Charity Choices

A Resource for Donors

About the Combined Federal Campaign

One of the best ways for charities to raise money short of the church collection plate is workplace fundraising.  The biggest workplace fundraising drive in the country is the federal government’s Combined Federal Campaign, which raised more than $80 million in 2020. 

Through the "CFC," federal employees, military personnel and postal employees can give to a broad range of international, national and local charities.  The Campaign takes place each fall, usually from mid-September until early January. 

What makes workplace fund raising so effective is the magic of payroll deduction, which allows people to make large gifts by having a little deducted from every paycheck.  A gift of $5 a week adds up to an annual donation of $260. In the DC CFC, for example, the average gift in 2019 was $907. 

Unfortunately, after raising more than $282 million in 2009, the amount raised by the CFC has been declining, especially since 2017, when the CFC changed how the campaign is run, doing away with the local charities (mostly United Ways) that used to run the local campaigns.  Donations in 2017 dropped 40%. 

Here are our articles about the CFC and its history as well as how charities can become part of the CFC and raise more money through the CFC:

Combined Federal Campaign down in 2022, but not in DC

Why has the DC CFC done so much better than the overall CFC?

How to make sure your charity comes up in a Combined Federal Campaign online search

Does it still pay to do Combined Federal Campaign-focused Promotion?

How do you apply to the Combined Federal Campaign?

How do you document your charity's services and benefits?

Combined Federal Campaign giving down slightly in 2021 while average gift climbs to $808

2019 CFC Campaign: On Time, With Fewer Charities

Ill-timed government shutdown -- plus continuing impact of 2017 changes -- results in another disappointing Combined Federal Campaign

How to navigate the new Combined Federal Campaign giving website

How did your charity do in the 2018 Combined Federal Campaign list order lottery?

What's being done to make the 2018 Combined Federal Campaign more successful?

 2017 Combined Federal Campaign: What happened?

Is Combined Federal Campaign-focused Promotion Still Worth It? What the Data Shows for Two Charities that Have Taken Different Paths

Big changes in the Combined Federal Campaign expected to lower costs and make giving easier

Campaigns Are Finally Underway as the New Combined Federal Campaign Giving Website Opens

Combined Federal Campaign website for processing online donations won't be available until "late October"

Why are many Combined Federal Campaign charities receiving less of the money pledged to them this year?

How the Combined Federal Campaign's changes are being implemented for the fall 2017 campaign

How will the Combined Federal Campaign's big changes impact giving this fall?

Should you apply to this year's Combined Federal Campaign?

Big changes in the federal charity drive start this year

New CFC rules will finally be implemented in 2017

Analysis of CFC's 2013 proposed rules for the campaign

How does the CFC work?

The CFC's 10 accountability standards for charities.

Should you give through the CFC?

How has the CFC changed over the years?

How will the new CFC rules change the campaign?

The CFC went down in 2014, but not for local charities.

CFC pledges down 8% in 2015

New Search Engine in DC Campaign Should Help Many CFC Charities

How promotion impacts the CFC: the "Wounded Warrior" Phenomenon

How does promotion impact what charities receive through the CFC?