WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the President issued an Executive Order making two key changes to Executive Order (EO) 12353, which authorizes the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to lead the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) program. For more than 50 years, CFC has been the largest workplace-giving program in the world, and with the issuance of the new EO, today OPM is announcing two new improvements to the program that will take effect in September 2017.

The first improvement will allow Federal retirees to participate in the CFC, including allowing donations through monthly annuity payments.

The second improvement allows for Federal employees to volunteer with charitable organizations, and for those hours to count towards CFC goals. For example, many campaigns and Federal agencies set fundraising goals. Instead of being allowed to only contribute money, volunteer hours will be “monetized” and will count toward the total amount raised. In order to monetize volunteer hours, an estimated value will be given to one hour of volunteer time, which will be used to calculate the total value of volunteer time given by a donor.

By expanding giving options to Federal employees and allowing Federal retirees to contribute, the CFC program is expected to improve donor engagement and strengthen the Government’s workplace giving program.

“These changes will allow more Federal, Postal, and military personnel to give back to their communities, whether through their checkbooks or with their time,” said Acting Director Cobert. “And by adding an easy option to allow our more than two million Federal annuitants to participate in the CFC through their annuities, we hope to raise even more money for these worthy causes from employees that choose to donate over the course of their career and into retirement,” said Cobert.

While Federal employees contributed $177.8 million in 2015 and $8 billion over the past 54 years of the CFC, donations and participation in the CFC have been on a decline. The one area that has seen consistent growth in recent years is electronic giving, suggesting donors - particularly millennials - want more flexibility. Annuitant participation and CFC volunteerism fit this need.

To ensure the CFC would remain relevant as an employee workplace giving benefit well into the future, OPM created an Advisory Committee in 2011, known as the CFC-50 Commission. The Commission was established to review the present structure and processes of the CFC and develop recommendations to improve and modernize the CFC, as well as enhance accountability and transparency.

The amendments to EO 12353 were recommended by the CFC-50 Commission. The CFC-50 Commission issued a report to OPM which recommended that the community of individuals solicited through the CFC be expanded to retirees because many would be willing to participate. Testimony offered to the CFC-50 Commission further recommended volunteer opportunities be offered to Federal employees through the CFC. The introduction of an aspect of volunteerism will allow the CFC to more appropriately engage Federal employees, particularly younger employees, by offering more philanthropic giving options.