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**GUIDELINES**

**FOR THE USE OF E-TECHNOLOGY IN THE CFC**

**Introduction:**

These guidelines are designed to assist CFC campaigns in the creation
and maintenance of electronic technologies, in a manner that is
consistent with the CFC regulations and practices.[^1]

E-technologies are defined as any product, device or mechanism that
creates and disseminates information about the CFC or facilitates
transactions for the CFC by means of the world wide web, inter and
intranets, e-mail, machine-readable and scanned information, hand-held
and desk-top electronic devices and any other electronic means. [^2]

Electronic technologies associated with the CFC should be designed and
utilized to achieve two principal objectives of the campaign. The first
is to enable donors and charities to easily access information and
participate in the CFC at a lower cost. The second is to allow PCFOs and
LFCCs to communicate more efficiently with donors, Federal agency
volunteers, and charities.

**Guidelines Summary**

1\. Uphold the CFC principle of fairness as described in 5 CFR
950.105(b) in all e-technology products;

2\. Meet the core content requirements for CFC websites;

3\. Adhere to the specified e-technology conventions;

4\. Practice e-technology management guidelines; and,

5\. Employ sound technical and fiscal practices in the electronic
dissemination of campaign information.

**GUIDELINES FOR E-TECHNOLOGY USE IN THE CFC**

**Guideline 1.**

**CFC e-technology products must conform to the principle of fairness as
described in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
§950.105(b), and must avoid exclusive, differential, or preferential
treatment to any one participating charity or group of charities. This
principle applies to website Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other
electronic hosting arrangements.**

[1.1 Hosting and Domain Names]{.underline}

1.1(A) CFC websites may be hosted on a PCFO server or any governmental
or non-governmental server, provided that the identifying URL or domain
name does not contain descriptors or content that identifies the PCFO or
any other non-governmental organization or business.

1.1(B) Domain names or URLs that identify the PCFO or other
non-governmental hosting providers are not acceptable. Examples of
unacceptable domain names are:

> www.pcfoname.city.org/cfc

http://www.pcfoname.state/cfc

www.pcfoname.org/cfc

1.1 (C) Domain names should identify the campaign location. Examples of
acceptable domain names that do not display PCFO or non-governmental
provider descriptors are:

[www.cfcyourtown.org](http://www.cfcyourtown.org/)

http://www.cfcstate.org

[www.countycfc.org](http://www.yourtowncfc.org/)

1.1(D) Domain names can be purchased directly at various prices and
terms on the internet. Search for "purchase domain names" to research
options. If a domain name is offered as part of a package of services by
a vendor, be certain that the name can be retained in the event the
service provider changes.

 

[1.2 Charity Information, Stories, and Volunteer
Opportunities]{.underline}

1.2 (A) Website references that list charities or groups of charities in
ways other than required by the CFC regulations are considered
equivalent to the electronic distribution of charity literature and have
the potential for providing preferential treatment to a charity or group
of charities. Charity references must conform to CFC regulations as
stated in 5 CFR §§ 950.105(b) and 950.401(d), respectively. Therefore,
it is not acceptable to list or post charity names, links, stories,
events, and volunteer opportunities on any portion of the CFC website
except as provided for in the CFC regulations and these Guidelines at
3.1. Referring website visitors to non-governmental sources that offer
charity and volunteer information is also unacceptable.

1.2 (B) Examples of the importance of the donors\' contributions of time
and money may be used when that information is presented without
identifying charities. Website visitors seeking further information
should be directed to the complete charity list so that they may
directly contact the organizations of their choice. Opportunities to
volunteer in the CFC, by definition do not represent the interests of
any single charity or group of charities, and may be offered on the CFC
website. Also, see Section 2.3, Campaign Event Information.

[1.3 Charities and donors must be offered efficient, complete, and equal
access to information]{.underline}.

