The appreciation event honored our committed and hard-working department and agency chairs, vice chairs and other campaign volunteers, who worked to spread the word about the opportunity to give back, and the 37,000 state employees who contributed to Our Promise: California State Employees Giving at Work.

Thanks to the generosity of state workers, the 2015 campaign raised $6.2 million! View full campaign results here.

View all photos from the event here.

Awardees honored at the event

Several volunteers and departments received awards for their dedication and work on the Our Promise 2015 campaign.

The High Speed Rail Authority was awarded the Outstanding Improvement Award. Their hard work resulted in a 64% increase!

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Food & Agriculture and the Department of Transportation received this year’s Collaborative Excellence Award. These departments came together for a combined kick-off event that had a BIG pay off.

The Exceptional Leadership Achievement Award, is given each year to the department with the most leadership level donors (giving $1,000 or more), was awarded to the Department of Transportation.

Campaign of the Year Awards were given to California State University Chancellor’s Office (small department), who achieved a 54% participation rate, and California Highway Patrol (large department) who raised just under $600,000!

The 2015 Augustus Freeman Hawkins Award of Distinguished Merit in Dedication was awarded to Matt Rodriquez, Secretary for California Environmental Protection Agency. Secretary Rodriquez was honored for leading his agency in innovation, allowing strong support and recruitment of campaign chairs and key connectors and providing educational opportunities which helped his employees to learn more about the needs of communities statewide.

Our Promise CA, was established in 1957 to provide a single charitable fundraising drive in the state community. This year, Our Promise CA celebrates its 59th year providing California state employees with the opportunity to use payroll deduction to support nonprofits of their choice. The local Our Promise CA represents more than 80,000 state employees in the five-county capital region of Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties. More than 297,000 state employees are contacted by Our Promise CA, and thousands of nonprofits are now receiving a total of $6.2 million.

All 2015 Department Awards

Participation Award Winners

Platinum Level: 85%+ participation rate

New Motor Vehicle Board

Gold Level: 60-84% participation rate

Office of Traffic Safety
Sierra Nevada Conservancy

Silver Level: 40-59% participation rate

California State University Office of the Chancellor
Commission on State Mandates
Delta Protection Commission
Department of Conservation
Office of Administrative Law

Bronze Level: 25-39% participation rate

Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays
Board of State & Community Corrections
California Highway Patrol
California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office
California Conservation Corps
California Earthquake Authority
California State Library
Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training
Department of Aging
Department of Business Oversight
Department of Child Support Services
Department of Community Services & Development
Department of Finance
Department of Human Resources
Department of Insurance
Department of Managed Health Care
Department of Motor Vehicles
Environmental Protection Agency
First 5 California
Health & Human Services Agency
California Housing Finance Agency
Office of Business & Economic Development
Office of Systems Integration
Office of the Governor
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy
Secretary of State’s Office
State Controller’s Office
State Treasurer’s Office
Teachers Retirement System
Wildlife Conservation Board

Per Capita Award Winners

Platinum Level: $100.00+ per capita gift

Agricultural Labor Relations Board
California State Library
Delta Protection Commission
Environmental Protection Agency
Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development
Office of Traffic Safety

Gold Level: $80.00-$99.99 per capita gift

California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office
California State Auditor
California State Transportation Agency
California State University Office of the Chancellor
Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training
Office of Systems Integration
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy

Silver Level: $65.00-$79.99 per capita gift

Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency
California Arts Council
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Department of Aging
Department of Business Oversight
Department of Community Services & Development
Department of Conservation
Department of Finance
Department of Human Resources
Health & Human Services Agency
Office of the Governor
Office of the State Public Defender
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
State Treasurer’s Office

Bronze Level: $50.00-$64.99 per capita gift

California Highway Patrol
California Conservation Corps
California Housing Finance Agency
California State Coastal Conservancy
Commission on State Mandates
Commission on Teacher Credentialing
Department of Child Support Services
Department of Insurance
Department of Pesticide Regulation
First 5 California
Legislative Analyst’s Office
Office of Administrative Law
Secretary of State’s Office
State Water Resources Control Board
Teachers Retirement System

Campaign Increase Award Winners

Campaign Increase of 15%+

Business Consumers Services and Housing Agency
California Coastal Commission
California Earthquake Authority
California Exposition and State Fair
California Horse Racing Board
California State Transportation Agency
Colorado River Board
Committee on Judicial Performance
CSU, Dominguez Hills
CSU, San Luis Obispo
CSU, Stanislaus
Department of Child Support Services
Department of Fair Employment & Housing
Environmental Protection Agency
Fair Political Practices Commission
First 5 California
Health Benefit Exchange (Covered CA)
High Speed Rail Authority
Judicial Council/Services
Museum of Science & Industry
Office of Administrative Law
Office of Systems Integration
Office of Traffic Safety
Public Employment Relations Board
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Statutory Officers
Statutory Officers, Supreme Court Judges
Student Aid Commission
Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board
Wildlife Conservation Board