950.204—Local eligibility.
(a)
The LFCC shall establish an annual application process consistent with these regulations for organizations that wish to be listed in the Charity List.
(b)
The requirements for an organization to be listed in the Charity List shall include the following:
(1)
An organization must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the LFCC of the appropriate local campaign, that it has a substantial local presence in the geographical area covered by the local campaign, a substantial local presence in the geographical area covered by an adjacent local campaign, or substantial statewide presence. Eligibility to participate in an adjoining campaign on the basis of adjacency or statewide presence may be discontinued upon implementation of appropriate electronic technology that allows removal of the need for geographic restrictions on giving as determined by the Director.
(i)
Substantial local presence is defined as a staffed facility, office or portion of a residence dedicated exclusively to that organization, available to members of the public seeking its services or benefits. The facility must be open at least 15 hours a week and have a telephone dedicated exclusively to the organization. The office may be staffed by volunteers. Substantial local presence cannot be met on the basis of services provided solely through an “800” telephone number, the internet, the U.S. Postal Service or a combination thereof.
(ii)
An adjacent local campaign is defined as a local campaign whose geographic border touches the geographic border of another local campaign. Participation in a local campaign via an adjacency determination does not grant the organization a substantial local presence in the adjacent local campaign and participating via adjacency cannot be used to establish adjacency to local campaigns bordering the adjacent campaign area.
(iii)
Substantial statewide presence is defined as providing or conducting real services, benefits, assistance or program activities covering 30 percent of a state's geographic boundaries or providing or conducting real services, benefits, assistance or program activities affecting 30 percent of a state's population. Substantial statewide presence cannot be met on the basis of services provided solely through an “800” telephone number, the internet, the U.S. Postal Service or a combination thereof.
(2)
An organization seeking local eligibility also must meet all requirements for national list eligibility in § 950.202 and § 950.203, with the following exceptions:
(i)
Local charitable organizations are not required to have provided services or benefits in 15 states or a foreign country over the prior 3 years.
(ii)
A local charitable organization with annual revenue of less than $100,000 reported on its IRS Form 990 or pro form IRS Form 990 submitted to the CFC is not required to undergo an audit or to submit audited financial statements. Rather, the organization must certify that it has controls in place to ensure that funds are properly accounted for and that it can provide accurate and timely financial information to interested parties. A local organization with annual revenue of at least $100,000 but less than $250,000 must certify that it accounts for its funds on an accrual basis in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and that an audit of its fiscal operations is completed annually as described in section 950.203(a)(2), but such organization does not have to submit a copy of its audited financial statements with its CFC application, unless requested to do so by the LFCC or Director.
(iii)
An organization seeking local eligibility in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, or Guam is exempt from the requirements of § 950.202(b), but the organization must include with its CFC application the appropriate documentation from its governing authority demonstrating its status as a charitable organization.
(c)
Family support and youth activities certified by the commander of a military installation as meeting the eligibility criteria contained in § 950.204(d) may appear on the list of local organizations and be supported from CFC funds. Family support and youth activities may participate in the CFC as a member of a federation at the discretion of the certifying commander.
(1)
Be a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization that provides family service programs or youth activity programs to personnel in the Command. The activity must not receive a majority of its financial support from appropriated funds.
(2)
Have a high degree of integrity and responsibility in the conduct of their affairs. Contributions received must be used effectively for the announced purposes of the organization.
(3)
Be directed by the base Non-Appropriated Fund Council or an active voluntary board of directors which serves without compensation and holds regular meetings.
(4)
Conduct its fiscal operations in accordance with a detailed annual budget, prepared and approved at the beginning of the fiscal year. Any significant variations from the approved budget must have prior authorization from the Non-Appropriated Fund Council or the directors. The family support and youth activities must have accounting procedures acceptable to an installation auditor and the inspector general.
(5)
Have a policy and practice of nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin applicable to persons served by the organization.
(6)
Prepare an annual report which includes a full description of the organization's activities and accomplishments. These reports must be made available to the public upon request.
(e) Local eligibility determinations.
The LFCC shall communicate its eligibility decisions by a date to be determined by OPM as part of the annual timetable issued by the Director under § 950.801(b). Denial of the application by the LFCC must be sent via U.S. Postal Service certified or registered mail with a return receipt requested. Approvals may be sent via U.S. Postal Service regular first class mail. Applicants denied eligibility may appeal in accordance with § 950.205.
(f)
No LFCC may produce the Charity List while there are appeals of eligibility decisions from their campaign pending with the Director. LFCC's are obligated to check with OPM 21 calendar days after the mailing of the local appeal decision as to whether the Director is on notice of a pending timely appeal.
(g)
In order to determine whether an organization may participate in the campaign, the LFCC may request evidence of corrective action regarding any prior violation of regulation or directive, sanction, or penalty, as appropriate. The LFCC will decide whether the organization has demonstrated, to the LFCC's satisfaction, that the organization has taken appropriate corrective action. Failure to demonstrate satisfactory corrective action or to respond to the LFCC's request for information within 10 business days of the date of the request may result in a determination that the organization will not be included in the local part of the Charity List.