With giving levels on a slow climb, e-mail has emerged as a surprisingly effective fundraising tool.

By Paul Barbagallo

When a constituent receives the e-mail, he is taken to a localized landing page to either register for the local event, volunteer to raise funds for the event, sponsor a child participant, make a credit card donation, or pass the message on to a friend or family member.

BBBSA piloted the e-mail program in 2002 with only seven participating agencies; in 2003, more than 125 BBBSA local organizations signed on.