FAQ

Use this list of commonly asked questions and answers to help you. Still didn't find what you were looking for? Contact your Keyworker for additional support. If your problem is related to the website or experiences with e-giving, please contact the CFCNCA Help Desk or call 202-465-7230.

Campaign FAQs

Charity FAQs

Pledging FAQs

Campaign Answers

What is the Combined Federal Campaign? [Top]

The Combined Federal Campaign is the only authorized workplace charitable giving drive for employees in the Federal workplace. CFCNCA is the local campaign for Federal employees in the Washington Metropolitan Area and is the largest workplace giving campaign in the world. Through the collective contributions of nearly 150,000 civilian and military Federal employees, the campaign generated more than $62.7 million in pledges for participating local, national and international charities in 2008. Federal employees in our region seek to generate more than $64 million in pledges during the 2009 campaign.
What is the purpose of the CFC? [Top]

The purpose of the CFC is to support and promote philanthropy through a program that is employee-focused, cost-efficient, and effective in providing all Federal employees the opportunity to improve the quality of life for all.
Why have a CFC? [Top]

The annual fundraising campaign helps support a variety of health, human, and other services provided by local, national, and international charitable agencies. This single campaign is one of the most cost-efficient fundraising methods available. It succeeds because volunteers from the Federal workforce combine their resources for one coordinated appeal.
How important is the CFCNCA Campaign? [Top]

The CFCNCA is the largest regional program in the entire CFC system and the largest workplace giving campaign in the world. Thousands of charities in Washington, throughout America, and around the world depend upon your generosity for their very existence. Last year, you and your coworkers gave more than $62.7 million to charitable agencies. These charities provide services to every part of our community, and touch every one of our lives. Funding from the CFCNCA is one of the most important sources of revenue for these charities, since your payroll deduction pledges provide a steady income stream throughout the year that helps keep their core programs operating. In short, you've got the power to make our community, nation, and world a better place.
Who runs the CFC of the National Capital Area? [Top]

You do! The CFCNCA is operated by a committee of Federal volunteers, called the Local Federal Coordinating Committee, or LFCC. The LFCC assures that the campaign is managed according to the regulations from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The LFCC selects a not-for-profit organization called the PCFO to help operate the campaign through a competitive bid process. The LFCC selected Global Impact, the organization that has been the PCFO of the CFC-Overseas since 1996, to operate the CFCNCA. But the PCFO is only a small part of CFCNCA operations. Most campaign administration is carried out by volunteer Federal employees- Keyworkers, Campaign Mangers and Loaned Executives. These individuals are the core of the CFC program-please thank them for their willingness to serve!
What are the administrative costs for the CFCNCA this year? [Top]

The budget is a fixed amount, not a percentage of funds raised. If we are successful in achieving our target of $64 million raised, this budget would amount to less than 8 percent of revenues. The final fundraising cost percentage will be known when the campaign is complete and a final total has been reached.
What is unique about Global Impact's management of CFCNCA? [Top]

Global Impact has a successful track record of managing these important campaigns over the past 7 years. Each year, we strive to improve the giving process by enhancing the tools and resources available to you. These enhancements are designed to provide you with more choices and a positive experience.

Global Impact is providing new e-Giving tools and charity search capabilities to make it easier and more efficient to donate. These powerful new online tools allow you the choice to either fill out your CFC pledge card online and submit it to your Keyworker, or use the new paperless e-Giving option for credit/ debit card and e-Check electronic bank transactions. And, help is available from our Help Desk via email or at (202) 465-7230.

The campaign was refreshed with a new visual theme and there are many new materials for your use. The website was updated to enhance your giving experience and make it easier for you to go directly where you want to.

We use sophisticated campaign management tools to track, report, and process the campaign faster and more efficiently. A campaign "toolbox" on the Internet brings stories, photos, publications and more resources to the fingertips of campaign managers at more than 160 major accounts in all three branches of the Federal government.
What is the CFC policy on coercion? [Top]

Giving through the CFC is completely voluntary and we oppose coercion in any form. Our objective is to assure that all Federal employees in this area have the opportunity to make informed decisions on whether to give and how to give. Only you can determine whether to give and how much you or your family can afford to donate to charity. If you feel you are being coerced into giving, you have the right to file a report using the channels outlined in the 2009 Catalog of Caring. The LFCC and CFCNCA do not condone coercion under any circumstances. If you experience it, please report it.
What role does the United Way have in this campaign? [Top]

The United Way of the National Capital Area (UWNCA) is both a CFC charity and charitable federation, which means it meets OPM's standards for participation and can receive contributions from the campaign. That is UWNCA's only role in the CFC campaign.
How efficient is the CFCNCA? [Top]

