The CFC: It's story and mission

The mission of the CFC is to support and to promote philanthropy through a voluntary program that is employee-focused, cost efficient and effective in providing all Federal focused, cost-efficient employees the opportunity to improve the quality of life for all.

What is the CFC?

The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is the only authorized solicitation of Federal employees in their workplaces on behalf of approved charitable organizations.

The CFC began in the early 1960's to coordinate the fundraising efforts of various charitable organizations so that the Federal donor would only be solicited once in the workplace and have the opportunity to make charitable contributions through payroll deduction.

Federal employees continue to make the CFC the largest and most successful workplace philanthropic fundraiser in the world. Continuing a long-standing tradition of selfless giving, in 2010, Federal employees raised over $281.5 million dollars for charitable causes around the world.

Structure of the CFC

The CFC is made up of over 200 local campaigns that organize the annual fund raising effort in Federal workplaces in the United States and abroad. Each local campaign is managed by a Local Federal Coordinating Committee (LFCC), which serves as a "Board of Directors" for the local campaign. The LFCC is comprised of Federal employees and representatives of labor unions and is responsible for the oversight of the local CFC. In conformance with CFC regulations and policies, the LFCC makes admission determinations for local charities and selects a Principal Combined Fund Organization (PCFO) to administer the day-to-day operations of the campaign and to serve as its fiscal agent.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulates the CFC and provides guidance and oversight to the local campaigns (LFCCs and PCFOs).

Public Accountability

OPM is accountable for assuring Federal employees that their designations are honored and distributed to the charitable organizations of their choice. OPM achieves this in several ways:

(1) OPM maintains strict eligibility and public accountability criteria that all participating CFC charities must meet. For details, see CFC Regulations in 5 CFR Part 950 at http://www.opm.gov/cfc/opmmemos/index.asp.

http://www.opm.gov/cfc/opmmemos/index.asp.

(2) On an annual basis OPM makes admission decisions for all national and international charity applicants and resolves local charity admission appeals.

(3) OPM sets strict requirements and provides on-going guidance for the activities and conduct of the LFCC and the PCFO. The fiscal integrity of the campaign is verified by OPM compliance audits and the annual review of local campaign audits that PCFOs are required to have completed by an independent CPA.

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 five-digit CFC code, the IRS Business File name shown in parentheses if it is "doing business as" another name,), a 25-word statement of purpose (except in abbreviated listings), its administrative and fundraising expense rate (AFR), and its Service Categories (Taxonomy Codes).

Sample Charity Listing

11405 ABC Charity (Alpha-Charity) (800) 555-5555 www.abccharity.org EIN#123456789 ABC Charity attacks the causes of hunger and poverty by promoting effective and innovative community based solutions that create self-reliance, economic community-based self justice, and food security. 15.8% P,S,K

See more

See the CFC Fact Sheet