Donor Page
Thank you for your willingness to donate to the Combined Federal Campaign! Each and every charity appreciates your desire to give so generously. In order to make it a little easier for you to give this year, an electronic version of the 2009-21-1 Campaign Brochure and Pledge Card are available below.
2009-2010 Campaign Brochure
The campaign brochure includes important information about donating through the CFC, as well as a list of all the charities included in the CFC. Download the Campaign Brochure
2009-2010 Pledge Card
Download the Pledge Card
Pledge Card Instructions
Information for Donors
The CFC Charity List
The Charity List is a paper or web-based display of national, international, and local organizations that have met CFC eligibility requirements. A sample charity listing is shown below with key elements shown in italics. Key elements include: the organization’s new five-digit CFC code, the legal name in parentheses shown if it is “doing business as” under another name, the employer identification number (EIN), a 25-word statement of purpose (except in abbreviated listings), its administrative and fundraising expense rate (AFR), and its Service Categories (Taxonomy Codes).
Making Informed Giving Decisions
The EIN, AFR, and the Service Categories are included to help donors identify organizations that meet their interests and performance standards.
The EIN is issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It can be used for obtaining additional information about an organization from the IRS (877-829-5500). Please Note: Some organizations may be covered under an umbrella organization’s tax exemption status and EIN or may not be required to have an EIN.
The AFR represents the percentage of dollars spent on administering the charity. It is calculated as a percentage of the organization’s total support and revenue. OPM, as well as the philanthropic community at large, remains concerned about excessive AFR levels. The philanthropic community generally considers an AFR in excess of 35 percent to be problematic. Potential CFC donors should carefully review the circumstances applicable to the potential charities of their choice to be certain they fully understand and accept the AFR situations for such charities before donating to them. Each situation is unique. Donors may contact the charity directly and/or industry oversight organizations in order to better to understand the financial status, service delivery record, and governance policies of the charity before donating. A listing of oversight organizations is available at http://www.opm.gov/cfc/Donors/Giving.asp
The Service Categories (Taxonomy Codes) categorize the types of services that most charitable organizations offer. Charities self-select up to three alpha-codes (shown below) for inclusion in the CFC charity list. Charities that did not select at least one category are assigned “Z” for the “Other” category.
The 26 service categories are derived from the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) classification system. This system, developed by the National Center for Charitable Statistics, is widely used in the non-profit community.
SERVICE CATEGORIES (TAXONOMY)
A Arts, Culture, and Humanities
B Educational Institutions & Related Activities
C Envir. Quality, Protection & Beautification
D Animal Related
E Health – General and Rehabilitative
F Mental Health, Crisis Intervention
G Disease, Disorders, Medicinal Disciplines
H Medical Research
I Crime, Legal Related
J Employment, Job Related
K Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition
L Housing, Shelter
M Public Safety, Disaster Preparedness & Relief
N Recreation, Sports, Leisure, Athletics
O Youth Development
P Human Services – Multipurpose and Other
Q International, Foreign Affairs, National Security
R Civil Rights, Social Action, Advocacy
S Community Improvement, Capacity Building
T Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Foundations
U Science & Technology Research Institutes, Services
V Social Science Research Institutes, Services
W Public, Social Benefit: Multipurpose, Other
X Religion Related, Spiritual Development
Y Mutual/Membership Benefit Orgs., Other
Z Other
For additional guidance on selecting charities, visit the CFC website at http://www.opm.gov/cfc/html/qfd.asp.
Do I Have To Give Through The CFC?
No. Participation in the CFC is strictly voluntary.
Coercion is forbidden. You have the right not to be improperly influenced regarding your decision to give or not to
give through the CFC. Prohibited practices include, but are not limited to: supervisors soliciting the employees they supervise; setting 100% participation goals, providing and using donor lists for purposes other than the routine collection and forwarding of contributions and installment pledges, establishing personal dollar goals and quotas, and developing and using lists of non-contributing employees.
If you prefer, you may donate to the CFC anonymously by placing your confidential gift in a sealed envelope.
Civilian employees may register complaints about coercion with the LFCC and contact their personnel offices; military personnel should contact their commanding officers.
Can I Specify Which Organization Will Receive My Contribution?
