I'm curious to know if anyone has tried registering with the CFC, or is even aware that it exists. Basically, every year OPM runs this fundraising campaign, and every government employee, including USPS and DOD military are asked to contribute. Last year over $250M was raised.

It is mandatory within the Navy that every person had exposure to the campaign and contact by the keyperson. It was not mandatory to contribute, but every unit had unit goals and the COs felt a need to compete against other units, so there was some pressure especially among the officers. I can't recall ever seeing a railroad museum listed in my 20 years of service, but if there was that's where my contribution would have gone. In fact we had several railfans on my ships and we all would have contributed.

Campaigns can be local or national, and the books listing the charities are tailored to the region they represent. Obvious charities are things like Red Cross and United Way, but there are hundreds of other niche charities like Ducks Unlimited, Jews for Jesus, Save the Whales, etc.

The website lists rules for applying and an application. The deadline for the 2008 campaign is January 15. I'd be interested to know if anyone has ever applied and how successful they've been, or if they apply for the first time this year, how successful it is.

Website is:
http://www.opm.gov/cfc/

Thanks,

Bill

Many many years ago, when I was new to Navy civilian employment, I asked some of the key personal at Travel Town about registering to be an approved CFC charity. At the time, the individual I was asking (who was supposably very knowalgeble about fundraising and tax law, etc) said if you accepted CFC funds, you would be disqualified from receiving various other types of grants.

That never sounded quite right to me, but perhaps a number of the foundations we were approaching at the time had there own rules about things like that.

I did some research at the time and finally found a phone number for someone who was responsible for signing up new charities, but never did get him to call me back.

Greg

Bill,
If I read the information correctly, the charities are required to have some sort of connection to "health and human services" work. How would you approach these people with a proposal for rail-oriented restoration or preservation work?

Don C.

Don:

I noticed that too, but the application lets you list three of the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities categories. I was thinking
- B: Educational Institutions and related activities
- O: Youth Development
- S: Community Improvement
would all fit.

Also, I just reviewed the National Capital Region book listing all charities. NRHS is listed, as well as ARTtrain. I didn't review the whole list, but there are some really off the wall ones, so I would think any rail museum or historic operation could make a case. Would be logical to list Yellow Ribbon Express I would think.

NCR listing is:

http://www.cfcnca.org/files/docs/RK/2007CatalogofCaring.pdf

Bill

I just got cold chills down my spine. Among my many duties in the Army, I was my unit's CFC officer one year. We won the "gold award" for contributions, but does anyone remember that episode of MASH where Winchester has to go collect donations from everyone then gives up and donates for everyone himself because it's almost impossible to get soldiers to donate money to anything? After that campaign was over that year, I sure knew how that character felt!
As for where it went, it was different each year. I found it funny how some of the charities listed ran quite contrary to Army doctrine. I'm pretty sure one year you could donate to the NRA's gun museum, which is where my money went that year. Of course, if I had seen a RR museum on the list, I'd certainly have donated to it. Most of those listed I saw were national campaigns, so I doubt your local steam operation could have found themselves listed.

As an active duty member of the Coast Guard I also got chills hearing about CFC. I wondered about the same, but didnt think to post it here. I wanted to set the example for my guys/girls, so I decided to donate this year. As I was looking through, the NRHS was listed as one of the donors. That was who got my 5 bucks a month. If the NRHS can be added to the list I do not see why many other of the museums out there could not do the same. Just my 2 cents..

Steve Loitsch
Seashore Trolley Museum

One thing that our organizations should look into is local or state government employee contribution campaigns. Many city and county governments have programs that allow employees to donate to non-profits that meet the minimums set for them to participate. The donations can be one time or repeating and the employee can designate the amount and agency that they want to contribute to.

Here in Pima County, I contribute to the Employee Combined Appeal Program (ECAP). It automatically deducts the preset amount from my payroll warrant and transfers the funds to my organization-Old Pueblo Trolley, Inc. I don't know how many people donate through ECAP to OPT, but without ECAP they might not get the $600 or so I donate each year.

NRHS has been eligible to receive, and has received, CFC donations for several years.

To become eligible as part of the National Campaign an organization must:

1) provide program services in at least 15 states
2) have an annual audit performed by a CPA and
3) fill out an application and be approved by OMB.

It also is possible to become eligible as a local organization, but the approval has to be by the local campaign.

Bob H.

For the local campaign your organization must be "open" at least 15 hours per week and your financials have to be audited by an outside firm. Obviously if you meet the criteria then go for it, we just weren't able to fit either the local or national requirements.

Our county government campaign allows write-ins. One year someone did just that and the Museum received the pledge proceeds after the campaign deducted a 10 percent fee.

An arts group where I was employed went to the effort of officially joining the local United Way Campaign. Our receipts were minimal even before the campaign took its 10 percent. We decided that the small financial outcome was not worth the paperwork and reporting requirements and so we withdrew after two years.

There were no restrictions in either case that required us to forgo any other sources of grant income.

Wesley