**Guideline 2.**

**CFC websites must meet the minimum core requirements that define home
page content, key content, and campaign event information as listed
below.**

[2.1 Home Page Content]{.underline}

2.1 (A) The local CFC website homepage must prominently display the two
statements below that identify it as an official local CFC website as
approved by the LFCC:

Statement 1

This is the official Combined Federal Campaign website for the [\[Your-
Town\] CFC .]{.underline}

Statement 2

This site has been reviewed and approved by the [\[Your-Town\] Local
Federal]{.underline} [Coordinating Committee]{.underline} for the
\[2006\] CFC campaign.

> Hyperlinks, shown as underlined text above, must take the user to a
> listing of LFCC members and a description of the LFCC's role. LFCC
> member names and their Federal agency affiliations must be included.
> An LFCC e-mail address for contact is also encouraged. Any additional
> contact information for LFCC members is at the discretion of the LFCC.

2.1 (B) Feedback and comment links must be displayed to provide
interested parties with the opportunity to send general questions
regarding the campaign. General questions should link to the PCFO and
technical questions regarding the website should link to the webmaster
in accordance with the operating structure of the campaign. These links
must be on the home page but may also appear in footers or in other
conspicuous locations.

[2.2 Key Content]{.underline}

Key content refers to information about the campaign that is considered
essential for donors and other interested parties, such as the CFC
charity lists, the pledge form, and local charity applications. Key
content must be easily accessible.

2.2 (A) CFC charity list. The full contents of the local, national and
international CFC charity lists must be available and conform to the CFC
order of presentation of charities provided by OPM. Access to on-line
CFC charity lists does not completely replace the need for paper CFC
brochures. Campaigns may reduce the number of hardcopy brochures printed
but still must print an adequate number of brochures and distribute them
to donors.

> 1\. CFC charity lists should be posted in write-protected PDF or other
> locked formats to deter their modification. This does not preclude the
> simultaneous use of HTML. Care should be taken when possible to
> produce a write protected file from an original document and not a
> scanned version. Doing so will help meet Section 508 accessibility
> requirements for users with disabilities.

2\. CFC charity lists must be compliant with the 508 Accessibility
requirements or alternately provide the charity list information in
other formats that are accessible to users with disabilities.

> 3\. CFC charity lists should be searchable. Search results must be
> displayed in the order that they would appear in the paper brochure
> except when the structure of the search, such as by charity code, is
> used. It is permissible to present search results by a relevance score
> according to the degree to which charities meet search criteria, as
> long as all charities in the group that meet the criteria are
> presented within the brochure order. For example, if a donor searches
> for charities with National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) service
> code "B" and the word "animal" in the description, it is allowable to
> display first those that match both criteria in the order they appear
> in the brochure, followed by all charities that match only one of the
> criteria (also in brochure order).
>
> 4\. Charity list taxonomy. Effective for the 2006 campaign period, all
> on-line CFC charity list search engines must use the NTEE service
> category codes as first provided for by OPM in the 2006 CFC charity
> application or subsequent guidance.
>
> 5\. Information on how donors may request a paper version of the
> local, national and international CFC charity lists must be available
> in relevant sections of the on-line charity lists.
>
> 6\. Links to the National/International charity lists posted on the
> OPM/CFC website are not permissible as a substitute for the complete
> listing of local, national, and international charities.

2.2 (B) Pledge form. Pledge forms and instructions must meet the
specifications of the model pledge form issued by OPM unless OPM has
approved modifications in advance. Pledge forms must contain the
campaign control number, campaign name and address, and must be produced
in write-protected PDF or other tamper-resistant format. The on-line
posting of the pledge form must also include clear instructions to the
donor to select only from the charities listed in their on-line or paper
CFC charity list. Pledge form dimensions and recognition award levels
are at the discretion of the local campaign and do not require OPM
approval.

2.2 (C) Charity Applications. Local charity applications and deadlines
for submission should be posted on the local CFC website along with
links to the relevant guidance from the OPM/CFC website.

[2.3 Campaign Event Information]{.underline}

CFC websites should post benchmark events and activities such as
campaign-wide kick-offs and closings, requests for PCFO proposals,
charity application deadlines, and activities for Federal agency
volunteers. Campaigns are not required to post every event but should,
at a minimum, direct the user to telephone and email contacts for
further information. Additional campaign event information can include
speaker's bureau opportunities, trainings, and other activities related
to the administration of the campaign.

