Behind the Scenes
The Campaign’s Governing Board
The Department of General Services (DGS) is the governing board for the Our Promise Campaign. Annually DGS selects an organization that is responsible for managing the Our Promise initiative for a specific region in California. This is referred to as the Principal Combined Fund Drive (PCFD). DGS contracts with United Way California Capital Region as the PCFO or lead, to run the campaign. Then United Way California Capital Region subcontracts with 20 local United Ways to run the campaign statewide.
A Closer Look at PCFDs (Local Campaign Support)
For 2022 there are 21 organizations that provide local campaign support. These organizations will work in partnership with their regional department locations to support various aspects of Our Promise for state employees such as:
- Assist with ePledge within local offices for each department
- Serve as a liaison to the state department and their employees in that region
- Assisting campaign volunteers with all Our Promise materials
- Coordinating campaign events and speakers for meetings
- Providing volunteer training
- Assist with year-round donor customer service
- Pay out the nonprofit designations selected by donors
The State Controller’s Office Important Role
Once a state employee completes their payroll pledge, they are authorizing the State Controller’s Office (SCO) to deduct their specific monthly payroll deduction amount, including a $0.39 fee per transaction. The SCO then provides these payments to United Way California Capital Region to pay donor designations to the selected nonprofits.
The local organization that manages your nonprofit designations on your pledge form does not deduct your pay warrant contribution. Only the SCO has the authority to deduct your contribution from your pay warrant.
Our Promise is Easy!
Our Promise: California State Employees Giving at Work is an employee benefit for those who would like to donate to nonprofits through the convenience of payroll deduction. There are thousands of nonprofits listed here, which were vetted and approved by the Department of General Services (DGS) or donors may choose to give to any 501(c)(3) nonprofit by utilizing the “Write-In Nonprofit” feature in the Our Promise ePledge.
Payroll deduction donations start for as little as $5 per month!