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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
  • Exempt under section 23701(d) of the California Revenue and Taxation Code,
  • Must certify under penalty of perjury that they comply with California Fair Employment and Housing Act, Part 2.8, commencing with section 12900. (For more information about the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, visit http://www.fehc.ca.gov/act/default.asp.)

Once approved for participation, any organization may be disqualified from the CSECC by the VCGCB for failure to comply with the criteria and procedures outlined in the above or for filing an application which contains false or intentionally misleading information.

 

Q. When does the Charitable Campaign eligibility process begin?

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

 

Q. What is the general outline of events for the Campaign?

A. The following is a tentative schedule of events:

  • Applications for the new fiscal year are distributed early in January.
  • All applications for PCFDs, Affiliate or Non-Affiliates must be completed and returned by the deadline (see schedule below for specific dates).
  • All PCFD and Non-Affiliate 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 the filing deadline for that Campaign year. If your organization is a Principal Combined Fund Drive Agency (PCFD) or a Non-Affiliate organization (NAFF), please complete the corresponding application and return with an original signature to:

Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board
Attn: CSECC
P.O. Box 48
Sacramento CA 95812-0048

 

Q. We missed the application deadline. How can we participate in next year's Campaign?

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:

Please type or print the following:

  • 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 December, VCGCB staff will distribute CSECC application forms for the next Campaign year.

 

Regarding the application:

Q. My organization is represented by more than one Federation. May we list both on the application?

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

 

Q. May we fax our application to the VCGCB?

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

 

Q. Is it necessary for an organization to submit an application annually?

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.

 

IRS 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.

 

Q. We do not have a copy of the 501(c)(3) document. How do we get one?

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

 

Q. We submitted the 501(c)(3) documentation last year. Do we have to submit another copy this year?

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 ot the Articles of Incorporation that clearly states the name change. If you have any questions about your documentation, please call or email 916.491.3726 or csecc@vcgcb.ca.gov.

 

Q. We have a large organization and we operate in several different cities/counties. As a consequence we are known as "X" Co., of Sacramento County, "X" Co., of Placer County, etc. Will the VCGCB accept our 501(c)(3) document for all of them?

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

 

California Revenue and Taxation Code 23701(d) Questions:

Q. How can I verify my organization is in compliance with California Revenue and Taxation Code 23701(d)?

A. Please call or write to the California Franchise Tax Board's Exempt Organizations Unit and request an "Entity Status" form to verify your organization is in good standing. The Franchise Tax Board may charge a fee to obtain this form.

EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS UNIT MS F120
FRANCHISE TAX BOARD
PO BOX 1286
RANCHO CORDOVA CA 95741-1286

or

FTB Exempt Organizations Unit
916.845.4171

 

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.

 

Q. I have questions about my payroll deductions. Who may I speak to about this?

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 PDF for the correct organization and contact information.

 

Q. How do I find the "Organization Code Number" that is requested on my "CSECC Pledge Form" to indicate my designation?

A. The "Organization Code Number" requested on the "CSECC Pledge Form" can be found in the "CSECC Donor Resource Guide", published annually by the United Way.

 

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).

 

Q. Will we receive the names of donors who have contributed to our organization?

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.

 

Q. My organization was approved by the VCGCB to participate, what is our "Organization Code Number" that State Employees should use on their CSECC Pledge Form?

A. The "Organization Code Number" requested on the employee "CSECC Pledge Form" can be found in the "CSECC Donor Resource Guide", which is published annually by the United Way.

The "CSECC Donor Resource Guide" is traditionally published by the United Way each year and contains organizations that have been approved for participation by the VCGCB. The "CSECC Pledge Form" is also traditionally published by the United Way.

 

Principal Combined Fund Drive Questions:

Q. How do we contact State employees in our county/region?

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 each State employee.
  • Contact large departments for a roster of office locations within the State through a department's website or Public Information Officer.

 

Q. What is our pledge form CSECC Fund Drive Code?

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

 

Q. Who can the PCFD call for answers regarding contributions or agency codes?

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.