In the past few months, a growing number of social networking, social change, and fundraising sites have made their debut.   These sites combine social networks and philanthropy and are designed to help nonprofits connect with potential supporters of their causes.  The most recent entry is Bring Light which launches today.  Co-founders Melissa Dyrdahl and Drew McManus left senior executive positions at Adobe Systems to apply their business, marketing and technology expertise to help donors and charities connect more effectively online.

Bring Light’s goal is to give exposure to small- to medium-sized charities who often have limited marketing and fundraising budgets. “These are the grassroots organizations who are working hard to help our communities,” said McManus, President and Co-founder. “If they don’t get funding or new donors, they won’t be around to do the amazing work that they do.”

Qualifying 501c3 organizations are welcome to visit the site and apply to post its projects. As of today, the following local charities have made postings that require immediate funding:

• ANGELS (Autism Network for Global Education & Lifelong Support)
• Assistance Dog Institute
• Grail Family Services
• Humane Society of Silicon Valley
• InnVision (housing and day programs for the homeless)
• LAMBDA
• Pacific Autism Center for Education
• Planned Parenthood Golden Gate
• ProjectHIRED
• Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT)
• Ronald McDonald House at Stanford
• Room to Read
• San Jose Museum of Art
• San Jose State Alumni Association
• San Jose Youth Symphony
• The Family Giving Tree
• The Girls’ Middle School (Mountain View, CA)
• Wings Learning Center
• YWCA of Silicon Valley

Beth Kanter is the Contributing Editor for Social Change and Nonprofits at BlogHer and writes for Beth's Blog.