Through the outstanding oversight efforts of the Federal employees on the LFCC, a committee composed of Federal volunteers, less than eight percent of the funds raised are spent on campaign expenses such as printing materials, training volunteers, and auditing contributions. Because this cost is so low compared with other fundraising campaigns, every dollar you pledge goes a very long way toward helping others. By combining donations, administration costs are cut and the value of each pledge is maximized. And, the online tools help reduce the administrative costs and increase efficiencies even more.
Why should I make charitable contributions through the CFCNCA when I could just send a check directly to charities I wish to support? [Top]

Although you could write a check and mail it directly to a charity, CFCNCA reduces the need for individual and costly solicitations from charities by combining this into one campaign, once a year. Accounting costs are much lower because charitable gifts are consolidated into monthly checks to the charity, thereby reducing the accounting overhead of them processing these donations one-by-one each month.

Reducing costs through this collective effort ensures more of your pledge goes directly and quickly to the good work of the charity.
What is the role of a federation? [Top]

A federation is an organization that provides administrative, marketing, and operational support for a group of individual charities. For these services, the member charities typically pay a small fee (often a percentage of their receipts) for the services provided by the federation. Many individual charities believe that this is more cost-effective than doing these tasks internally.
How do Federal agencies benefit from participation in the CFC? [Top]

As a Federal employee, your spirit of public service empowers you to make the world a better place. By combining donations from all agencies, you become part of a powerful collective effort that gives back to the community. Participation in the CFC enhances the visibility of Federal employees and the agencies for which they work.

Participation in the CFCNCA also ensures that services will be available to Federal employees when their own personal situations arise. The campaign affects everyone, including the lives of Federal agency employees.
What are some ways that Federal agencies support the CFC? [Top]

Federal agencies in the National Capital Area appoint a volunteer to serve as Campaign Chair, Vice Chair, and Campaign Manager to lead their agency's CFC effort. The Campaign Manager recruits a Campaign Committee, Team Captains, and Keyworkers to help implement campaign plans. Many Federal agencies also provide the CFC with Loaned Executives (Federal employees on detail) to work with other agencies in planning their campaigns. These volunteers work hard to make events like kickoffs, employee meetings, agency tours, and special CFC communications succeed.
If I don't work in the National Capital Area, how do I contact the CFC in my area? [Top]

Locate information about your local CFC at the Office of Personnel Management Website. Please Note: Do not use the information or charitable codes found on the CFCNCA website to fill out your pledge card if you don't work in the National Capital Area.
Can I get help from a CFC approved campaign participant? [Top]

Yes. The services of CFC campaign participants are available to anyone who needs them, including Federal employees. Please contact the appropriate organization directly to find out more about their services.
Who is responsible for financial accountability? [Top]

Everyone at the CFCNCA shares this responsibility, including volunteers, staff, the PCFO that operates the campaign, the LFCC that manages and directs the campaign, and the CFC staff at OPM. The campaign is audited on a yearly basis by the Office of Personnel Management, and the LFCC is actively involved in overseeing the fiscal practices of the campaign. The primary day-to-day responsibility for the campaign lies with Global Impact, the not-for-profit organization selected by the LFCC to operate the campaign this year. Global Impact has a history of clean audits in its operations of the Combined Federal Campaign-Overseas, and is working closely with the LFCC to ensure transparency and accountability in the collection and distribution of every dollar raised.
Is the CFCNCA covered by Federal regulations? [Top]

Yes, all CFC campaigns operate under regulations issued by the Office of Personnel Management. The regulations are designed to give Federal employees who wish to help others through the CFC a chance to participate, without putting inappropriate pressure on individuals who do not wish to do so. In addition, the regulations define the process by which charitable organizations may participate in the CFC, and the duties and responsibilities of the LFCC and PCFO. More information is available at OPM's CFC website.
How much was raised last year and who received the money? [Top]
In 2008, the CFCNA community raised over $62.7 million. Donors designated more than:
- $30 million to national charities and federations,
- $24.9 million to local charities and federations, and
- $5.6 million to international charities and federations
Undesignated funds totaling $2.1 were shared proportionally among all charities and federation that received designations.

