950.401—Campaign and publicity information.
(a)
The specific campaign and publicity information, such as the official Charity List, will be developed locally, except as specified in these regulations. All information must be reviewed by the LFCC for compliance with these regulations and will be developed and supplied by the PCFO. All publicity information must have the approval of the LFCC before being used. Federations must notify the PCFO in writing of their desire to participate in the development of campaign and publicity information. The PCFO must respond in a timely manner to a federation's request to participate in the development of campaign and publicity information. Federations must also respond in a timely fashion in the development of campaign and publicity information.
(b)
During the CFC solicitation period, participating CFC organizations may distribute bona fide educational information describing its services or programs. The organization must be granted permission by the Federal agency installation head, or designee to distribute the material. CFC Coordinators, Keyworkers or members of the LFCC, are not authorized to grant permission for the distribution of such information. If one organization is granted permission to distribute educational information, then the Federal agency installation head must allow any other requesting CFC organization to distribute educational information.
(c)
Organizations and federations are encouraged to publicize their activities outside Federal facilities and to broadcast messages aimed at Federal employees in an attempt to solicit their contributions through the media and other outlets.
(d)
Agency Heads are further authorized to permit the distribution by organizations of promotional information to Federal personnel in public areas of Federal workplaces in connection with the CFC, provided that the manner of distribution accords equal treatment to all charitable organizations furnishing such information for local use, and further provided that no such distribution shall utilize Federal personnel on official duty or interfere with Federal government activities. LFCC members and other campaign personnel are to be particularly aware of the prohibition of assisting any charitable organization or federated group in distributing any type of literature, especially during the campaign period. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require an LFCC to distribute or arrange for the distribution of any material other than the Campaign Charity List and the pledge form.
(e)
The Campaign Charity List and pledge form is the official source of CFC information and shall be made available either in hard copy or electronic format to all potential contributors. All CFC Charity Lists must inform employees of their right to make a choice to contribute or not to contribute; to designate or not to designate; and to give a confidential gift in a sealed envelope.
(f)
Campaign information must constitute a simple and attractive design that has fundraising appeal and essential working information. The design should focus on the CFC without undue use of charitable organization symbols and logos or other distractions that compete for the donor's attention. Extraneous instructions concerning the routing of forms, tallying of contributor's receipt, and similar reports, which are primarily for keyworkers must be avoided.
(1)
OPM will include in the annual distribution of the National/International and International parts of the Charity List explicit instructions for the production of the Charity List and language to be reproduced verbatim in the introductory section. The general information provided will include:
(ii)
a statement that the donor may only designate charitable organizations or federations that are listed in the Charity List and that write-ins are prohibited.
(iii)
instructions as to how an employee may obtain more specific information about the programs and the finances of the organizations participating in the campaign.
(iv)
A description of employees' rights to pursue complaints of undue pressure or coercion in Federal fundraising activities.
(2)
Following the introductory section, the Charity List will consist of three parts—the National/International, the International, and the Local. The order of these three parts will be annually rotated in accordance with OPM instructions. The National/International and International parts will consist of faithful reproductions of the parts of National/International and International organizations, including federations, provided by OPM. The third part, the Local part, is determined by the LFCC. The order of listing of the federated and independent organizations within the three separate parts will be determined by random drawing. The order of organizations within each federation will be determined by the federation. The order within the National/International, International and Local independent groups will be alphabetical. Absent specific instructions from OPM to the contrary, each participating organization and federated group listing must include a description, not to exceed 25 words, of its services and programs, plus a telephone number for the Federal donor to request further information about the group's services, benefits, and administrative expenses. Each listing will include the organization's administration and fundraising percentage as calculated pursuant to § 950.203(a)(4). Neither the percentage of administrative and fundraising expenses, nor the telephone number count toward the 25-word statement.
(3)
Each federation and charitable organization will be assigned a code in a manner determined by the Director. At the beginning of each federated group's listing will be the federation's name, code number, 25-word statement, percentage of administrative and fundraising expenses, and telephone number. The sections of the Charity List where the independent organizations are listed will begin with the titles National/International Independent Organizations, International Independent Organizations and Local Independent Organizations, respectively.
(h)
Omission of an eligible charitable organization from the Charity List may require that the Charity List be corrected and reissued. Such an omission must be reported to OPM immediately upon discovery. The Director or LFCC may direct that the cost of such correction and reissue be borne by the PCFO or charged to CFC administrative expenses.
(i) Listing of National and Local Affiliate.
Listing of a national organization, as well as its local affiliate organization, is permitted. Each national or local organization must individually meet all of the eligibility criteria and submit independent documentation as required in § 950.202, § 950.203 or § 950.204 to be included in the Charity List, except that a local affiliate of a national organization that is not separately incorporated, in lieu of its own 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) tax exemption letter and, to the extent required by § 950.204(b)(2)(ii), audited financial statements, may submit the national organization's 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) tax exemption letter and audited financial statements, but must provide its own pro forma IRS Form 990, page 1 and Part V only, for CFC purposes. The local organization must submit a certification from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or CEO equivalent of the national organization stating that it operates as a bonafide chapter or affiliate in good standing of the national organization and is covered by the national organization's 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) tax exemption, IRS Form 990 and audited financial statements. A national organization may waive its listing in the National/International or International parts of the Charity List in favor of its local affiliate by following the procedures set forth in § 950.201(c).
(j) Multiple Listing Prohibited.
Except as provided in paragraph (i) of this section, once an organization is deemed eligible, it is entitled to only one listing in the Charity List, regardless of the number of federations to which that organization belongs.
(k)
The LFCC may omit the 25-word program description from the CFC Charity List if, in the immediately preceding campaign period, contributions received in the local CFC totaled less than $100,000 or if the LFCC can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Director that it can make the same information available electronically without disrupting donor opportunities to contribute.