Canadians gave $10 billion to charities and other non-profit organizations in 2007, according to a new study by Statistics Canada. Close to 23 million of us gave. That figure represents an impressive 84% of the population aged 15 and older.

These are record-setting numbers, but there is little optimism about continued growth in the short-term. Michael Hall, vice-president research at Imagine Canada told The Globe and Mail: “We don’t know what the future will hold.”

Reports point to a slowdown in philanthropy, not surprisingly. Tough times always hit charities hard. Ironically, when the funds are needed most, they are hardest to attract.

Cue Better the World, a web startup that’s leveraging the power of social networks and Web 2.0 hotspots like facebook and Twitter. Its mission is to help you “raise money for your cause by simply surfing the web.”

Here’s how it works. You join for free, select from a list of causes and then go to work promoting that cause online. You can recruit friends to Better the World’s site, add a badge to your facebook page, tweet in support of your cause and more.

The premise here is that you don’t represent an audience of one anymore. You are connected to family, friends, professional associates and others online. Social media makes you a broadcaster, even if it is on a scale measured in dozens rather than millions. So advertisers that sign-on with Better the World benefit from your network and your efforts to attract traffic back to the website.

The charities benefit when you spread the word, and from a commitment made by Better the World to ensure 90% of funds raised go to the causes promoted.

These are still early days for the site. It launched in February, and boasts a membership that is approaching 4,000. Check it out, especially if the downturn has made it tougher for you to give.