In that past we've discussed countless uses of Twitter - beyond the obvious shameless self-promotion, which remains the microblogging platform's bread and butter. There's another side to Twitter, though, one that maybe deserves a lot more attention than it receives - philanthropy.

It should go without saying that the same power of connectivity that can bring celebrities like Ashton Kutcher millions of followers can be leveraged to improve awareness of the causes and issues that countless people around the world have pledged their time and money to solving.

Charity organizers understand better than anyone that one of the most crucial aspects of getting a non-profit or other charity group off the ground is finding a solid base of like-minded individuals who are willing to roll their sleeves up and contribute, either with their time or financially. Enter Twitter.

One of the greatest things about Twitter is the ability it gives a person to find other people with similar interests, and the ability to take part in conversations in real-time with those people. For charities and non-profits, this understated power is crucial to raising awareness and building a solid base of supporters. Twitter can give volunteer organizers a fast-track to finding the people who are most likely to share their feelings about their cause or mission, and gives them a handy tool to help organize those people and keep them in the loop.

Many philanthropic organizers have already figured this out, and have been working Twitter hard to build support. So-called "Twestivals," in which Twitter users meet up in real-life to socialize, are often organized around a charity-theme, sometimes featuring raffles or auctions.Non-profits like Lance Armstrong's Live Strong foundation, use Twitter to find interested followers and direct them toward blogs and websites where users can contribute.

There's even a Twitter application for charity - Twollars, which lets Twitter users send charities virtual currency (twollars) which companies and businesses buy in the real-world - for real money - giving Twitter users a way to contribute even if they can't pitch in with their time or money.

Each charity is going to have a different strategy for using Twitter to help them further their cause, but in general, there are a few simple rules organizers can follow to maximize the power of Twitter:

• Tweet early and often.

People respond best when they're frequently reminded. Get on Twitter as often as you can and draw attention to your events early!

• Be human!

Being robotic doesn't work for marketers on Twitter, and it won't work for philanthropy either. Make sure your tweets have a human touch or your users will feel like they're interacting with a machine.

• Have a conversation, not a lecture.

If you don't reply to your followers, they're quickly going to get the impression that you don't care. Make sure you keep a close eye on your replies, mentions and private messages to make sure that your users are seeing your true nature.

Those are just a few tips, but if you really want to know more about philanthropy on Twitter, you can check out Philanthropy.com's article on the topic of leveraging the power of Twitter for philanthropic purposes.