These are tough times for non-profits, especially those looking for the contributions required to fulfill their missions. It’s hard enough asking for people to part with their money, but high energy costs and an uncertain economic outlook make it even tougher than usual.

Non-profits can learn a lot from some of the organic, grass-roots efforts that have received attention in the social media space over the last several months. In the case of the Frozen Pea Fund, the American Cancer Society did not launch a campaign to raise money. Instead, those who knew Susan Reynolds, who blogged that she was afflicted with breast cancer, undertook to raise money as a means of expressing their support for Susan, with the funds they collected earmarked for the American Cancer Society. The Austin blood drive tweetup produced a record number of first-time blood donors, but not based on any call to action from the blood center. Instead, it was a program launched by the Austin Social Media Club and promoted by interested individuals through tweets and blog posts.

People listen to each other thse days more than organizations. That’s precisely why a bunch of people on Twitter raised money from people who would not have otherwise donated to the American Cancer Society. It’s why people gave blood in response to an appeal from others in their network when they had never responded to a direct appeal from the Red Cross or their local blood center.

The lesson for the non-profits is to turn some of their donation efforts over to their most passionate advocates. Rather than hold out their hands and ask for money, they can make information available about the needs the donations will address. Get this information into the hands of people who will use it, from those you have already identified as your biggest supporters to those whose current social media activities indicate they’d be highly sympathetic to your cause.

Your own employees can even promote the issues, as long as they’re transparent about it and remain focus on the results the donations will produce instead of requesting money.

This notion isn’t dissimilar to something I head of Christopher S. Penn and John Wall’s “Marketing Over Coffee” podcast, the idea that if you ask a venture capitalist for money, you’ll get advice, but if you ask for advice, you’ll get advice and money. Translated to non-profit donation efforts, ask for money and you’ll get an excuse, but if you can make the need resonate with the right people, you’ll get money (or blood, if that’s the goal).

Non-profits can grease the skids by making material available for people to use in their efforts. How much easier would the Frozen Peas donations have been if the American Cancer Society had a place where the grassroots activists could have created a landing page that included a donation button and a place for the effort’s leaders to tell their story?

This is about more than just engaging in conversation. It’s about enabling people who care—people with networks—to have the converation on your behalf.