|
About CFC
You Accomplish So Much With Your CFC Gift
This year, many local, national, and international voluntary agencies will benefit from your thoughtfulness and generosity. A few minutes of your time today can mean meals for hungry children, relief for families in need of counseling, further work on cures for diseases, comfort for the dying, access to water in the Third World, environmental protection, and better lives and renewed hope for millions of people in our global community.
Payroll Deduction Lets You Help All Year Long
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 given through payroll deduction. Payments on payroll deduction pledges begin on the first pay period in January. Because there is no simpler way for you to make good things happen for so many people, payroll deduction helps you care for your community and your world.
You Control Where Your Gift Will Go
All Federal employees have the right to contribute or not to contribute to the CFC. The choice is yours. Through your designation, you ensure that your donation goes to meet those needs that you feel are most important. You may designate to the organizations of your choice where indicated on your pledge card. Additional designations must be completed on a second pledge card. Except for documented expenses for the operation of the local CFCs and uncollected pledges, all contributions are distributed as designated. Every local campaign has a Local Federal Coordinating Committee, comprised of Federal employees, which must approve and monitor campaign expenses.
Please do not designate to an organization that is not listed in this brochure. Adding organizations not listed, or "write-ins", is prohibited and donations to such organizations cannot be accepted. If you prefer, you may donate to the CFC anonymously by placing your confidential gift in a sealed envelope. All funds contributed to the CFC that are not designated to a specific organization or federation will be distributed to all organizations listed in the CFC brochure in the same proportion as the contributions designated to them.
How do Charities Qualify for Listing in the CFC Brochure?
All charities listed applied for participation in the CFC either at the national or local level. National charities with documented programs in at least fifteen states or a foreign country applied directly to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Only those agencies certified by OPM are listed in this brochure in the "National/International Organizations" and the "International Organizations" sections.
The Local Federal Coordinating Committee (LFCC) is Your "Board of Directors"
The Local Federal Coordinating Committee (LFCC) approved local and statewide charities that help residents in this area or in adjacent counties as having met the eligibility standards established by the CFC regulations. The LFCC is composed of Federal employees and representatives of labor unions with Federal employees as members. Decisions regarding the inclusion of charities in your local campaigns are made by the LFCC. LFCCs are also responsible for the oversight of your local CFC in conformance with the CFC regulations and policies established by OPM.
The Principal Combined Fund Organization (PCFO) Manages the CFC
Every year, the LFCC selects one of the voluntary organizations involved in the CFC to manage the campaign and serve as fiscal agent. OPM sets strict requirements for this role. Annual audits are required of the PCFO by an independent CPA.
A Proud Record of Low Fundraising Costs
Through the outstanding oversight efforts of the Federal employees on each LFCC, approximately 8.9% of the funds raised nationwide are spent on 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.
Contributions (less uncollected pledges and approved administrative costs) are distributed to each charity at regular intervals by the Principal Combined Fund Organization in accordance with CFC regulations.
OPM Provides CFC Oversight
OPM has the overall responsibility for the oversight of the CFC. It reviews and provides guidance and technical advice on regulations, and has the authority to conduct compliance audits on any CFC local campaign fiscal records.
If you would like more information about the finances, services, benefits or programs an organization provides, you may contact the organization directly using the information provided with their listing in this brochure. Interested donors may also obtain information about a charity's finances and compliance with charitable organization standards of accountability by contacting the Better Business Bureau's-Wise Giving Alliance: www.give.org.
For general information about trends in giving and volunteering or data on the nonprofit sector, donors may contact:
GuideStar: www.guidestar.org
USA Freedom Corps: www.usafreedomcorps.gov
Independent Sector: www.independentsector.org,
National Center for Charitable Statistics: www.nccs.urban.org,
American Association of Fundraising Counsel www.aafrc.org
The Voluntary Spirit of Giving is Guaranteed
Remember, any contribution you make should be freely given. You have the right not to be improperly influenced in making your decision regarding the making or withholding of contributions in the CFC. Coercion is forbidden.
In order to guarantee this voluntary spirit, OPM has identified several practices that are not permitted, including but not limited to: supervisory solicitation of employees supervised, setting of 100% participation goals, providing and using contributor 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-contributors.
Civilian employees who wish to register complaints about coercion should contact the LFCC and consult with their personnel offices; military personnel should consult with their commanding officers.
Special Notice Regarding Donations of $250 or More
A Federal employee who makes a one-time (cash, check, or money order) contribution of $250 or more and those who make a payroll deduction contribution of $250 or more per pay period to a single organization in the CFC should consult a tax adviser to determine if additional verification of the donation is required by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Such verification can be obtained by contacting the local CFC office. For a list of local campaign offices and contact information, visit the CFC Home Page.
CFC Home Page Address: www.opm.gov/cfc
The regulations governing how Combined Federal Campaigns are to be conducted are found in the Federal Register at 5 CFR.950. The regulations establish a Local Federal Coordinating Committee (LFCC) to conduct the CFC in a particular community. In the case of the Greater St. Louis area, the Federal Executive Board acts as the LFCC. The FEB is composed of the heads of Federal, Civilian and Military organizations in the Greater St. Louis area.
Labor, A Partner in the CFC
The success of each campaign is dependant upon the Labor/Management partnership to ensure that every federal employee is given an opportunity to make a decision about their individual participation in the CFC.
This is accomplished by having labor representatives as part of the Campaign Leadership Team and by making opportunities to participate in other elements of the campaign, available to labor members.
Terry O'Reilly, President of NAGE Local R7-23, is the 2003 Gateway CFC Labor Chair, and calls upon his sisters and brothers in Labor to partner with management in this most important endeavor:
As Union leaders, we come together in solidarity to support the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). The CFC provides an opportunity for all federal employees, postal workers, and military service members to help improve the quality of life for others and themselves through workplace contributions.
We continue to face significant challenges in the federal workplace in the form of reductions-in-force, privatization, and reorganizations. However, we are confident that if we all pull together, this year's campaign will be successful.
Please join the officers and members of the labor organizations listed below in their support of CFC and their commitment to be "One Community… Daring to Care.":
AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees) Local 96
AFGE Local 104
AFGE Local 900
AFGE Local 905
AFGE Local 1395
AFGE Local 1711
AFGE Local 1748
AFGE Local 1827
AFGE Local 2192
AFGE Local 2761
AFGE Local 3354
AFGE Local 3529
AFGE Local 3934
APWU (American Postal Workers Union)
BMC (Bulk Mail Center) Local 7043
GEM Area Local 182
NALC (National Association of Letter Carriers)
NAGE (National Association of Government Employees) Local R7-23
NFFE (National Federation of Federal Employees) Local 1763
ATCA (Air Traffic Controlers Association)
NFFE (National Federation of Federal Employees) Local 405
NFEE Local 2099
NPMH (National Postal Mail Handlers Union) Local 314
NRLCA (National Rural Letter Carriers Association)
NTEU (National Treasury Employees Union) Chapter 14
|
