Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility and Participation:

Q. Who may participate in the Charitable Campaign?

A. To be admitted as a participant of the CSECC, an organization must meet the following criteria:

• Registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and/or
• Qualified as "exempt" under section 23701d of the California Revenue and Taxation Code.
• Operate without discrimination in regard to race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, sex or political affiliation (see California Fair Employment and Housing Act, Part 2.8, commencing with section 12900.)

A. The process begins in early January of the solicitation year.

A. The following is a tentative schedule of events:

• Applications for the new fiscal year are distributed early in January.
• All applications for PCFDs, AFFs or NAFFs must be completed and returned by the deadline (see schedule below for specific dates).
• All PCFD and NAFF applications are considered for approval at a VCGCB meeting in late spring of each year.
• VCGCB staff sends confirming letters to all approved candidates.
• Typically, State employees receive pledge forms and Campaign brochures September and October.

Q. How can my organization participate in the California State Employee's Charitable Campaign?

A. Your organization may be considered for participation once you have completed an application form and returned it to the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board by March 1 of the Campaign year. If your organization is a Principal Combined Fund Drive Agency (PCFD) or a Non-Affiliate Agency (NAFF), please complete the corresponding application form and return with an original signature to:

If you are not using the US Postal Service to mail an application, you may use physical address below:

A. If your organization wishes to participate, and you have not participated in the previous year's Campaign, please send in your organization's information, including:

• Name of organization
• Mailing address
• Telephone number
• Primary Contact person and title
• If you desire to submit an application and it is after January, please see above application information for more details

In January, VCGCB staff will distribute CSECC application forms for the new year.

Regarding the application:

Q. Does the VCGCB allow for dual listing when a national and an affiliate organization are listed?

A. No and Yes. We do not allow for dual listing in the strict sense. In order to be listed more than once, an organization must be known under a different name. For example: The Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board and The Government Claims Board of Los Angeles County may be listed separately.

A. No. The VCGCB will only accept one Federation per non-affiliate organization.

A. No. The VCGCB must have an original signature(s) in order for the application to be considered complete.

A. Yes, all CSECC applicants are required to submit a new application annually. If indicated, the application must include a copy of the 501(c)(3) document.

501(c)(3) Documentation questions:

Q. The name on our 501(c)(3) documentation does not match that of our business. Will you accept it?

A. We will accept the 501(c)(3) documentation as long as you also submit a copy of your "d.b.a." or "fictitious business name" document, or an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation that clearly states the name of your business and the name under which you are operating.

A. You must contact the Internal Revenue Service for a copy.

A. No. However, if your organization has changed it's name within the last year, then we will need to have a copy of your 501(c)(3) and the amendment to the Articles of Incorporation that clearly states the name change. If you have any questions about your documentation, please call or email Marilyn Louie at (916) 491-3726 or marilyn.louie@vcgcb.ca.gov.

A. Yes. Please make one copy of the 501(c)(3) for each application submitted.

State Employees:

Q. Must an employee designate a specific organization to which his/her funds may be donated?

A. No. An employee may leave the recipient organization open. His or her funds will then be designated to the organization(s) the Principal Combined Fund Drive chooses.

A. Please contact your local Principal Combined Fund Drive (PCFD) agency for any employee related questions. If you do not know which local PCFD agency is yours, please see the listing of approved PCFDs for the correct organization and contact information.

Contributions:

Q. Are donor contributions received throughout the year?

A. Contributions are administered by the local Principal Combined Fund Drive agency (PCFD). Disbursement may be monthly or quarterly. For specific questions, please contact your local PCFD (see listing of approved PCFDs).

A. It is the responsibility of the local PCFD to forward the names and addresses of donors who wish to have their names released to the recipient organization directly.

Principal Combined Fund Drive Questions:

Q. Is it permissible to have our own CSECC logo?

A. No.

A. No.

A. It is the responsibility of the PCFD to determine the state agencies and employees located in their approved region. The VCGCB does not have a roster or directory of all State agencies or employees. Some possible resources:

• Your local telephone book's government listings
• The "State White and Yellow Pages" on the Department of General Services' (DGS) website The VCGCB cannot guarantee the information is up to date or that it encompasses every State employee.
• Contact large departments for a roster of office locations within the State through a department's website or Public Information Officer.

A. Please contact Debbie Green at the State Controller's Office for this information at dgreen@sco.ca.gov or (916) 322-7968.

A. Questions regarding checks from the State Controller's Office or agency codes should be directed to Debbie Green at dgreen@sco.ca.gov or (916) 322-7968.