I'm sure that the headline of this article seems too good to be true, but it's not. Surprisingly, many nonprofit organizations still are unaware of the Google Grant and its potential for them.

When running the ING New York City Marathon in November for a small local charity, it was easy for me to see the big picture - especially when surrounded by thousands of other charity runners. It reinforced the idea that contributing to a cause is never a solo act. The things we believe in aren't about just ourselves; they're about our communities, locally and globally, and joining together with other likeminded people to effect change. Because of that, powerful cause marketing will always be about building stronger, better and more meaningful relationships that inspire people to be a part of …

Virtual events may be considered cutting edge these days, but bringing people together to burn some calories for a good cause remains a healthy source of funds and inspiration for a wide range of nonprofit groups.

The other day I came across an essay from a lawyer at a Washington food policy institute who argued that cause marketing was such a powerful inducement that it ought to be highly regulated if not banned outright.