About the CFC:   

For more than four decades, the U.S. government has sponsored the Combined Federal Campaign - the world's largest workplace fundraising drive. Each fall, beginning in September, Federal employees - civilian, military and postal - are invited to support eligible national and local charities. Each year more than 1.3 million employees pledge over a quarter billion dollars.

Employees choose the groups they wish to support from a list of charities that have submitted applications and been deemed qualified by the CFC. Approximately 1,900 national organizations and 40,000 local organizations qualify for the Campaign annually.

Donors may givse once or request that a specific amount be withheld from their paychecks throughout the following csalendar year. Employees overwhelmingly select the ongoing payroll deduction program.

The CFC's combination of donor control and payroll deduction leads to high levels of enthusiastic support. Over a third of the federal workforce participates in the CFC each year, with the average pledge exceeding $150.

The CFC's long history, significant success, and special concern for the screening of charities has led other similar campaigns to follow its lead. Administrators of numerous state, municipal and private-sector campaigns incorporate all or part of the CFC list of charities into their own fundraising drives.

For more information about the CFC, see: www.opm.gov/cfc

What is a Federation?   

A federation is a not-for-profit organization authorized by the U.S. government to assist other non-profit groups in their participation in the CFC. Federations review applications, provide marketing services, and distribute donated funds. There are currently more than thirty federations within the CFC, most of them, like Israel Fund, organized around a specific theme.

Organizations are not required to affiliate with a federation, but most do - for three key reasons.

First, federations like Israel Fund assist organizations in the preparation of their CFC applications. Especially for groups new to the Campaign, Federal requirements can often seem arcane; federations can help groups understand what is required and advise early in the process if corrections to the application are needed. If a group does not qualify for the CFC, federations are able to suggest changes that may result in admission in later years.

Second, federations make it far easier for donors to find and support groups they are interested in. Each fall Federal employees are handed a catalogue of eligible national and local charities; the book often runs to more than 100 pages. Federations like Israel Fund are listed at the front of this book in the table of contents, so donors interested in supporting work in Israel will quickly be led to a focused list of relevant organizations.

Third, federations substantially reduce the administrative burden of processing CFC donations. The Combined Federal Campaign, is administered around the country on a local basis. Indeed, there are over 300 administrative units conducting the fall fundraising drive and, in the year that follows, forwarding pledged money to the intended charities. For organizations that participate in the Campaign through a federation, the funds are first transferred to the federation. Rather than receive correspondence, checks and electronic transfers from 300 local CFC entities, a federation's member receives a single check and has a single point of contact to resolve any mistakes or confusion.

Can anyone act as a federation? No. Federations must pass the same rigid tests used to screen other groups that want to participate in the CFC. They must, for example, be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt and be governed by a volunteer board of directors. They must also demonstrate to the CFC itself sufficient knowledge and capacity to serve the organizations that elect to affiliate with them.