**Guideline 3.**

**A CFC website must adhere to the following guidelines concerning the
use of links, logos, advertising, sponsorship, and disclosures.**

[3.1 Links]{.underline}

3.1 (A) CFC websites must not link to other websites that do not relate
to the mission of the campaign. This includes CFC sponsor websites.

3.1 (B) The CFC website may provide a link to the website of a
participating charity, including the PCFO, as a part of its contact
information in the official list of CFC participating charities.

3.1 (C) A PCFO may not provide a link to its own website in addition to
a link authorized at 3.1(B), except when the PCFO is also the provider
of an on-line processing service that is offered by that particular
campaign. In that instance, the PCFO should be identified in that
capacity through a simple disclosure statement and a link that makes the
context clear.

3.1 (D) CFC websites must not link to businesses, charitable
organizations, and others that donate goods or services to the CFC.

3.1 (E) The CFC website must link to the OPM/CFC website. Viewers must
be directed to www.opm.gov/cfc unless otherwise instructed by OPM. Links
to the National/International Charity lists posted on the OPM/CFC
website are not permissible as a substitute for the complete listing of
local, national, and international charities as required in Section 2.2
(A)6.

[3.2 Logos.]{.underline}

Appropriate symbols for a CFC website are a CFC logo, local campaign
theme emblems and logos, and government agency logos. The use of charity
logos including the PCFO's non-CFC logo, symbols, and other branding
elements related to non-profit and corporate entities are not
appropriate on the CFC website.

[3.3 Sponsorships]{.underline}

The involvement of sponsors in activities that help offset campaign
expenses is common in the CFC and can be beneficial, provided
sponsorships are not used to seek influence over the government process
or to promote a particular legislative agenda. Sponsor acknowledgments
on CFC websites must meet the following criteria to ensure that no
endorsement is being provided to the sponsor:

3.3 (A) Acknowledgement of a CFC sponsor is acceptable when placed in a
single line on an acknowledgement page of the website. The sponsor
acknowledgement page, if any, must be devoted exclusively to
acknowledging sponsors. It must be placed on the website in an
unobtrusive place and visitors may only have access to the page after
one or more clicks. Under no circumstances may visitor traffic be driven
to the sponsorship page. CFC sponsor acknowledgements may not be placed
elsewhere on the CFC website.

3.3 (B) A sponsor acknowledgement page must include a prominent
disclaimer statement that it is solely an acknowledgement of the
sponsor's support of the CFC and that it does not endorse any of the
sponsor's products or services.

3.3 (C) A sponsor acknowledgement page must be devoid of sponsor logos,
symbols, animations, and trademarks, and must be formatted in a manner
that is consistent with the overall style sheet for the local CFC
website. A sponsor acknowledgement must not exceed a single line of
text.

3.3 (D) Links to a sponsor website are forbidden.

*Contact the Office of CFC Operations for additional guidance on
acknowledging sponsors in non-electronic formats.*

[]{.mark}

[]{.mark}

[3.4 Advertisements]{.underline}

The use of campaign sponsor advertisements can give the appearance of
influence towards the federal workforce and are specifically prohibited.
*Contact the Office of CFC Operations for additional guidance on
acknowledging sponsors in non-electronic formats.*

[]{.mark}

[3.5 Privacy Policy and Other Disclosures]{.underline}

At a minimum, CFC websites must provide a disclaimer of non-endorsement
and non-responsibility for the content of any other sites that may be
referenced and include a privacy policy statement. A privacy policy will
explain how information is collected and used on the website. The OPM
privacy policy located at http://www.opm.gov/html/privacy.asp may be
used as model.

[3.6 Cookies]{.underline}

Persistent cookies are not acceptable and must not be used.

**Guideline 4**

**The Local Federal Coordinating Committee (LFCC) must adopt a policy
for the approval of electronic information products that is consistent
with CFC Regulations.**

[4.1 Ownership]{.underline}

CFC electronic data (donor and campaign information) are the property of
the LFCC. Ownership of software and hardware used to produce campaign
information is determined by the terms of purchase or contract for such
tools.

