Combined Federal Campaign

The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is the program that governs charitable fundraising among Federal employees at the Federal workplace. The CFC allows charities to solicit contributions during an annual fundraising drive that is intended to be fair, trustworthy, and non-disruptive. Federal employees are officially assigned to distribute a brochure containing information about all of the charities participating locally in the CFC, to collect contributions, and to be involved otherwise in the administration of the CFC. The CFC is authorized by Executive Order 12353, as amended, and is conducted under regulations issued by the Office of Personnel Management, in 5 C.F.R. § 950.

Please remember to keep in mind the following guidelines when participating in the CFC:

1. DOI employees may NOT solicit individuals or entities that are not Federal personnel (including contractor employees) for prizes or other incentives or to make contributions to the CFC. Non-employee personnel, however, may make voluntary single contributions to the CFC.
2. Contributions must be truly voluntary. Requests from a supervisor to a subordinate, particularly if they are in the same chain of command, inherently may be perceived as coercive.
3. Fundraising events such as car washes, bake sales, and races are permitted by 5 C.F.R. § 950.602. All proceeds from such group events must be donated to the CFC as an undesignated contribution and may not be given to individual charities.

4. Lotteries and raffles are permitted by 5 C.F.R. § 950.602, when in compliance with gambling regulations and approved by the agency head in accordance with agency regulations.
5. Use of appropriated funds is authorized, but limited. Appropriated funds may be used when the proper authority reasonably determines that the proposed expenditure is logically connected to the appropriation's purpose, and that no statute prevents it. The use of appropriated funds is usually limited to expenses related to kick-offs, victory events, awards, and other events to build support for the CFC. The use of appropriated funds for refreshments or personal gifts (other than campaign worker recognition awards or prizes) is not authorized.
6. The expenditure of appropriated funds for any other item or activity that is not essential to support the CFC is not authorized. Appropriated funds cannot be used to conduct fundraising events. In making the determination, managers should be mindful of all the surrounding circumstances, including the amount of the proposed expenditure, the benefit expected to be gained, the importance to the mission served by the appropriation, prior Departmental practice, and possible public perceptions as to the appropriateness of the expenditure.
7. The CFC is an official program, therefore, limited use of resources, facilities, or equipment may be authorized to support the CFC.

Additional information is available at www.opm.gov/cfc/, or please feel free to contact the Departmental Ethics Office at (202) 208-7960.