OPM has sent its annual memo in advance of the launch of the Combined Federal Campaign, the official federal workplace charity drive, asking for agency management’s active support.
“As a federal employee benefit program, the CFC is available to the entire federal workforce. With your help on the following items, we can make sure that federal employees everywhere, no matter where they work, know how they can make a voluntary contribution and how they can help the program minimize administration costs, ensuring that more of their contributions reach people in need,” acting director Beth Cobert wrote.
The memo includes a sample email to send to all employees stressing the importance of charitable giving, the range of choice available–more than 22,000 charities are participating, and since last year giving is not restricted to those in an individual’s region–and the convenience of payroll withholding.
The memo also includes a recommended email to senior executives, supervisors and managers encouraging them to allow their subordinates to serve as CFC loaned executives, coordinators, and key workers as well as encouraging them to serve on their local federal coordinating committees.
“These positions are often a great way to develop professional skills, such as public speaking, financial accountability, and expertise in building public-private sector partnerships. Since the CFC is a recognized federal program, it is not appropriate to place these employees on leave or make employees take leave to administer the CFC within your agency,” she wrote.
The CFC last year raised $193 million from federal and military personnel, a total that has declined steadily in recent years due to a variety of factors. The campaign is conducted in the fall; dates very by location.
