Dipak Basu, a Saratoga resident and executive director of a nonprofit called NetHope, was among those nominated to receive awards. NetHope was nominated for the Agilent Technologies Equality Award but the award went to Rodrigo Baggio of the Committee for the Democratization of Information Technology in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

NetHope was established in early 2002. The organization networks with nonprofit groups worldwide and helps them with communication and computer-related issues.

"Being nominated for the awards was a tremendous morale booster. We are still basking in the euphoria," said Basu (no relation to this reporter). "We saw other nominees being praised for their tremendous work. And NetHope was mentioned in the same breath."

Basu said that IT professionals in the Bay Area are keen to get involved with nonprofits and help the community. "When someone from the IT community is helping the homeless or helping with sandbags, he is not using any of his technology skills," said Basu. "But with an organization like NetHope, volunteers can use their technical knowledge."

NetHope provides help in the use of communication technology and access to software applications to member nonprofits who work around the world. The organization currently partners with nonprofit groups like Save the Children, Care, World Vision, Oxfam and other agencies.

Companies like Microsoft and Cisco have strategic alliances with NetHope. They help with products and cash projects. "We try and keep good company and interact with many Silicon Valley IT professionals," Basu said.

In recent months, NetHope has been developing a product called Netrelease, a communication kit. "It is a suitcase which nonprofit workers can take with them to set up a communication hub anywhere in the world. It will be very useful in addressing situations in disaster areas," Basu said. The Netrelease kit will be tested at various locations worldwide very soon.

Basu has traveled to Ethiopia, Liberia, Bolivia and the Philippines in the last year. NetHope has been helping in Iraq, in Afghanistan and, most recently, in Darfur, Sudan.

Basu said more and more nonprofit organizations will look to outfits like NetHope as they begin to harness the power of the Internet and other modern communication technologies.

"NetHope is a very small, lean and efficient organization," said Basu, who volunteers at the local library and with the Red Cross. But in the world of nonprofits, it is making a big difference.