(Press Release) The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has proposed significant changes to regulations governing the Combined Federal Campaign, the nation’s largest and most successful workplace fund-raising drive. The proposed regulations mark the first major revisions to CFC regulations in many years and are intended to streamline and modernize the CFC, while continuing to ensure accountability of the participating charities and assure federal employee donors continue to have confidence in the charities that participate.

The proposed regulations published in yesterday’s Federal Register will help eliminate burdensome administrative requirements, while maintaining high standards of accountability. The proposals would modify and update some current eligibility requirements, but still require local and national charities to have IRS determination as a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organization, as well as meet a revised set of public accountability standards promulgated by OPM.

In 2005, federal employees, postal workers and military personnel pledged a record $268.6 million, the third consecutive year of record-setting campaigns.

“The Combined Federal Campaign serves as a model for workplace giving nationwide by providing federal employees and the military a wide array of charities to which they may give,” said OPM Deputy Director Dan G. Blair. “This proposal will maintain our high standards of accountability while reducing administrative burdens on participating charities.”

Some of the proposed changes would:

- let local Combined Federal Campaigns determine the length of each solicitation, currently limited to a six-week period between September 1 and December 15 of each year;
- allow contractors, federal retirees and credit union employees to be solicited for donations in the workplace;
- permit employees to donate to charities outside their duty stations during emergencies and disasters;
- reduce unnecessary administrative burdens and expenses for organizations with smaller budgets by raising the threshold requirement for the submission of audited financial statements from $100,000 to $250,000.

source: Office Of Personnel Management