Charity Toolkit

Welcome to the 2021 U.S. Office of Personnel Management Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). You have completed the first big hurdle - applying and being accepted into this year's campaign. Now it is time to start thinking about how to make the most out of your participation. When it's ready, you can download the CFC Charity Engagement Guide as a resource and keep checking back here as more materials and resources are added throughout the campaign period. Here are five great ways to make the most out of being a part of the CFC:

1. Participate in the Virtual Charity Fair (VCF) Laptop graphic with a hand pressing a play button

As part of the continuing effort to connect federal employees and retirees to the impact they can through the CFC and to make CFC charities more visible to the federal community, the CFC hosts a Virtual Charity Fair (VCF) to include videos and stories/photos. Viewers can filter by charity name, cfc number, cause area, charity type (i.e., local, national, or international), and if local, by CFC zone.

  • Submit your videos and/or stories and photos using our VCF Submission Portal. Read more instructions about how to submit in the CFC Charity Engagement Guide.
  • For videos, you will need charity name, web address, 5-digit CFC number, your primary cause area, charity type, video title, video transcript, video thumbnail photo, and the video mp4 file (50MB max size). Videos must be 60-seconds or less, be captioned, and comply with the standards in section 508 of the Rehabilitiation Act. Read more about Video Compliance. Don't have a video yet? Learn how to create a compelling CFC Video using just a Smartphone.
  • For stories, you will need charity name, web address, 5-digit CFC number, primary cause area, charity type, photo title, photo file (hi-res, 300 dpi), photo caption, photo credit, story title, story body (limit 750 words).

2. Encourage Volunteering Graphic of a group of people high-fiving

Research has shown that donors who volunteer and make a monetary gift through the CFC give more than those who only make a monetary gift. Here are a few ideas on how you can help spark the volunteer spirit through the CFC:

  • Complete this webform to have your in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities added to the CFC Charity Volunteer Opportunity Database. The deadline for this is September 30.
  • Prepare a flyer or other materials that outline volunteer opportunities within your organization to provide to federal employees when you participate in CFC events. 
  • Reach out to those who pledged volunteer hours the previous year (and released their contact information) and coordinate with them to fulfill their volunteer commitment. You can get this information from the CFC Charity Administration Center. 
  • Consider hosting a volunteer activity or day of service for campaign workers or members of a federal agency.

3. Accept CFC Event InvitationsIcon of a person with a hand raised and a gear beside them

As we come out of the challenges of 2020, many charities still face financial hardships, and we want this year's campaign to be as successful as possible. One of the ways to do that is through your commitment to attend as many campaign events as possible. Attending campaign events puts your name and mission in front of federal employees and can boost your own organization’s donations. At the same time, you are helping to promote the campaign overall and making sure the agency charity events are well-staffed – nothing is more disappointing than a charity fair with empty tables. 

The CFC is committed to creating a fair and equitable system for inviting charities to attend locally held events. You will work with your local CFC zone Outreach Coordinator to attend their Charity Engagement Briefing to learn how to register for events, receive event invitation, and participate in local CFC events. 

 

4. Promote Yourself and the CFCGraphic of a hand holding pen and paper

5. Track your Campaign Progress

Learn more about how the CFC Charity Administration Center is a charity's best friend and what information you can access through your dashboard by watching this short video.