Federal workers help tens of thousands of people across the country, not just in their everyday work but with their generosity. In 1964, the first Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) was launched as an experiment. It raised $12.9 million dollars for charity (that’s $99 million in 2014 dollars). Today, 50 years after that experiment, the CFC raises a staggering $282.6 million for nonprofit organizations, allowing federal workers' payroll contributions to change lives and transform communities, throughout the U.S. and around the world.

Historical Roots of the CFC

Before the 1950s, no organized system of workplace donations existed for federal workers, despite attempts to create one made by various charities. In June 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower called for the development of a uniform program for fundraising within the federal service corps. Over the next few years, a presidentially appointed committee created criteria and ground rules for the new program.

In 1964, the first Combined Federal Campaigns were launched. In its early days, charities listed in the CFC were grouped according to their missions, and each mission group was assigned a different time period in the year to fundraise. By 1971, all the campaigns were joined together  and President Richard Nixon announced the beginning of a completely unified initiative for charitable donations. Under the control of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the CFC expanded the number and types of participating organizations throughout the 1980s, eventually allowing the participation of most 501(c)(3) charities.

The CFC Today

Today, the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is one of the largest and most successful workplace giving campaigns in the world. The CFC has established a system that connects reputable charities with federal employees across the country, and now includes nearly 20,000 local, national, and international nonprofit organizations.

Annual reviews of all participating charities ensure that federal worker contributions are made only to nonprofits  with the highest operating standards.

CFC campaigns are currently kicking off all over the country and will run from Sept. 1 until Dec. 15. If you are a federal employee, look up your local chapter of CFC and find a cause worth supporting. And consider the Center for Effective Government!

As President John F. Kennedy, a staunch supporter of the creation of the CFC, once said, “The raising of extraordinarily large sums of money, given voluntarily and freely by millions of our fellow Americans, … is truly a jewel of an American tradition.”

The Center for Effective Government is one of the 20,000 nonprofits that receive funding through the CFC. Our CFC number is 10201.

Jill Holcomb and Scott Klinger contributed to this post.