FAQs

Q. Is my donation to Community Services Fund tax deductible?

A. Yes

Q. Why should I give through Community Services Fund instead of directly to the agency?

A. Community Services Fund does not want to discourage you from giving directly to agencies. Payroll deduction is another way, and perhaps a better way, for you to support your community. Payroll deduction could be better for you because: 1) It’s convenient to have donations deducted each pay period; and 2) It may allow you to give more money because it is spread over a year’s time. One reason our agencies like payroll deduction campaigns is because they are a low-cost way to educate and inform the community-at-large and to recruit donors and volunteers. You support this concept by contributing through Community Services Fund.

Q. How do agencies become members of Community Services Fund?

A. Agencies complete an application which is reviewed by our Membership and Nominating Committee. The committee recommends to our Board of Directors which agencies to accept for membership. The entire membership of Community Services Fund makes the final vote to accept recommended new members.

Q. How do you evaluate your agencies?

A. We evaluate our member agencies in two ways. First, they must provide updated financial and program information annually. Second, they must participate in the running of Community Services Fund. This is accomplished primarily by working on one of several committees.

Q. Aren’t you duplicating efforts with other workplace giving organizations? How are you different from United Way?

A. Community Services Fund is similar to, but very different from other common workplace giving charities. We both encourage the use of payroll deduction to raise funds, but we represent different nonprofit agencies and we distribute our money differently. Community Services Fund offers a diverse choice of agencies (environmental, cultural, etc.). Community Services Fund distributes the majority of the money raised based on donor designation. The most familiar workplace giving charity prefers to distribute money according to allocation amounts pre-determined by committee.

Q. Do any of your agencies receive money from other federations or vice-versa?

A. Agencies in Community Services Fund do not receive money from any other workplace giving federation, other than donor choice designations. Nor do other federation's agencies receive money from Community Services Fund.

Q. Why are there so many choices? Why can’t all of you be part of the same federation?

A. No single federation could possibly fund-raise for all nonprofit choices in our community. Community Services Fund was formed in 1981 in response to donors asking for more and different choices and to nonprofits looking for new sources of funding.

If you have further questions, please feel free to contact us online.