifting grades
Idealist.org
www.idealist.org
212-564-3377
Connects people with organizations, jobs, ideas and resources for social action
Jesuit Volunteer Corps
www.jesuitvolunteers.org
[various phone numbers depending on region]
The country's largest lay Catholic volunteer program works with the homeless and disabled, abuse victims and refugees, among others
Kiva.org
www.kiva.org
[no phone #]
Helps individual donors provide micro-loans to individual developing-world entrepreneurs with specific goals like buying motorcycle repair equipment or cattle fodder to earn their way out of poverty
Knowledge is Power Program
www.kipp.org
866-345-5477
Students in this network of 57 open-enrollment college-prep public schools go to school from 7:30 to 5 and have three hours of homework per night; 80% of grads have gone on to college
In a changing society facing all manner of new challenges, volunteers are helping bind America together. Why the U.S. and the next President should make a new commitment to national service