Foursquare has partnered with TechiesGiveBack.org to raise money for inner-city children.

The partnership is to raise money for CampInteractive, a not-for-profit in New York City that helps inner city youth through inspiration of the outdoors and the power of technology. This is Foursquare?s first partnership for charity.

?Through our organization, Techies Give Back, my co-founder Adam Gillman, the director of marketing at MeetMoi, a mobile dating company, and I created NY Tech Gives Back Day,? said Simon Kirk, cofounder of Techies Give Back, New York. ?We are partnering with CampInteractive, a Bronx-based non-profit which helps inner-city children by teaching leadership through weekly tech and homework sessions and monthly outdoor activities.

?On Sunday Dec. 13, we are bringing down 50 kids from the Bronx and taking them ice skating,? he said.

Each child will be partnered with one volunteer. For every ticket that TechiesGiveBack.org sells, one more child can go skating.

?In addition to the volunteer element, we are also fundraising," Mr. Kirk said. "For that, we reached out to Foursquare, which agreed to partner with us and offer their leader board for sponsorship.

"All the proceeds will go directly to CampInteractive," he said.

Foursquare is a location-based social networking game. It is available as an application on such smartphones as Apple's iPhone and iPod touch and Google's Android phones.

TechiesGiveBack.org is an organization dedicated improving the local New York community through volunteering and fundraising. 

Partnering with Foursquare
Mr. Kirk said that Foursquare allows its users to check in when they arrive at a venue and when they do so, they accumulate points.

Foursquare has a leader board that shows how many points have been accumulated by each user.

Mr. Kirk said that in exchange for a pledge of at least $0.03 for every point added to the Foursquare leader board between Dec. 7 and Dec. 13, the social network will let a company re-skin their iPhone leader board. The branding could be a logo or a full takeover for the week.

Mr. Kirk said that TechiesGiveBack.org is still accepting bids for the leader board until Dec. 1.

?We wanted to incorporate a fun, innovate component for the event, something that would inspire people to get involved, even if that involvement was relatively passive,? Mr. Kirk said. ?Our partnership with Foursquare offered that opportunity.

?Foursquare is one of the hottest companies in New York,? he said. ?They've captured people's imaginations.?

The partnership allows TechiesGiveBack.org to reach all of Foursquare?s users, although its focus is on members of the technology industry in New York.

Mr. Kirk said that the partnership with Foursquare allows the fundraiser to reach a wider audience, one that may not have time to volunteer but still wants to contribute by sponsoring the event.

The $0.03 pledge is for those who would be willing to help out if it could be integrated into their everyday life.

?With this partnership, any Foursquare user can get involved,? Mr. Kirk said. ?Anytime they go out to their favorite bar or restaurant they'll help us raise money just by checking in.

?For perhaps the first time, virtual social capital can be transformed in to real dollars which will be used for the greater good,? he said. ?Giving has rarely been this easy or fun.

?We really felt like mobile was important in terms of creating an innovative program. ?