Charity Answers

How do I know that my gift gets to the charity I designate? [Top]

You have the option of asking that charity to acknowledge your gift. Check the appropriate box on your pledge card or online pledge and your name will be released to the charity. Next spring, they may (at their own discretion) contact you to acknowledge that gift.
Why isn't my favorite charity in the book? [Top]

Participation in the CFC is determined by either a local or national application process. Charities must apply in order to be included, so your favorite charity either has not applied or did not qualify. We suggest that you encourage your favorite charity to apply next year. Check the OPM website for the national procedures (www.opm.gov/cfc) or the CFCNCA (www.cfcnca.org) for local procedures. The application period takes place locally from January through May.
If I don't designate a charity, what happens to my donation? [Top]

All "undesignated" donations are combined and then shared proportionally among all charities and federation that received designations.

It is important to select and designate charities to ensure your gift goes where you want it to go. It's easy- use the Online Charity Search tool to search and find charities that match your interests. It allows searching by keyword, location, and other important choices to help you find charities efficiently.
Will the charity get more money if I give directly? [Top]

Not usually. In almost all cases, charities in the CFC have much higher fundraising costs on their own than they experience when they are part of a federated campaign like CFCNCA. People give more than three to four times as much through payroll deduction than they do when making a direct cash gift. So charities stand to gain in three ways:
~ Funds they receive through CFCNCA are often greater than when people give directly.
~ Administrative costs of generating a gift through CFC are lower than if they had to generate that gift independently.
~The charity receives a share of the undesignated funds.
How do donations get to charities? [Top]

Donations are distributed to charities by the PCFO following the close of the campaign, starting in March, 2010. Donations made by check and cash and one-time credit/debit transactions on the e-Giving site are distributed once the audit of those funds is complete. Donations by payroll deduction and recurring credit/debit transactions from the e-Giving site are distributed monthly after deducted funds have been received by Federal government from payroll centers or the credit card site.

In all cases, the amount distributed to a charity is based on how much was designated to that charity by Federal employees. If no one chooses a particular charity, it will not receive any funding.Charities choose whether to receive their CFC donations directly, or through a federation. Many charities choose to join a federation, which allows them to share the expense and administrative burden of applying and participating in campaigns like the CFC with other charities. Federation membership is voluntary. Federations are not-for-profit organizations that are funded by their member organizations in a variety ways. Payments to charities in a federation are made through the federation, which then distributes them to each member charity based upon the designations by Federal employees.
Unaffiliated charities do not belong to a federation, and apply individually to take part in the CFCNCA. All costs associated with applying and participating in the campaign are part of an unaffiliated charity's overhead, instead of being handled by a federation. Payments to unaffiliated charities are made directly by the PCFO based on designations by Federal employees.
Why should I make charitable contributions through the CFCNCA when I could just send a check directly to charities I wish to support? [Top]

Although you could write a check and mail it directly to a charity, CFCNCA reduces the need for individual and costly solicitations from charities by combining this into one campaign, once a year. Accounting costs are also much lower because charitable gifts are consolidated into monthly checks to the charity, thereby reducing the accounting overhead of them processing these donations one-by-one each month. Reducing costs through this collective effort ensures more of your pledge goes directly and quickly to the good work of the charity.
How do I know the charities participating in the CFC are legitimate? [Top]

Federal employees in the National Capital Area volunteer to serve on the Technical Advisory Committee that evaluates each charity that applies to become eligible to receive designations from local CFC contributors. Each local charitable agency must meet the following requirements, as defined in Federal law and OPM rules and regulations:
- Organizations must certify that they provide or conduct real human health and welfare services, benefits, assistance, or program activities.
- Organizations must provide a letter from the Internal Revenue Service recognizing them as tax-exempt under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
- Organizations must provide a completed copy of their IRS Form 990.
- Organizations must demonstrate that they have a substantial local or statewide presence, which must include a staffed facility or office available to the public seeking its services.
- The organization's local facility must be open at least 15 hours per week and have a telephone number exclusively dedicated to the organization.
- Organizations with an annual budget in excess of $100,000 must submit an audit report in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards.
- Organizations must certify that they have no expenses connected with lobbying and attempts to influence voting or legislation at the local, State, or Federal level, or alternatively, that those expenses would classify the organization as a tax exempt organization under 26 U.S.C. 501(h).
- Organizations must have administrative and fundraising expenses that do not exceed 25 percent of their total support and revenue spent. If an organization's administrative and fundraising cost exceeds 25 percent, it must provide an explanation of actual expenses and a plan for reducing these expenses below 25 percent. Organizations must be directed by an active and responsible governing body whose members have no conflict of interest and a majority of which serve without compensation.

