In today’s network-centric world, the possibilities for social change are endless. Digital media is changing the way we interact, access information, coordinate, and solve problems—all of which can have huge implications for civic engagement and the social sector.

In this new report, “Connected Citizens: The Power, Peril and Potential of Networks,” Monitor Institute and the Knight Foundation examine the role of networks in community life. They explore how connected citizens are making a difference, how grant-making may be impacted by the increasing trends of decentralization and transparency, and how technology might influence public participation and leadership in the future.

“The pages are rich with useful examples and lessons about how networks are unlocking assets in communities to support open government, care for the elderly, help disaster victims and advance women’s rights,” says the Knight Foundation. “Throughout, the report considers the role philanthropy can play in harnessing the best network-centric practices, the ones that might unleash individual interactivity to achieve social impact at a scale and speed never before possible.”