By designating where your CFC contribution will go, you ensure that your donation goes to meet the needs that you feel are most important. You may designate the organizations of your choice where indicated on your pledge form by entering the five-digit code and the amount you wish to pledge. Additional designations may be completed on a second pledge form. Except for documented expenses for the operation of the local CFCs and uncollected pledges, all contributions are distributed as designated.
You cannot designate to an organization that is not listed in this Charity List. Adding organizations not listed, or “write-ins”, or is prohibited by CFC regulations and donations to such organizations will be treated as undesignated funds. In addition, pledges made using the former four-digit codes cannot be honored and will be treated as undesignated funds.
What Are Affiliated And Independent Organizations And Federations?
Affiliated organizations receive services from a Federation that supplies common fundraising, administrative, and management services to its member organizations. Charitable organizations participating in the CFC as a member of a federation may pay dues or fees to that federation as a service charge. Independent organizations are not members of a federation and participate in the CFC on their own.
For additional information on a particular federation and any dues/fees paid by its members, either contact the federation, its members, or review the federation’s annual report.
How Do I Designate A Federation, Or Alternatively, One Of Its Members, To Receive My Contribution?
If you wish to designate all or some portion of your contribution to a federation, please record that federation’s corresponding code number on your pledge form. The federation name will be listed at the top of the list of the federation’s member organizations. Contributions designated to a federation will be shared in accordance with the federation’s policy. If you wish to designate all or some portion of your contribution to an affiliated federation member organization, please record that organization’s corresponding code number on your pledge form.
How Do I Designate An Independent Organization To Receive My Contribution?
You may wish to designate to an independent organization that is not
affiliated with a Federation. Simply enter that organization’s five-digit code number on your pledge form.
What If I Choose Not To Specify An Organization Or Federation To Receive My CFC Contribution?
All funds contributed to the CFC that are not designated to a specific organization or federation will be treated as undesignated funds and distributed to all organizations listed in the CFC Charity List in the same proportion as they received designations. Organizations that do not receive designated dollars cannot receive any portion of the undesignated distribution.
What Is The International General Designation Option?
If you wish to have your contribution distributed proportionately among all international organizations that received designated gifts, you may do so by entering five number ones: 11111 on your pledge form.
What Is The Payroll Deduction Option?
Payroll deduction makes it convenient for you to give by letting you spread your contribution across the entire year. Last year, more than 90% of all CFC funds raised were made through payroll deduction. Payments on payroll deduction pledges begin on the first pay
period beginning in January and conclude with the last pay period beginning in December. There is no simpler way for you to make good things happen for so many people than to contribute using payroll deduction. Payroll deduction helps you care for your community and your world.
Will I Receive A Receipt For My Contribution?
Donors should keep a copy of their pledge form, as well as their pay statements, as a receipt of their pledge. A Federal employee who makes a one-time (cash, check, or money order) contribution must maintain a bank record or a written communication from the local campaign showing the name of the organizations contributed to, the date of the contribution, and the amount of the contribution. Every effort will be made by the local campaign to provide a receipt to donors, but it is the responsibility of the donor to request such a receipt from the local campaign. Donors that do not receive a receipt should contact the local campaign to obtain one. Local campaigns can be found using the Campaign Locater search feature on the CFC website at http://www.opm.gov/cfc/Search/Locator.asp Donors should consult a tax adviser to determine if additional verification of the donation is required by the IRS.
What Are The Costs Of The Campaign?
Historically, campaign costs nation-wide have averaged ten percent. These funds were spent on printing materials, training volunteers, auditing contributions, and other administrative expenses. All local campaign costs are reviewed and approved by the LFCC governing the local campaign. On average, this cost is low compared with other fundraising campaigns; therefore, every dollar you pledge goes a very long way toward helping others.
What Is On-line Pledging or E-Giving?
On-line pledging and e-giving, in general terms, means that donors have the additional pledging tools of the charity list and pledge form available to them “on-line” or on the internet or intranet. Currently, several local campaigns are participating in pilot projects that offer on-line charity lists and secure pledge transactions through the Employee Express (EEX) HR System. Other campaigns have web-based charity lists and downloadable pledge forms. If you would like to have access to on-line giving tools such as these in your area, or have comments to share, please contact OPM at cfc@opm.gov, Attn: Online Giving or your local campaign. Local campaigns can be found using the Campaign Locater search feature on the CFC website at http://www.opm.gov/cfc/Search/Locator.asp
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