Nonprofit FAQs

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Find the answer to all of your questions about being a certified nonprofit through Our Promise: California State Employees Giving at Work. 

How do I become a certified nonprofit under the Our Promise campaign?

Nonprofits apply on an annual basis in January for the Our Promise campaign held each Fall. They can find more information here on how to get started or sign upto receive a notification on when the application process will become available.

All certified nonprofits must be valid 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and be in good standing with the Registry of Charitable Trusts to operate or to solicit for charitable purposes in California.

Do I have to apply for certification every year?

Yes, you do. Since every nonprofit needs to renew their registration with the Department of Justice every year, we also need to re-certify every nonprofit annually to confirm they are still in Current status with the DOJ.

I see my nonprofit listed on your website. Does that mean I’m already approved for this year?

No. The list of nonprofits currently posted is from the participants in last year’s campaign. Every nonprofit still needs to apply to be certified for the 2023 Campaign, and the list of approved nonprofits will be posted in October 2023

How often do nonprofits get paid out?

United Way makes payments to nonprofits donated to on a quarterly basis (January, April, July, October). We encourage all of our nonprofits to sign upfor EFT in order to be paid out monthly. See below for the nonprofit payout schedule. Please note: the 13.5% administrative fee for all donations is taken out of the first nonprofit payout of the calendar year.

Payment Frequency
Payouts to nonprofits are based on the amount collected from employees. Our Promise issues payouts to nonprofits designated by donors, monthly, quarterly and annually.  

Monthly Payments
Nonprofits signed up for EFT receive payments monthly (based on pledge collections), regardless of the amount.  If you are not signed up for EFT, download your form here and follow the instructions to sign up.

Quarterly Payments
Nonprofits that are not signed up for EFT are paid quarterly (if their payout is for a total of $25 or more).  

Annual Payments
Nonprofits that have a payout that is $25 or less are paid annually at the end of the campaign.

The payment schedule for 2022 is as follows, please allow 30-45 days to receive payments:

Pledge Payment Collected          Payment to Agency                        Payment Type

01.01.22 – 01.31.22                          By 03.15.22                                        Monthly
02.01.22 – 02.28.22                          By 04.15.22                                        Monthly
03.01.22– 03.31.22                           By 05.15.22                                       Quarterly

04.01.22 – 04.30.22                          By 06.15.22                                      Monthly
05.01.22 – 05.31.22                          By 07.15.22                                        Monthly
06.01.22 – 06.30.22                          By 08.15.22                                       Quarterly

07.01.22 – 07.31.22                          By 09.15.22                                        Monthly
08.01.22 – 08.31.22                          By 10.15.22                                        Monthly
09.01.22 – 09.30.22                          By 11.15.22                                        Quarterly

10.01.22 – 10.31.22                          By 12.15.22                                         Monthly
11.01.22 – 11.30.22                          By 01.15.22                                         Monthly
12.01.22 – 12.31.22                          By 02.15.22                                Quarterly / Annual

 

Are there any overhead fees?

The total combined administrative fees for the 2023 Our Promise initiative is 13.5% with an SCO processing fee of $.40 per transaction. Please note: the 13.5% administrative fee for all donations is taken out of the first nonprofit payout of the calendar year.

As a participating nonprofit, how can we retrieve payout information and donor detail?

Please use the nonprofit portal to track payout information and receive donor detail if your donors have elected to be acknowledged. If you have not signed up for the portal, please contact us.

What are the important campaign dates that nonprofits should be aware of?

Our Promise runs each year from October 5th - December 31st. However, nonprofits should be aware of things that happen all year. Here’s a look:

January –  Nonprofit certification opens for the following Fall campaign.

February – Certification for the Our Promise Campaign closes at the end of the month.

March – Campaign results are announced from the previous Fall campaign.

April –  Approved nonprofit partners are solidified for the Fall campaign.

June – Sign up to participate in the Our Promise Kick-Off event in October.

July -  Preparation for the upcoming campaign season and your nonprofit should now be updated on our website.

September – .

October - The campaign officially begins on October 5th. Register for the Our Promise Kick-Off event to watch live. Donors will be completing their epledge forms online – continue to promote Our Promise your organization to state employees

November - The Campaign continues.

December - The last day of the campaign is Dec. 31st, 2023.