Workplace Giving and the Combined Federal Campaign

For more than five 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. Hundreds of thousands of employees pledge millions of dollars each year. Employees choose the groups they wish to support from a list of charities that have submitted applications and been deemed qualified by the CFC. Thousands of national and local organizations qualify for the Campaign annually.

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

The CFC's combination of donor control and payroll deduction leads to high levels of support. Since its start, the CFC has raised over $8 billion for participating charities.

What is a federation?

MHANe operates as a "federation" in the CFC. Federations are a feature of most workplace campaigns. These organizations are authorized by campaign sponsors to perform certain administrative functions. Each federation must be an independent, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation governed by a volunteer board of directors. Federations review applications, provide marketing services, and distribute donated funds.

What services do federations provide?

Admissions support. Federations assist groups in preparing their applications. While eligibility requirements are public, preparing a successful application may not be intuitive. Federations can help applicants understand what is required, spot application weaknesses early in the process, and advise on ways to address them.

Increased visibility. Most federations are organized around a specific theme. Thematic federations make it far easier for donors to find and support groups they are interested in. Campaign directories are often quite lengthy: In the CFC the directory of approved groups has about 100 pages. Federations are usually listed at the front of these directories in the table of contents, so donors interested in supporting a specific kind of work can easily find a focused list of relevant organizations.

Fiscal services. Federations reduce the CFC's administrative burden by processing pledges and donations, reporting to members, tracking payments, and making regular, lump-sum distributions of donated funds.

I have more questions.

Contact Us with questions or to determine your organization's eligibility. We're always happy to meet new organizations addressing mental health, addiction, and intellectual disabilities.