Businesses wanting to fund programs supporting their local communities now can turn to a new online resource that examines strategies for letting proceeds work for charity.

CommunityWealth.org, launched by Share Our Strength, aims to become a clearinghouse of information and a virtual meeting place for business leaders and other community supporters.

"This site offers nonprofit organizations and businesses across the country the opportunity to share and learn more about generating new resources through profitable enterprises that promote social change," says Bill Shore, Share Our Strength executive director.

CommunityWealth.org features some 90 profiles of nonprofit/for-profit relationships and nonprofit business ventures, current developments in the field, ways to develop community wealth projects, discussion groups and a database of more than 100 publications and 150 researchers, consultants and practitioners in the field.

Visitors to the site can learn how leading entrepreneurial organizations have been able to bring about change locally. Examples include California's Rubicon Programs, which funds social service initiatives through its landscaping, baking and home-care consortium; Common Ground of New York, which funds part of its social and rehabilitative services through its business ventures including a Ben and Jerry's ice cream shop; and Seattle's Pioneer Human Services, providing rehabilitation, training, care and employment services through its various business enterprises.

Share Our Strength, which uses a range of entrepreneurial fundraising strategies, has distributed more than $50 million to 1,000-plus organizations fighting hunger and poverty around the world.