By Allison Fine

When AbleBanking started a new effort to work with its customers to raise money for nonprofits in New England, it turned to social media to help spread the word.

The online bank, a division of Northeast Bancorp in Maine, worked with six nonprofits to create videos that promote its promise to donate money to charities on behalf of its customers. The bank asks new account holders if they want the institution to give $25 plus a percentage of the account's balance at year's end to charity. Customers get to pick the beneficiary.

The videos, which appear on YouTube, are also designed to help the charities call attention to their work.

In the latest episode of Social Good, Heather Campion, Northeast Bancorp's chief administrative officer, describes how the bank used social media to build its charitable efforts.

Allison Fine, a nonprofit leader and expert on technology and communications, discusses how charities and foundations can more effectively use social-media tools to spread their messages and raise money. Ms. Fine incorporates suggestions and questions from readers into her podcasts and invites you to e-mail her at afine@demos.org. Look for new installments on the first Thursday of every month.