The 2017 Combined Federal Campaign got a late start, but the annual charitable donation drive for federal employees will hit the ground running in October.
As annual donations continue to decline, CFC organizers developed new ways for federal employees – current and former – to Show Some Love to the causes they care about.
“Together, we will help wounded warriors, provide medical care, feed the hungry, house the homeless, protect animals and the environment and make a difference in countless other ways,” said Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, this year’s honorary CFC chair. “CFC harnesses our collective power to positively impact the lives of millions of people while honoring our individual gifts to the causes we personally care about the most.”
Carson noted a number of changes to this year’s campaign, “designed to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the CFC.”
The 2017 campaign features a new central donation portal – opm.gov/showsomelovecfc; feds can pledge volunteer hours in lieu of monetary donations; and, for the first time, federal retirees can contribute through their annuities.
“No matter the operational changes … our mission remains the same,” Kathleen McGettigan, acting director of the Office of Personnel Management, said during the campaign kickoff in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 25. “To promote and support philanthropy through a program that is employee-focused, cost-efficient and effective and providing all federal employees the opportunity to improve the quality of life for all.”
There are also some minor changes to this year’s campaign, including prohibitions on undesignated contributions, cash contributions and campaign fundraising events; a new application process for charities; and the consolidation of campaign zones from 140 to 36.
Aaron Boyd is an awarding-winning journalist currently serving as editor of Federal Times — a Washington, D.C. institution covering federal workforce and contracting for more than 50 years — and Fifth Domain — a news and information hub focused on cybersecurity and cyberwar from a civilian, military and international perspective.