[4.2 Reviews]{.underline}

4.2 (A) Consistent with other campaign materials, CFC electronic
information products must be reviewed annually by the LFCC and its
approval noted. On CFC websites, this must be displayed on the home page
as described in Guideline 2.1 (A).

4.2 (B) Federations and agencies should be given the same opportunity to
offer suggestions regarding on-line charity lists that they are given to
review the paper CFC charity list as provided for in 5 CFR § 950.105(b).

[4.3 Record Keeping]{.underline}

Electronic information products must be retained for three campaign
years in accordance with

5 CFR § 950.604. For CFC websites, an annual record of the key content
pages (CFC charity lists, pledge form and charity applications) should
be captured and stored in electronic and/or paper formats. The complete
website may be stored at the LFCC's discretion.

**Guideline 5. Electronic Transmission of Campaign Information**

**Campaigns using e-technologies to transmit donor information must
protect donor privacy and security through sound technical and fiscal
practices.**

[5.1 On-Line Transactions]{.underline}

> 5.1 (A) Campaigns may, but are not required to, include the
> opportunity for on-line giving through the CFC. If a campaign's
> website does include this opportunity, the campaign must:
>
> 1\. Conduct on-line transactions with products and systems that employ
> high-level, security technology that protects the privacy and security
> of the donor's personal information.
>
> 2\. Provide an \'opt out\' mechanism so that donors must consciously
> make selections to proceed with aspects of the transaction and
> transmittal of donor information.
>
> 3\. Disclose the identity of the organization or provider processing
> an on-line transaction. Also, see Section 3.1.
>
> 4\. Insure that contributions from on-line transactions are expedited
> as set forth in CFC regulations.
>
> 5.1 (B) The nature of the relationship between the organization(s)
> processing the pledge and the charity intended to benefit from the
> pledge must be disclosed, for example, "Financial transactions on this
> website are processed by Your Firm. Your Firm is independent of and
> has no relationships with any of the organizations eligible to receive
> funding in this program." or "Financial transactions on this website
> are processed by Your Firm. Your Firm is a division of Charity XYZ."
>
> 5.1 (C) Viewer access to CFC information and transactions must only
> pass through CFC branded portals, sites, links, gateways, and any
> other points of direct or indirect access to CFC business. Federal
> government intranet sites are acceptable for CFC information and
> transactions, provided that the viewer is not directed through a
> commercial or charity branded site.
>
> 5.1 (D) Companies providing on-line services to campaigns should
> provide clear and full communication with the campaign on all aspects
> of donor transactions including the accurate and timely transmission
> of data related to those transactions.

[5.2 e-Giving and e-Pledging]{.underline}

> 5.2 (A) Campaigns may not initiate electronic pledge processing
> procedures or arrangements with Federal payroll offices.
>
> 5.2 (B) The conventional method of giving through the use of paper
> pledge forms must be available for donors who prefer this option.
>
> 5.2 (C) All initiatives, products and programs must be approved by the
> LFCC before implementation.

[5.3 Electronic Pledge Reports.]{.underline} Transmitting donor pledge
information to designated charities by electronic means is acceptable
when:

5.3 (A) The donor's information is in a secure environment.

5.3 (B) Only that information allowed for in the regulations is made
available, at the donor's request, as required by the CFC Regulations in
§950.601(c) and §950.601(d).

5.3 (C) The cost of a product or service is included in the budget for
administering the campaign.

5.3 (D) Provision of this information remains available in paper format.

5.3 (E) The process, product, or system used for the dissemination of
pledge information has been approved by the LFCC.

5.3 (F) All electronic on-line products for the dissemination of pledge
information must conform to all other applicable parts of CFC
regulations and these guidelines, and must be approved by the LFCC
before implementation.

[^1]: CFC regulations and guidance address paper dissemination products,
    such as pledge cards, brochures or charity lists and most
    machine-readable material.

[^2]: The E-technologies term is adapted from OMB Circular No. A-130,
    Management of Federal Information Resources, Item 6 (j) and 6 (k).