Combined Federal Campaign CFC FAQs

If a Federal agency wants to solicit funds for a charitable organization not listed in the CFC Charity List it may do so in an OPM-approved special solicitation. Again, this collection effort is conducted outside of the CFC through a special solicitation. The CFC has no mechanisms for tracking donations to charitable organizations not identified by a CFC number.

Because the special solicitation is outside of the CFC, the Federal department, agency, or component conducting the solicitation is responsible for the oversight and administration of the collection of contributions. The Local Federal Coordinating Committee (LFCC) can be contacted for assistance. OPM recommends that Federal departments and agencies holding a special solicitation request that the charitable organizations receiving funds from the solicitation be responsible for the collection and substantiation of all contributions.

The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) does not require that participating organizations be in existence for a minimum of three years. Organizations that apply to participate as national/international charities may submit examples of services provided within the previous three years to demonstrate a national or international presence. There is no requirement that services were provided in each of those years, however.

The CFC is only authorized to deduct contributions for 26 pay periods, even in a year when there are 27 pay periods.  Payroll offices have adjusted their system to ensure that there are not 27 deductions.

The March 2012 Directive from OPM prohibited the use of CFC funds to pay for food or entertainment expenses.  Federal employees who wish to donate food for a CFC event may do so.  However, these individuals cannot be reimbursed for any expenses related to the preparation or transportation of the food.

Federal retirees may make a one-time (i.e., cash, check or credit card) contribution to the CFC.  Please contact your local CFC office to obtain a pledge form and learn more about how you can support a participating CFC charity (http://www.opm.gov/combined-federal-campaign/find-local-campaigns/locator/).

You can retrieve your OPM Form 1654 (CFC Pledge Form) online on the CFC Pledging System. If you made a payroll deduction pledge, you will also need to obtain a copy of your final pay slip for the tax year, which documents the total amount deducted for the CFC.

Yes.  This decision applies to all Federal agencies. 

Historically, campaign costs nation-wide have averaged ten percent. These funds were spent on campaign promotion, printed materials, employee training, and other administrative expenses. All local campaign costs are reviewed and approved by the Local Federal Coordinating Committee (LFCC) governing the local campaign. On average, this cost is low compared with other fundraising campaigns. Charitable organizations pay for these expenses when they apply to participate in the CFC.

Yes. One-time gifts using credit/debit cards can be made on the CFC Pledging System.

5 CFR Part §950.701(e)(1) states, "The minimum amount of the allotment will not be less than $1 per payday per charitable organization, with no restriction on the size of the increment above that minimum." As the purpose of the CFC is not to “increase revenue”, OPM does not plan to change the regulatory minimum.

Federal contractors working in Federal facilities may make one-time contributions (credit/debit card or e-check) through the CFC. This can be done on the CFC Pledging System.

To be eligible to participate in the CFC, a charitable organization must be recognized as a tax-exempt non-profit organization under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. An application to participate in the CFC must provide specific information about the organization's accounting, governance, and program functions, as specified in the CFC regulations at 5 CFR §950. The organization must also provide a completed and signed copy of its IRS Form 990 for the most recent fiscal year. Organizations must demonstrate that they provide services in the service area to which they are applying:

• National/International organizations provide services in 15 different U.S. states and/or one foreign country over the three year period immediately preceding the start of the campaign’s application year.
• International organizations are defined in regulation as charitable organizations that provide services either exclusively or in a substantial preponderance to persons in areas outside of the United States. These organizations must provide evidence of services in at least one foreign country over the three year period immediately preceding the start of the campaign’s application year.
• Local organizations are those that (1) have a substantial local presence in; and (2) provide services in the local campaign zone to which they apply. The services must be provided during the calendar year immediately preceding the start of the campaign’s application year.

Charities may apply to participate in the CFC individually (as an unaffiliated, or "independent", organization) or they may be represented by a federation. A federation is a coalition of individual charities that align to minimize administrative costs and to coordinate activities. All CFC application and participation requirements that apply to individual charities also apply to federations. In addition, federations must demonstrate that they have no fewer than 15 CFC member organizations that meet the CFC eligibility criteria.

Organizations that are not required to file IRS Form 990 with the IRS or that file some other form—such as the IRS Forms 990-EZ, 990-N, or 990-PF—must submit a pro forma IRS Form 990. This includes subordinates to group exemptions and bonafide chapters or affiliates, which are required to submit pro forma IRS Forms 990 specific to the entity and service location named in the CFC application. The pro forma IRS Form 990 is not a separate form. Rather it is a partially completed IRS Form 990 that is used for CFC purposes only. The following items must be completed on the pro forma IRS Form 990:

• Page 1, Items A-M
• Part I, Summary, Lines 1-4 only
• Part II, Signature Block
• Part VII, Compensation –Section A only
• Part VIII, Statement of Revenues
• Part IX, Statement of Functional Expenses
• Part XII, Financial Statements and Reporting

Please note that the CFC cannot accept other forms, such as IRS Forms 990-EZ, 990-N, 990-PF, or other comparable forms.