Location-based social networking is evolving at break-neck speed and, as a result, it has become a valuable platform for a wide range of non-profit campaigns and other socially important activities, including fundraising, advocacy and even crisis response. Here are a few concrete examples of how location-based technology can be used for non-profit purposes.

Taking Fundraising to a New Level

Larry King held a fundraised that raised more than $1.7m to be used for the Gulf Coast. However, this was a completely different type of fundraiser since it also included location-based advocacy, alongside the traditional TV show. Gowalla’s users could obtain special, custom pins featuring Larry King Live: Help the Gulf for their passports by checking in to the “Park or Nature category” on a specific date.

Along with the pins, users also received tips from the National Wildlife Federation, United Way and The Nature Conservancy on how they could provide support to the environment, people and animals that were suffering as a result of the spill. Over 9,000 people checked-in to get their pins and more than 22,000 tips went out, along with an invitation to watch Larry King’s fundraising show.

LIVESTRONG: Virtual Gifts and Donations

Livestrong, in conjunction with Gowalla, launched a brand new donation program at the South By Southwest festival. Everyone who visited the Gowalla Tiki Room Party, during the launch, received a virtual bracelet and once they added it to their collections, Gowalla donated $1 for every collected bracelet to Livestrong. Everyone who made a donation in person received a free Gowalla t-shirt.

Sharing Precious Moments

Every Spring, families and friends come together to celebrate college graduation. Unfortunately, not all families can make it to see their loved ones receive their diploma and St. Edwards University found a way to make sure that everyone could enjoy these precious moments, even if they weren’t present.

A single Whrrl story was created where over 180 students posted their photos and shared their experiences. The story included the graduation, congratulations, photos and more, so that even those who were absent could enjoy this special moment.

Advocacy Against Unsafe Oil Drilling

In reaction to the BP Deep Horizon accident, Earth Justice created an ad that targeted a younger audience and used the popular, location-based Foursquare platform, to encourage people to check-in to the ad and in return $10 would be donated to help combat unsafe oil drilling. The ad campaign was launched Bay Area Rapid Transit stations.

The location was chosen due to the fact that Foursquare is already quite popular with the BART community due to a successful campaign launched by the latter on Foursquare to encourage people to use mass transit more.

Relive the Experiences of Your Favorite Musicians

A new project on Whrrl, known as the Experience Music Project, is taking the Internet by storm. Paul Allen came up with a brilliant idea that allows users to actually relive the experience of their favorite musicians. The project started with Jimi Hendrix and focused on his “Purple Haze” history.

The project has now evolved and offers more than 125 stories in more than 100 different locations spanning six cities across the country, featuring such artists as Prince, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bruce Springsteen and Grunge, to name a few.

This was a post by Lior Levin who is a marketing advisor to Kitchen Stools Direct, a bar stools and kitchen stools online store.