When I saw the geoblog that the Jane Goodall's Institute created with Google Earth last year, I was wowed by its potential for nonprofits and wrote:

"I can't imagine a more powerful tool for environmental nonprofits and NGOs than to 'fly' your supporters and potential supporters over the area of the world you are working in. It is really an awesome experience. It has the color, movement and visual richness of Second Life, but it is First Life, it is our Earth."

Now Google has created Google Earth Outreach to help nonprofits tap that potential. According to the Google Earth Blog, Google Earth Outreach,

"enables any organization to quickly and easily get the resources it needs to create compelling stories through Google Earth layers. The program includes comprehensive online guides, video tutorials, and case studies about using Google Earth specifically targeted to the needs of nonprofit organizations. In addition, there are online forums connecting new participants to Global Awareness partners and experienced programmers who can assist in developing Keyhole Markup Language (KML) layers for Google Earth."

In addition to the Jane Goodall Institute's Gombe Chimpazee Blog, it sites the Crisis in Darfur, UNEP Environmental, Appalachian Mountain Top Removal, and World Wildlife Fund layers as examples of how nonprofits can use the tool.

Google has also published three new layers for nonprofits, the Global Heritage Fund, Earthwatch Expeditions and Fair Trade Certified.

Here's the press release link and Official Google Blog post for more info.

Addition: I forgot to mention that organizations can apply for grants for the Google Earth Pro program. Here is the form.

Image Credit: I took this screen shot while "flying" on the Jane Goodall Institute's geoblog in September 2006.