Combined Federal Campaign CFC FAQs

The CFC is composed of over 200 campaign regions in the US and overseas. Each region has a unique listing of charities that includes local organizations in their area. For the list of eligible charities in your area, please contact your local CFC office (http://www.opm.gov/cfc/Search/Locator.asp).

No. A federation and its member organizations must apply on an annual basis to the CFC and all of its existing member organization applications should be kept on file at the federation. The federation is required to submit all of its members' applications the first year it applies for federation status. Once federation status has been established, it is only required to certify its member organizations as eligible and submit the applications of member organizations that did not participate as a federation member in the previous campaign period. However, the LFCC can request any or all of the member applications at any time. If an existing member does not meet the eligibility criteria, the federation must include that information in its annual application.

Campaigns may make payments via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), but are not required to do so. Participating charitable organizations are also not required to submit EFT information. Campaigns wishing to make EFT payments can contact the Office of the CFC for information on national/international charities that are participating in the EFT program.

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.

Each local organization may apply to the campaign where it has a substantial local presence (i.e. a staffed facility, office or portion of a residence dedicated exclusively to the organization, available to members of the public seeking its services or benefits. The facility must be open at least 15 hours per week and have a telephone dedicated exclusively to the organization.) It can also apply to all campaign areas that are adjacent to the campaign where the organization is located. An application must be sent to each campaign in which the organization wishes to participate. Organizations that provide services in 30% of the geographic area of the state or to 30% of a target population in the state may apply as a statewide organization. An application must be sent to each campaign in the state in which the organization wishes to participate.

Chapter I of the CFC Audit Guide requires the PCFO to provide a copy of its own organization's audited financial statements to the LFCC who then forwards them to OPM. Chapter II of the CFC Audit Guide requires the LFCC to complete a compliance assessment with assistance from the PCFO. The LFCC Chair, or a designated LFCC member, must prepare and sign a report communicating the results of its compliance assessment and provide the report to OPM along with a copy of the Pledge Form Questionnaire. The Agreed-Upon Procedures (AUP) report must be completed by a certified public accountant or CPA firm in accordance with Chapter III of the CFC Audit Guide. The report must include copies of the audit schedules used to complete the AUPs. The PCFO is responsible for forwarding the AUP report to the LFCC who then forwards it to OPM along with the audit schedules.

No.  The national and international lists must be a faithful reproduction of the list provided by OPM. The order of the listing within each part of the Charity List must be decided by random drawing. The order of organizations within each federation will be determined by that federation. The order within the national and local independent groups will be alphabetical. For more information see 5 CFR Part 950.401(g)(2). Nor can these components be produced as separate Charity Lists. OPM will require Charity Lists to be reprinted if sections are separately printed.

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.

Not as a federation. It can be listed as an independent organization if it meets all required criteria.

Bona-fide chapters or affiliates of a national organization that are not separately incorporated are permitted to submit the parent organization's audited financial statements, to the extent required, and 26 U.S.C 501(c)(3) tax exemption letter, buts must provide its own pro forma IRS Form 990, page 1 and Part V only, for CFC purposes. In order to use the parent organization's tax exemption letter and audited financial statements (if required), the local organization must provide a certification signed by either the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or CEO equivalent of the national organization stating that the local charitable organization operates as a bona-fide chapter or affiliate in good standing of the national organization and it is covered by the national organization's 501(c)(3) tax-exemption, IRS Form 990 and audited financial statements. A copy of the national organization's 501(c)(3) letter must accompany the CEO's certification.

If the PCFO has made every attempt and is unable to locate the correct payroll office they may call OPM on 202-606-2564 or email OPM at cfc@opm.gov.  DO NOT FORWARD CHECKS TO THE OPM/CFC OFFICE.

The LFCC must solicit applications on a competitive basis for the PCFO no later than a date to be determined by OPM and, if the LFCC exercises discretion to enter into a multi-year arrangement in accordance with OPM regulations, upon completion of the multi-year term. The multi-year arrangement cannot exceed three years. The LFCC shall solicit applications via outreach activities, including public notice in newspapers, postings on web sites, advertising in trade journals, dissemination among participating CFC charitable organizations and federations and/or outreach through local or state nonprofit associations and training centers, among others.

Contact the Office of CFC Operations at (202) 606-2564 (Mon.-Fri. 8:30am-5:00pm) or cfc@opm.gov  or your local CFC office (http://www.opm.gov/cfc/Search/Locator.asp)  for questions/concerns regarding the campaign.

A request for donations under either the CFC or a special solicitation is made on behalf of charitable organizations that are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of Internal Revenue Service regulations. The CFC regulations do not cover workplace solicitations made on behalf of individuals or their families. As a result, your department or agency does not need OPM's authorization for a solicitation to permit collection of funds for this purpose. However, Federal employees may only solicit funds for fellow employees in need subject to established ethics requirements and non-CFC solicitation requests affecting Federal buildings. We strongly encourage you to contact your agency's ethics counsel or General Counsel if you are planning such an activity.