Pledging Answers

How do I give to CFCNCA? [Top]

New in 2009, you not only have the option to give electronically (filling out and printing an online Pledge Form), but can contribute via credit/debit card and e-Check electronic bank transactions in a paperless e-Giving process. You can also continue to donate by filling out the traditional paper Pledge Form. Payroll deduction is still a great choice if you choose to use either the online or hard copy pledge form. Your first step is to review the list of charities and select the ones that you would like to receive your gift. It's all about choice - you decide where the money goes and you select the giving method that works best for you.
Do I have to make a pledge? [Top]

The CFCNCA is committed to giving every Federal employee in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area an informed opportunity to participate in the campaign. However, participation is strictly optional, and any effort to coerce an employee to take part in any CFC when he or she does not wish to do so is prohibited by regulation.
Is there a minimum or maximum payroll deduction gift one can donate through the CFC? [Top]

The minimum gift for military and civilian personnel is $1 per pay period. There is no maximum gift. All gifts are welcome.
How much should I give? [Top]

It's your decision — give what meets your budget and will make the most impact. Lead by example.
When will my payroll deduction begin? [Top]

Your payroll deductions will begin on the first pay period in January and continue for the remainder of the year.
How do donations get to charities? [Top]

Donations are distributed to charities by the PCFO following the close of the campaign starting in March, 2010. Donations made by check or cash are distributed once the audit of those funds is complete, and donations by payroll deduction are distributed periodically after deducted funds have been received and audited. In all cases, the amount distributed to a charity is based on how much was designated to that charity by Federal employees-if no one chooses a particular charity, it will not receive any funding.

Charities choose whether to receive their CFC donations directly, or through a federation. Many charities choose to join a federation, which allows them to share the expense and administrative burden of applying and participating in campaigns like the CFC with other charities. Federation membership is voluntary. Federations are not-for-profit organizations that are funded by their member organizations in a variety ways. Payments to charities in a federation are made through the federation, which then distributes them to each member charity based upon the designations by Federal employees.

Unaffiliated charities do not belong to a federation, and apply individually to take part in the CFCNCA. All costs associated with applying and participating in the campaign are part of an unaffiliated charity's overhead, instead of being handled by a federation. Payments to unaffiliated charities are made directly by the PCFO based on designations by Federal employees.
Do I get a receipt? [Top]

Yes, everyone gets a receipt but the format depends on the donation method you choose. If you use the traditional paper Pledge Form, please retain the last page for your records. If you give on-line via the online Pledge Form, you must print out the form, turn in the Payroll and Audit copies to your Keyworker and then you keep the last page (Receipt Copy) for your record. If you elect the e-Giving paperless option for credit, debit and e-Check transactions, you will receive an email with confirmation of your gift and have the option to print a receipt.
When do I need verification of my donation for tax purposes? [Top]

The Internal Revenue Service requires taxpayers who itemize charitable deductions to provide proper documentation for all charitable contributions, regardless of amount. You must have a receipt for cash, check or payroll deductions to claim them as tax deductions. If you use the traditional paper Pledge Form, please retain the last page for your records. If you give via the online Pledge Form, print out the form and keep the last page (Receipt Copy) for your records. If you elect the e-Giving paperless option for credit/debit card and e-Check electronic bank transactions, you will receive an email with confirmation of your gift and have the option to print a receipt.
Have any new improvements been made this year to make donating easier? [Top]

Several have been made to make donating easier and to reduce overall campaign costs.

Some of the key enhancements include:
- New pledging options: In addition to payroll deduction, check or cash, donors now can choose to use the simple paperless option of giving through credit/debit card or e-Check (electronic bank transfer) via our e-Giving tools. This may appeal to new donors who prefer online transactions, as well as to cash or check donors as an alternative, lower cost method of giving.
- Easier way to give: We enhanced our e-Giving tools, including the online charity search and pledge process, to make them easier for donors to use with simple to follow processes and giving options. Plus, we improved our website with more comprehensive information, news and resources for both donors and campaign volunteers.
If I give by check, who should I make the check out to? [Top]

CFCNCA.
Does CFCNCA incur a credit card processing charge when donors use the new options

CFCNCA does incur a processing and transaction charge from the credit card company.

The fee is made up of a flat rate per transaction and a percent of the total charge.
For the average paper gift via cash/check of $122 (this was the average in the 2008 campaign), about $7 is spent on paper processing and handling (including bank fees, auditing, and support.)
In addition, for the paper process, Federal Agencies spend approximately $7 per paper pledge in clerical duties that are eliminated by eGiving. The total cost of a paper pledge of $14 is significantly higher than the cost of a debit or credit card transaction.
For a $122 credit/debit card donation, only $3.45 is spent on processin
In either electronic or paper based gifts, these fees are part of the overall administrative budget for the CFCNCA office.

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