As the results of Ditch Digital Dabbling: How Small Businesses + Nonprofits Can Master Online Marketing demonstrate, nonprofits need to take a deeper dive into online media. Well, an opportunity is knocking at your door.

Atlantic BT, a website design, marketing, hosting company has come up with a new angle on marketing: a grant contest focused exclusively on leveraging mobile technology and mobile marketing for social good.

Tonia Zampieri, mobile strategist for the company, has a long history with social good. She came up with one of the first mobile phone apps for nonprofits in 2009 so the Give Back Mobile Grant Contest is a continuation of her double role as entrepreneur and social activist.

Here’s the deal: Nonprofits submit a short form, explaining who they are and why a mobile app will help them achieve their missions.  Twelve semi-finalists will be selected to create a video. It won’t have to be a George Lucas production, just the reasons why mobile might help fundraising, advocacy, sharing of critical information or … use your imagination! 

As Zampieri says, “Mobile is very personal device. It needs to be looked at as way to engage with lifelong supporters who become lifelong donors.”

And keep this fact in mind: Mobile is gaining ground as the platform of choice. People don’t always take their laptops with them but they do take their cell phones. How will that affect the way you market your mission in five years? Figure that out, sell your story and you could win $25,000 of services from Atlantic BT to help your vision become reality.

But this is another one of those great contests where even losers win. Twelve videos will be selected for posting and voting on by the public — another test of your social media connections. Each of those voters will be an opportunity for someone else to learn about your nonprofit.

The four top vote-getters will be matched with Atlantic BT staff who will work with the nonprofit on its pitch.

The final four will have a “live pitch” event using Google + Hangouts so no matter where they are, they will be in Raleigh, NC. The presentations will show how mobile and social media are closely aligned and will be good examples of how their synergy can be used by a lot of nonprofits, maybe even yours.

Not only will the nonprofits benefit from engagement with an in-house expert; the staff of Atlantic BT will get to work with some new kinds of clients and help determine the winner of the $25,000 grant. That’s another one of Zampieri’s goals: To make her co-workers as excited about social good as she is.

Even if you don’t intend to enter — the deadline is May 18, 2012 — watching the videos can be an education and inspiration.