Fundraising on Hanscom during CFC

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Each year during the Combined Federal Campaign numerous questions are raised about fundraising on the installation. This year the CFC at Hanscom will run through Jan. 11.

During the CFC, other fundraising on the installation is reduced significantly. This can affect private organizations, unofficial activities or others that may be planning fundraising activities. This article describes the rules for having a fundraiser during the CFC.

Air Force Assistance Fund and CFC are the only campaigns authorized to solicit and collect contributions from federal employees in the workplace.

Many of the rules that govern fundraising can be found in Air Force Instruction 36-3101, “Fundraising Within the Air Force.” Table 1 provides an overview of fundraising rules. These rules limit fundraising activities during CFC.

Throughout the CFC period, a narrow exception to these rules allows some fundraising activity, but only under very specific circumstances.

A private organization or unofficial activity that is composed primarily of Airmen will not be able to raise funds at the workplace during the CFC. However, these organizations may solicit for an internal program away from the workplace with the installation commander’s approval. It is the installation commander's responsibility to ensure that these activities do not detract from the CFC.

It is important to note that this must be an internal fundraiser that is directed exclusively at an organization’s own members and, further, that the funds must exclusively benefit Air Force members.

For example, if ‘XYZ club,’ a private organization, wants to hold a pizza sale fundraiser in non-work areas of the unit such as the lobby, break room or heritage room, and the sale is open only to members of ‘XYZ club’ to directly benefit Air Force members, with the proper routing and approval, this fundraiser could be allowed.

If, however, the same club wanted to host a fundraiser that benefited an outside charity, or the event were open to non-members, this fundraiser would not be allowed during the CFC.

Organizations that still wish to conduct a fundraiser that would be open to non-members during the CFC are able to do so, provided the profits are donated to the CFC. That fundraiser would count toward the organization’s two fundraisers per quarter in accordance with AFI 34-223, “Private Organizations (PO) Program.”

Requests to fundraise must be received by the 66th Force Support Squadron at least three weeks prior to the proposed event. Specific questions regarding proposed fundraisers should be raised through the installation private organization manager at 781-225-1373.